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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.
Kwon-Yeong Lee, Moo Hwan Kim
Nuclear Technology | Volume 163 | Number 2 | August 2008 | Pages 261-272
Technical Paper | Thermal Hydraulics | doi.org/10.13182/NT08-A3986
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A theoretical model using a heat and mass transfer analogy was developed to investigate the effects of noncondensable gases on the heat transfer coefficient of steam condensing inside a vertical tube. The Nusselt and Sherwood numbers in the gas phase were modified to incorporate the effects of condensate film roughness, suction, and developing flow. The model predictions showed good agreement with the experimental data obtained for various experimental conditions. A parametric study was conducted using the model with condenser tube diameter as a variable. The results indicated that the effects of noncondensable gases become weak as the inlet mixture Reynolds number (Remix,in = 4[over dot]mmix,in/dimix,in) increases and inlet noncondensable gas mass fraction (Wnc,in = [over dot]mnc,in/([over dot]mnc,in + [over dot]mv,in)) decreases. In addition, the effects of noncondensable gases also become weak as the condenser tube diameter decreases with the same inlet mixture Reynolds number because of interfacial shear stress.