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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.
Seth Strege, Serkan Yilmaz, Pradip Saha, Eric P. Loewen
Nuclear Technology | Volume 193 | Number 2 | February 2016 | Pages 259-275
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NT14-120
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Electromagnetic (EM) pumps are a major component in the safe operation of liquid metal–cooled nuclear reactors and can also be used in any other application in which a conductive fluid is being pumped through a system. During the design of an EM pump, it is useful to model its operating characteristics for pump sizing, flow capabilities, and other design checks. The EM pump analysis code known as MATRIX is a prime example of a tool that can be used for such pump modeling. This paper introduces the modernization and capability investigation efforts completed on MATRIX. An output data comparison of the modernized code is made between both the legacy code and the measured EM pump. Further improvement of MATRIX through data analysis and flow correction techniques is explained.