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August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
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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.
B. A. Gusev, I. S. Orlenkov, L. N. Moskvin, N. G. Sandler, A. A. Efimov, А. M. Aleshin, V. V. Krivobokov, V. N. Vavilkin
Nuclear Technology | Volume 206 | Number 5 | May 2020 | Pages 791-803
Technical Note | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2019.1693216
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The technologies and chemical solutions for decontamination of high-power reactors are limited for use in small-scale power generation due to fundamental differences in operating conditions, fuel composition, fuel-element cladding structure, coolant water chemistry, and structural materials. The small space of the primary circuit and specific design and operational features have made it necessary to optimize the decontamination technologies for different stages of the naval rector plant (NRP) life cycle. Based on many years’ experience in maintenance, repair, and operation of NRPs, the principles for optimization of the process approaches are defined to reduce radioactive contamination of NRP equipment. In each particular case the decontamination technology is selected with due consideration for the NRP’s design, actual radioactive contamination, and the requirements for the cleanliness of the primary system after decontamination. This makes it possible to optimize the number of treatment cycles/stages and reagent consumption and to minimize the probability of recurrent deposit formation and the liquid radwaste amount.