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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.
J. Wesley Hines, Darryl J. Wrest, Robert E. Uhrig
Nuclear Technology | Volume 119 | Number 2 | August 1997 | Pages 181-193
Technical Paper | Reactor Control | doi.org/10.13182/NT97-A35385
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An adaptive neural fuzzy inference system modeling technique is introduced for sensor and associated instrument channel calibration validation. This method uses an inferential-modeling technique after a genetic algorithm search is used to empirically determine the appropriate combinations of input variables to optimally model each signal to be monitored. These variables are used as input to a fuzzy inference system that is trained to estimate the monitored signals. The estimates are compared with the actual signals, and a statistical decision technique known as the sequential probability ratio test is used to detect sensor anomalies. The sensor fault detection system is demonstrated using data supplied from Florida Power Corporation’s Crystal River Unit 3 nuclear power generating station.