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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, Brandon Rasmussen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 151 | Number 3 | September 2005 | Pages 281-288
Technical Paper | Nuclear Plant Operations and Control | doi.org/10.13182/NT05-A3650
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Empirical modeling techniques have been applied to online process monitoring to detect equipment and instrumentation degradations. However, few applications provide prediction uncertainty estimates, which can provide a measure of confidence in decisions. This paper presents the development of analytical prediction interval estimation methods for three common nonlinear empirical modeling strategies: artificial neural networks, neural network partial least squares, and local polynomial regression. The techniques are applied to nuclear power plant operational data for sensor calibration monitoring, and the prediction intervals are verified via bootstrap simulation studies.