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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.
Tsuguyuki Kobayashi
Nuclear Technology | Volume 166 | Number 2 | May 2009 | Pages 134-145
Technical Papers | Thermal Hydraulics | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A7400
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Design limits on the accumulated decay heat in the molten salt of an electrorefiner (ER) are proposed based on two-dimensional steady-state calculations. It was found that forced convection cooling of the outer surface of the ER allows ~30 to 40% larger decay heat than that for natural circulation cooling. The validity of a steady-state calculation is confirmed by comparison with a one-dimensional non-steady-state calculation. Estimated decay heat limits are compared with that of NaCl resulting from the bonding Na in the spent metallic fuel and the lanthanides concentration in the salt. These comparisons suggest that consideration of the decay heat is very important for the continuous usage of the salt in the ER.