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.
Hangbok Choi, Chang Je Park
Nuclear Technology | Volume 153 | Number 2 | February 2006 | Pages 132-145
Technical Paper | Fuel Cycle and Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT06-A3695
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Dry process fuel technology has high proliferation resistance, which is one of the important goals of the Generation-IV nuclear energy system developments. It is expected that dry process fuel technology can be applied not only to existing but also to future nuclear systems. In this study, the homogeneous ThO2-UO2 fuel cycle and the heterogeneous ThO2-DUPIC fuel cycle options of a Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactor were assessed, which included a neutronic feasibility analysis of recycling spent fuels. Parametric calculations were also performed for reactivity coefficients and isotopic content changes for various initial fuel conditions. The results of the physics calculations have shown that it is feasible to recycle the thorium fuel through the dry process option in the CANDU reactor, which in turn significantly improves natural uranium savings and diminishes spent fuel. However, further investigation of the dry process option, which is technically and economically feasible for thorium-abundant dioxide fuel, is required.