Canadian Nuclear Program Information

1
Canadian Nuclear Program Information Control
2005

• R.A. Olmstead
• Atomic Energy of Canada
• Sheridan Park, Mississauga,
• Ontario, L5k 1B2
• 2005 May 23-25

2
Canada - NPP events

• Restart of previously shut down nuclear units
  in Ontario
• All Canadian and overseas utilities planning or
  implementing major life extension refurbishments
  of their CANDU stations
• Some major initiatives to replace obsolete
  control safety plant computers
• But, cost/risk issues have resulted in IC
  upgrades postponed
• New builds
• Cernavoda Romania unit 1 operating at high
  capacity, unit 2 nearing completion
• 2 new units in China operating at high capacity,
  more units in China being discussed
• Operating units include modernized control room
  with old technology for computer controls
• New builds in Ontario likely for in-service in
  2015
• AECL new build CANDU reactor ACR-1000 -
  Focus on cost reduction
• Prospective customers Ontario, USA, China
• Early operation of two new medical isotope
  production CANDU reactors for medical markets
  around the world

3
CANDU Industry High Performing Plant Vision

• 92-95 Gross Capacity Factor
• Achievable with CANDU on-line fuelling advantage
• Less than 1 forced outage incapacity
• Highly predictable performance, with service life
  25 years beyond design

4
Canada IC Priorities

• Plant capacity factor OMA cost improvement
• Automation of labour intensive or capacity
  limiting operations processes eg
• Automating the start-up and shut-down processes
  2-3 days/yr additional capacity
• Power up-rating through real-time accurate
  computation of flux and flow distribution
• Advanced diagnostics On Line Monitoring of
  Sensor Performance eg
• Prediction by modeling, information management,
  event diagnostics and alarm management
• Advanced analysis of sensor performance and
  dynamics
• Comprehensive Plant Ageing Life Management
  Component Obsolescence Program
• Information delivery to enable an Integrated
  Predictive Maintenance capability
• Replacement of obsolete computer control safety
  systems

5
Conceptual non-invasive ( Nitrogen-16) flow
monitor
Header

• Configuration is same as feeder scanner for
  failed fuel
• Simple radiation detectors
• Technique is purely nuclear works particularly
  well for nuclear reactors operating at full power
• Radiation damage, boiling not an issue
• Lab tests claim very good accuracy, even
  separation of two phase velocities.
• Limits on flow rate to indicate channel blockage
• Used in many PWR designs (Edf, Westinghouse, )
• One-channel prototype can be tested in NRU PLGS.

Shielding
Feeder
Detector
1 to 2 m
6
Supplemental Plant Display System
PDS - Addition of a supplemental plant display
system to enhance monitoring of the plant
including alarm management and diagnostic
features. Display Node locations include
Main Operators Console (3 nodes)
Central Overview Displays (2 Nodes)
Technical Support Centre (1 Node)
Emergency Response Centre Off-Site (1 Node)
Shift Supervisors Desk (1 Node)
7
CANDU Refurbishment Schedule
8
CANDU Refurbishment Lessons Learned

• Over 600 equipment obsolescence issues identified
  on a single new plant, using an existing design
• Utilities want equipment with long performance
  history and latest technology
• Utilities want products achieving 40-60 year
  plant life
• Lack of CI standardization is a major issue
• OM costs increase with of suppliers, models,
  set-ups
• Reduction in equipment diversity required
• Utilities cooperating on standard components
• Obsolescence of specifications is a major issue
• Obsolete plant control computers is a major issue
• Major cost to replace
• Two options being considered Modern and
  Emulation

9
SMART CANDU Technology

• SMART CANDU? technology integrates
• Monitoring and surveillance
• Testing and inspection
• Diagnostics and analysis
• Maintenance strategy
• to deliver safe, reliable, predictable and
  economic performance

10
SMART CANDU Knowledge Management

• 4 key steps Data ? Information ? Knowledge ?
  Action

Synthesize data into information to facilitate
diagnostics and analysis
Combine with technical expertise to create
knowledge about the system performance
prediction
Technology to collect and store operating data
Action to support continued safe, reliable,
economic, predictable performance
11
Smart CANDU - Health Monitors
-CSP -Post trip -SPDS -Heat Sink -SSMC
-Trip Test
-Control Room Diagnostics -CAMLS -CB
Mntce -Equipment Status
SAFETY
OPERATION
- pH -Gadolinium
-Particulates -Iodine -Noble Gases -Liquid
Effluent
CHEMISTRY (chemAND)
ENVIRONMENTAL
REMOTE MONITOR

