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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.
Biao Zhang, Jinjia Cao, Shuang Lin, Yingming Song
Nuclear Technology | Volume 211 | Number 1 | January 2025 | Pages 1-12
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2024.2312026
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation algorithm is used to reconstruct the γ radiation field. The traditional IDW interpolation algorithm is improved. The power exponent of distance P in the IDW for each interpolation point is not fixed and varies from one point to the other point. A fitting expression of P is obtained, which is a function of the coordinates of each point and can minimize the interpolation error when the number of sampling points is specified. Afterward, the improved algorithm is used to reconstruct a γ radiation field of a single source, and the theoretic results are compared with the results from Geant4, yielding an average relative error of 7.50%. The interpolated results from the experimental measurements align well with the actual data, with an average relative error of only 0.12%. The P derived from the interpolated experimental measurement data shows an error of 2.0% compared to the power exponent obtained from the Geant4 data interpolation. Then we set up a double-source γ radiation scene experiment and measured the count rate data at the grid points. At the same time, the experiment scene was simulated by Geant4. The improved IDW algorithm could not reconstruct the double-source γ radiation field well, thus further improvement is needed.