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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.
Y. Kirihara, M. Hagiwara, H. Iwase, S. Ban, T. Itoga, T. Nakamura
Nuclear Technology | Volume 168 | Number 3 | December 2009 | Pages 773-779
MC Calculations | Special Issue on the 11th International Conference on Radiation Shielding and the 15th Topical Meeting of the Radiation Protection and Shielding Division (PART 3) / Radiation Protection | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A9305
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
We performed a systematic benchmark study of several Monte Carlo codes for neutron deep penetration experiments at 0 deg, which were previously performed using 40-, 65-, and 137-MeV quasi-monoenergetic neutrons and using continuous-energy neutrons up to 400 MeV. Neutron energy spectra behind shields and the attenuation lengths of the neutron flux are compared between the experiments and the calculations. All calculations generally well reproduce the energy spectra and the attenuation lengths measured in the experiments. The attenuation length obtained as a function of the incident neutron energy in this study rapidly increases with the incident energy.