• Transmitter Accuracy Monitor
• Transmitter Response Testor
• Instrument Error Monitor

-TFD - Loose Parts -Post Trip -Flow Block -Noise
Analysis
REACTOR CORE
INSTRUMENT
MECHANICAL thermAND)
-Vibration -Acoustic -Loose Parts
12
ChemAND Performance Monitor for Plant Chemistry

• Synthesize data into information to facilitate
  diagnostics

• Status of plant chemistry

• Feedback to OM staff to support plant life
  management decisions to optimize performance

• Combine with technical expertise and models to
  predict future performance

13
MIMC Integrates Information from Multiple Sources
to Link Performance Monitoring with Work
Management System
REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM
PLANT STATUS
MONITOR SYSTEM PERFORMANCE
STATION PERFORMANCE
SYSTEM PERFORMANCE
CHEMISTRY PERFORMANCE

• Operations Planning
• Work Management System
• Plant Life Management
• SYSTMS
• System Based Adaptive Maintenance
• System Health Monitoring
• ChemAND
• ThermAND
• Equipment Monitoring
• Equipment Status Monitor
• Response Time Tester
• Transmitter Accuracy Monitor
• Configuration Management
• Document Management
• Equipment Database
• Plant Data Historian

• Degraded System Performance
• Alarm High Heater (HTR-5) demand (AI-2450)
• Cause
• Valve (PRV-5) passing Walk-down 01-DEC-2002
• Resolution RCM Report 2002
• Issue Work Order 33456 to repair valve (PRV-5).
• Issue Work Order 33457 to put heater (HTR-1) in
  service.

14
Knowledge from SMART CANDU tools can be turned
into actions to provide safe, reliable,
economical performance prediction
Prediction
15
Canada IC Priorities

• Application of Electronic Engineering to the
  labour intensive processes - through design,
  procurement, construction, operations
• Cost reduction
• Resolve Operating Plant Configuration Control
  Problems

16
Configuration Management
17
Information
complete, integrated, correct, timely, accessible
and readily useable information
18
Qinshan - High Fidelity 3D CADDS Model
19
CANDU at Qinshan since Day 0 has ....

• a complete set of electronic (as-built) drawings
  and documents including history files
• a single (rudimentary) equipment data base (tags
  and assets)
• a wiring and cabling database
• a material inventory database
• a set of integrated safety analysis
  files/documents
• a 3D Plant Model database
• AECL tools used (developed) during construction
  and commissioning

20
Consequently- during operations ....

• Operations staff able to easily retrieve their
  documents and drawings
• Operators can visualize the plant
• Maintainers know the design and maintenance
  documents related to particular tags and assets
• The Canadian and Chinese regulator know the
  history of assets
• Maintainers know and have access to maintenance
  and calibration data
• Procurement staff know spare parts status in
  warehouse
• Technical unit staff are able to rapidly and
  easily update information, ensuring it correct
  and consistent

21
Consequently

• Major reduction in white collar and blue collar
  labour required to deliver and operate a CANDU
  plant.
• Major reduction in schedules construction and
  outages
• Major reduction incapital operating and
  consummable materials costs

Though the application of CI and Information
Technology
22
Recommendations Future Direction

• On-line Condition Monitoring and advanced
  diagnostics
• Reliability and condition based maintenance
  technology
• Operations configuration management technology
• Improved cyber security
• Replacement of obsolete computer systems

23

• Extra Slides
• Not Presented

24
Summary Comparison Modern vs EmulatorAECL
perspective Stations Different
25
Current IC Development Activities

• A Core Anomalies Monitor product
• Software product which processes traveling flux
  detector data to detect anomalies in core
  internal structure
• Real Time, High Resolution flux distribution
  Software
• N-16 heat high accuracy heat transport flow
  measurement power up rating
• Two options for replacing obsolete plant control
  and information computers
• Product to perform instrument response time
  testing
• Product to automate calibration on redundant
  instruments
• Product to automate CANDU plant startup sequence
• Automates the CANDU start up sequence to reduce
  plant outage by 26 hrs
• Automated Trip Margin Setback Software