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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.
Kangbei Cai, Yuchen Song, Jingjing Li, Dezhong Wang, Junlian Yin, Wei Liu, Hua Li
Nuclear Technology | Volume 205 | Number 1 | January-February 2019 | Pages 94-103
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2018.1479575
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Venturi-type bubble generator proposed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory is used to produce micro-sized bubbles. In this paper, a numerical simulation is carried out to study the process of the bubble formation and detachment from a wall orifice of a Venturi-type bubble generator in a cross-flowing liquid. The Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) method is applied to track the two-phase interface and study the evolution of the bubble formation. The result of the computation provides a visual three-dimensional bubble and shows the process of bubble formation and detachment. Three stages are identified during bubble formation (the expansion stage, the rising stage, and the collapse stage). Because of the compressibility of the gas, a fluctuation of the pressure and the mass flow rate in the gas chamber is observed, which is considered a significant effect on the bubble formation and detachment. The mechanism of the bubble detachment is clarified with the help of the mass flow rate fluctuation. The equivalent diameter is compared with that predicted by a previous model. A Coupled Level Set Volume-of-Fluid (CLSVOF) simulation is compared with the VOF simulation; the three stages and the fluctuation are also observed in the CLSVOF simulation.