ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2026
Nuclear Technology
August 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
The human factor in licensing and operating the next generation of nuclear plants
As human factors specialists working at the intersection of human performance and nuclear operations, we are witnessing one of the nuclear sector’s most significant transitions in decades. The emergence of small modular reactors, microreactors, and other advanced designs is reshaping the industry’s landscape. Digital instrumentation and controls, passive safety systems, and increased automation are creating opportunities for greater safety margins and more flexible operation. These same features also fundamentally redefine what it means to “operate” a nuclear plant. Interactions among human roles, automation, and passive systems shape how people maintain awareness, exercise judgment, and intervene when necessary. These developments affect both operational realities and the regulatory foundations on which nuclear safety is built.
Chu-Tien Chen, Shih-Hai Li
Nuclear Technology | Volume 117 | Number 2 | February 1997 | Pages 223-233
Technical Paper | Radioactive Waste Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT97-A35327
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An analytical solution is developed for the problem of radionuclide transport in a system of planar parallel fractures situated in a porous rock matrix. The flux at the inlet boundary of a fracture is assumed to decrease exponentially with time. The solution considers the following processes: (a) advective transport in the fractures, (b) mechanical dispersion and molecular diffusion along the fractures, (c) molecular diffusion from a fracture to the porous matrix, (d) adsorption onto the fracture wall, (e) adsorption within the porous matrix, and (f) radioactive decay. The solution is based on the Laplace transform method. The general transient solution is in the form of a double integral that is evaluated using composite Gauss-Legendre quadrature. A simpler transient solution that is in the form of a single integral is also presented for the case that assumes negligible longitudinal dispersion along the fractures. A few examples are given to illustrate the effect of various fracture spacings and groundwater velocities, a 1% penetration distance, and the effect of neglecting the longitudinal dispersion in the fractures.