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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.
Gerald Houghton
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 11 | Number 2 | October 1961 | Pages 121-128
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE61-A28056
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Fundamental flux vectors have been obtained for the diffusion of bubbles in heated channels by considering bubble motion in a turbulent liquid as a Markoff process. These flux vectors lead to a nonlinear partial differential equation representing the void fraction, which has been linearized for the case of small void fractions and coupled to a similar partial differential equation governing heat flow into the liquid phase. The coupled differential equations are transformed into coupled integral equations which are solved to obtain axial void fraction and temperature distributions in a heated channel. The rate of vapor production at the wall and the rate constant for bubble growth have been calculated from experimental data on void fraction distributions at constant uniform flux. The model predicts the correct shape for the void fraction distribution curve as well as providing a plausible explanation of burnout phenomena in terms of the bubble slip velocity.