Human Performance in Small Modular Reactors

小型模块化反应堆中的人类表现

• 批准号: 580553-2022
• 负责人: Jamieson, GregoryGA
• 金额: $ 8.73万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Alliance Grants
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=759573
• 关键词: Human; Performance; Small; Modular; Reactors

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) offer significant promise for meeting Canada's clean energy needs. Human Factors Engineering is a mandated process that ensures that operating crews have the knowledge, skills, and tools to safely operate nuclear facilities. Currently, the knowledge base regarding human factors implications and challenges of SMRs is thin. The proposed project seeks to address that gap and support SMR developers and regulators in ensuring that SMRs provide Canadians with safe, clean, and reliable energy. We are proposing a three-year research program to establish a novel human factors in SMR research capability in Canada, create new knowledge about the human factors implications of SMRs, disseminate that knowledge to Canadian companies and government agencies, and train highly qualified engineers to work in the Canadian nuclear sector. Using a microworld simulator developed by Idaho National Laboratory, we will conduct experiments on the human performance implications of operator work in highly automated SMR control rooms. We will explore the impacts of computer-based operating procedures on operator task performance, situation awareness, and workload. We will also study the challenges of operating multiple reactors in parallel. Finally, we will perform a statistical meta-analysis of the effects of varying the degree to which plant functions are automated. The findings from these studies will be disseminated to SMR developers, government agencies, other researchers, and the public. The project will support the training of highly qualified personnel, including two PhD students, a post-doctoral fellow, and multiple undergraduate students. Emphasis is given to recruiting scholars from under-repressented groups in the energy sector, including women and people of colour. These trainees will have the opportunity to work and study in a rich learning environment, with collaborators who are subject-matters experts in nuclear power.

小型模块化反应堆（SMRs）为满足加拿大的清洁能源需求提供了巨大的希望。人为因素工程是一个强制性的过程，确保操作人员拥有安全操作核设施的知识、技能和工具。目前，关于smr的人为因素影响和挑战的知识基础很少。拟议中的项目旨在解决这一差距，并支持小型反应堆开发商和监管机构确保小型反应堆为加拿大人提供安全、清洁和可靠的能源。我们正在提议一项为期三年的研究计划，以在加拿大的小型反应堆研究能力中建立一种新的人为因素，创造有关小型反应堆人为因素影响的新知识，将这些知识传播给加拿大公司和政府机构，并培训高素质的工程师在加拿大核部门工作。使用爱达荷国家实验室开发的微世界模拟器，我们将在高度自动化的SMR控制室中进行操作员工作对人类性能影响的实验。我们将探索基于计算机的操作程序对操作员任务性能、态势感知和工作量的影响。我们还将研究并行运行多个反应堆的挑战。最后，我们将对不同程度的工厂功能自动化的影响进行统计荟萃分析。这些研究的结果将分发给小型反应堆开发商、政府机构、其他研究人员和公众。本项目将支持培养包括2名博士生、1名博士后和多名本科生在内的高素质人才。重点是从能源部门代表性不足的群体中招募学者，包括妇女和有色人种。这些受训者将有机会在一个丰富的学习环境中工作和学习，合作者是核电领域的主题专家。