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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.
Yassin A. Hassan, Andrey A. Troshko
Nuclear Technology | Volume 119 | Number 1 | July 1997 | Pages 29-37
Technical Paper | Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow | doi.org/10.13182/NT77-A35392
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The thermal-hydraulic CATHARE V1.3U code has been used to simulate an International Standard Problem (ISP38) experiment conducted at BETHSY Integral Test Facility located in Grenoble, France. This experiment presents simulation of the loss of residual heat removal system during midloop operation. It involved opening of the pressurizer man way and steam generator outlet plenum man way simultaneously with switching on the heating rod power to simulate the decay heat. The total power level of 138 kW was kept unchanged throughout the test. Mass discharge through both manways led to core boiling and uncovery. The test was stopped when the primary cooling system was filled back to a midloop level. Overall, the code’s prediction and experimental data were found to be in reasonable qualitative agreement. However, the code underestimated the time of the core uncovery and the actuation of the gravity feed injection because of the overprediction of the discharge through the steam generator man way during the initial stage of the transient. This was caused by misestimation of the phase separation effect at the hot leg/surge line tee junction and significant water entrainment into the surge line at the beginning of the test. It was found that the upward tee junction model needs to be refined for the low-pressure transients.