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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.
Y.-M. Ferng, J. H. Hsieh, C. D. Horng
Nuclear Technology | Volume 153 | Number 2 | February 2006 | Pages 197-207
Technical Paper | Thermal Hydraulics | doi.org/10.13182/NT06-A3700
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A methodology that combines the Eulerian/Lagrangian droplet flow model and the droplet impingement erosion model is proposed in this paper to qualitatively predict the distributions of wall thinning locations on the shell wall of feedwater heaters (FWHs). This hybrid computational fluid dynamics model can simulate the three-dimensional distribution of steam flow and the rebound characteristics of droplets within the FWH shell. Coupled with the droplet flow characteristics, an appropriate indicator derived from the droplet impingement model is used to calculate the possible locations of severe wall thinning. The predicted wear sites on the shell wall correspond well with the plant-measured ones. Based on this good agreement, the methodology proposed herein might be used to help construct the monitoring project of wall thickness measurement for FWHs in the power plant, especially in the measuring areas on the shell wall.