Human error and the associated recovery probabilities for soft control being used in the advanced MCRs of NPPs. (January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jang, Inseok; Jung, Wondea; Seong, Poong Hyun
• Is Part Of: Annals of nuclear energy. Volume 87:Part 2(2016:Jan.)
• Page Start: 290
• Page End: 298
• Publication Date: 2016-01
• Subjects: Human error probability -- Recovery failure probabilities -- Advanced MCR -- Soft control; Nuclear energy -- Periodicals; Nuclear engineering -- Periodicals; 621.4805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2015.09.011
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4549

Abstract

Highlights: The operation environment of MCRs in NPPs has changed by adopting digital HSIs. Most current HRA databases are not explicitly designed to deal with digital HSI. Empirical analysis for new HRA DB under an advanced MCR mockup are carried. It is expected that the results can be used for advanced MCR HRA. Abstract: Since the Three Mile Island (TMI)-2 accident, human error has been recognized as one of the main causes of Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accidents, and numerous studies related to Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) have been carried out. Most of these studies were focused on considering the conventional Main Control Room (MCR) environment. However, the operating environment of MCRs in NPPs has changed with the adoption of new human-system interfaces (HSI) largely based on up-to-date digital technologies. The MCRs that include these digital and computer technologies, such as large display panels, computerized procedures, and soft controls, are called advanced MCRs. Among the many features of advanced MCRs, soft controls are a particularly important because operating actions in advanced MCRs are performed by soft control. Due to the difference in interfaces between soft control and hardwired conventional controls, different HEP should be used in the HRA for advanced MCRs. Unfortunately, most current HRA databases deal with operations in conventional MCRs and are not explicitly designed to deal with digital Human System Interface (HSI). For this reason, empirical human error and the associated error recovery probabilities were collected from the mockup of an advanced MCR equipped with soft controls. To this end, small-scaled experiments are conducted with 48 graduated students in the department of nuclear engineering in Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) are participated, and accident scenarios are designed with respect to the typical Design Basis Accidents (DBAs) in NPPs, such as Steam Generator Tube Rupture (SGTR), Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) and Excess Steam Demand Event (ESDE). After that, the Bayesian update is conducted in order to extract the 5% and 95% quantiles of empirical human error and the associated recovery failure probabilities.