Safety and Risk
Assessment
Analyzing Nuclear Power Plant Safety Systems and Devising Improvements
INL engineers provide advanced risk and reliability analyses to support complex facilities and processes. Human factors experts design and test digital instruments and controls.
Materials scientists characterize the properties of reactor alloys. And INL engineers, statisticians and data scientists provide data and analyses that help the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission oversee the safety of America’s nuclear power plants.
RISK ASSESSMENT AND SAFETY ANALYSIS
INL has developed the industry’s premier modeling tools for reactor and fuel development. This includes RELAP, which can be used for reactor safety analysis, reactor design, operator training and as a university educational tool. Other programs provide models to estimate reliability or risk, determine frequencies of accident scenarios and identify vulnerability in design/operations.
HUMAN FACTORS AND RELIABILITY
INL human factors researchers are international leaders in the application of scientific methods, techniques and tools to address the performance and operational challenges of mission-critical industries. They support diverse customers in mission-critical industries to improve their decision-making, operational performance, evaluation of technology options, reliability of humans and systems, and reduction of error.
REACTOR CONTROL ROOM UPGRADES
INL experts are providing technical assistance to utilities reviewing aging analog instrumentation systems. INL suggestions for improving control technologies can enhance human performance, bolster safety and reduce human error in power plants. For example, one proposed upgrade under development at INL’s Human Systems Simulation Laboratory has the potential to be implemented in nine U.S. nuclear power plants.
INFORMING OVERSIGHT
INL scientists are characterizing the thermal, physical and mechanical limits of materials that will be used in next-generation high-temperature reactors. Lab experts also provide nuclear engineering and regulatory analysis support for the U.S. NRC.
SEISMIC RESEARCH
The Seismic Research Group within INL’s Nuclear Science & Technology directorate provides Department of Energy and industry partners with advanced, verified and validated methods and tools that provide best-estimate predictions of facility response during and after external hazard events. The SRG uses advanced external hazard analysis tools which are implemented in a comprehensive, risk-informed framework that simulates multiple external hazards at virtual nuclear facilities.
