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August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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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.
Ralph G. Bennett
Nuclear Technology | Volume 96 | Number 1 | October 1991 | Pages 117-122
Technical Note | Nuclear Fuel Cycle | doi.org/10.13182/NT91-A35537
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Finite element modeling of the stresses in TRISO-coated fuel particles under normal operating conditions is undertaken with the ABAQUS code. Accurate results for the coating layer stresses are obtained with 30 finite elements in the model and ∼100 time steps through the life of the fuel. When compared to an earlier General Atomics/Forschungszentrum Jülich (GA/KFA) computer model of fuel performance, several discrepancies are uncovered in the earlier model. The GA/KFA model underpredicts the stresses in the silicon carbide layer, and the discrepancy increases with fission gas pressure.
