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August 24–27, 2026
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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.
R. D. Waddell, Jr.
Nuclear Technology | Volume 11 | Number 4 | August 1971 | Pages 491-501
Technical Paper | Symposium on Fuel Rod Failure and Its Effect / Fuel | doi.org/10.13182/NT71-A30846
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Zircaloy-clad fuel rods of a light-water reactor will deform by swelling during the thermal transient associated with a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). This swelling may cause coolant channel blockage of such magnitude that emergency cooling may be impaired. To investigate the effect of tube swelling on coolant flow area, a series of multirod transient burst tests have been conducted under various conditions of internal pressure and heating rates. Results to date have shown a wide range of coolant channel blockage for internal pressures up to 400 psig.