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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.
Antti Räty, Petri Kotiluoto
Nuclear Technology | Volume 194 | Number 1 | April 2016 | Pages 28-38
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NT15-86
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The objective of the study has been to estimate the residual activity in the decommissioning waste of the TRIGA Mark II–type research reactor FiR 1 in Finland. Neutron flux distributions were calculated with the Monte Carlo code MCNP. These were used in the ORIGEN-S point-depletion code to calculate the neutron-induced activity of materials at different time points by modeling irradiation history and radioactive decay. Knowledge of the radioactive inventory of irradiated materials is important in the planning of the decommissioning activities and is essential for predicting the radiological impact to personnel and the environment. Decommissioning waste consists mainly of ordinary concrete, aluminum, steel, and graphite parts. Results include uncertainties due to assumptions on material compositions and lack of some detailed operational history data. Comparison to activity inventory estimates of two other decommissioned research reactors is also presented.