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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.
Carl M. Stoots, James E. O'Brien, Keith Condie, Lisa Moore-McAteer, Gregory Housley, Joseph J. Hartvigsen, J. Stephen Herring
Nuclear Technology | Volume 166 | Number 1 | April 2009 | Pages 32-42
Technical Paper | Special Issue on Nuclear Hydrogen Production, Control, and Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A6966
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The High-Temperature Electrolysis Integrated Laboratory-Scale experiment was designed at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Ceramatec during 2006 and early 2007 and constructed in the spring and summer of 2007. A "half-module," two stacks of 60 cells each, was tested at Ceramatec for 2040 h in June-September 2006 and a full module, four stacks of 60 cells each, was completed in March 2007. Initial shakedown testing of the INL Integrated Laboratory-Scale (ILS) experimental facility commenced on August 22, 2007. Heatup of the first ILS module started at 4:10 PM on September 24, 2007, and ran for 420 h. The test average H2 production rate was ~1.3 Nm3/h (Normal cubic meters per hour, where Normal conditions are 273 K and 1 atm) (0.116 kg H2/h), with a peak measured H2 production rate of over 2 Nm3/h (0.179 kg H2/h). Significant module performance degradation was observed over the first 250 h, after which no further degradation was noted for the remainder of the test. Once all test objectives had been successfully met, the test was terminated in a controlled fashion.