NULIFE: European Network Dedicated to Nuclear Plant Life Management

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rauno Rintamaa ◽  
Irina Aho-Mantila ◽  
Nigel Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Life Prediction ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Plant ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
European Network ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Plant Life ◽  
Common Understanding

The European Network of Excellence NULIFE (Nuclear Plant Life Prediction) has been launched with a clear focus on integrating safety-oriented research on materials, structures and systems and exploiting the results of this integration through the production of harmonised lifetime assessment methods. NULIFE will help provide a better common understanding of, and information on, the factors affecting the lifetime of nuclear power plants which, together with associated management methods, will help facilitate extensions to the safe and economic lifetime of existing nuclear power plants. In addition, NULIFE will help in the development of design criteria for future generations of nuclear power plant. Led by VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland), the five-year project has a total budget in excess of EUR 8 millions, with partners drawn from leading research institutions, technical support organisations, power companies and manufacturers throughout Europe.

NULIFE Network of Excellence: Progress on Structural Integrity Issues Relating to Safety of Ageing Nuclear Power Plants

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigel Taylor ◽  
Rauno Rintamaa ◽  
Irina Aho-Mantila ◽  
David Lidbury ◽  
Elisabeth Keim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Prediction ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
European Level ◽  
European Network ◽  
Work Package ◽  
Plant Life ◽  
Critical Components ◽  
Organisation Structure

The NULIFE (Nuclear Plant Life Prediction) network is a European network of excellence funded by the European Commission’s 6th Framework Programme [1] together with in-kind contributions of the participants. The network is made up of 11 work package leader organisations (contractors) and about 30 associate contributors and collaborators. NULIFE kicked-off in October 2006 and is working over a 5-year period to create a single organisation structure, capable of providing harmonised R&D at European level to the nuclear power industry and the related safety authorities in the area of lifetime evaluation methods for critical components.

scholarly journals Analysis of Factors Affecting Thermodynamic Efficiency in Generation III+ PWR Nuclear Power Plants.

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 141-154
Author(s):  
Marcus Vitlin ◽  
Miroshan Naicker ◽  
Augustine Frederick Gardner
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Rankine Cycle ◽  
Steam Temperature ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Electrical Efficiency ◽  
Balance Of Plant ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Generation III+ reactors are the latest generation of Nuclear Power Plants to enter the market. The key evolution in these reactors is the introduction of stringent safety standards. This is done through thorough incident scenario analysis and preparation, resulting in the addition of novel active and passive auxiliary safety systems, affecting the power consumption in the balance of plant. This paper analyses the parameters of PWR power plants of similar design, to determine the parameters for optimal efficiency, regarding gross and net electrical output, determining the impact the balance of plant has on this efficiency. While two of the three main factors affecting the Rankine cycle – boiler pressure and steam temperature – behaved as theoretically expected, there was a notable point of departure with the third parameter – condenser pressure. The relationship between steam temperature and gross electrical efficiency was linear across all reactors but the relation between the steam temperature and the net electrical efficiency ceased to be linear for secondary loop steam temperatures above 290°C. The relationship between boiler pressure and both gross and net electrical efficiency was linear, proving the Rankine cycle. A relationship was not observed between the condenser pressure and either the gross or net electrical efficiency

Evaluation and Numerical Simulation of Tsunami for Coastal Nuclear Power Plants of India

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavan K. Sharma ◽  
B. Ghosh ◽  
R. K. Singh ◽  
A. K. Ghosh ◽  
H. S. Kushwaha
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning ◽  
Early Warning System ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Tsunami Source ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Run Up ◽  
Three Phases

Recent tsunami generated on December 26, 2004 due to Sumatra earthquake of magnitude 9.3 resulted in inundation at the various coastal sites of India. The site selection and design of Indian nuclear power plants demand the evaluation of run up and the structural barriers for the coastal plants: Besides it is also desirable to evaluate the early warning system for tsunamigenic earthquakes. The tsunamis originate from submarine faults, underwater volcanic activities, sub-aerial landslides impinging on the sea and submarine landslides. In case of a submarine earthquake-induced tsunami the wave is generated in the fluid domain due to displacement of the seabed. There are three phases of tsunami: generation, propagation, and run-up. Reactor Safety Division (RSD) of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay has initiated computational simulation for all the three phases of tsunami source generation, its propagation and finally run up evaluation for the protection of public life, property and various industrial infrastructures located on the coastal regions of India. These studies could be effectively utilized for design and implementation of early warning system for coastal region of the country apart from catering to the needs of Indian nuclear installations. This paper presents some results of tsunami waves based on different analytical/numerical approaches with shallow water wave theory.

scholarly journals Methodical approaches to choosing the sites for underground energy facilities

2020 ◽  
pp. 17-24
Author(s):  
Aleksandr Orlov ◽  
◽  
Iurii Smirnov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Research Methodology ◽  
Integrated Assessment ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Specific Weight ◽  
Nuclear Plant ◽  
Small Power ◽  
Geological Formations ◽  
Determining Factor

The work is aimed at studying approaches and developing principal regulations when choosing the sites intended for constructing underground nuclear small power plants in geological formations. The research methodology provides for analysis and summarizing international and Russian experience in choosing the sites for the placement of radiation hazardous facilities. Results. The work gives the approaches when choosing the sites intended for radiation hazardous facilities proposed by IAEA in Russia and abroad. The formation of criteria complete, their specific weight and an integrated assessment of impacts of an energy object on the environment is of importance in the site choosing procedure. The several criteria characterising the site are different for the surface and underground placement of a nuclear plant. The underground placement of a nuclear plant is a determining factor in protecting against undesired external and internal impacts. The authors have proposed an algorithm of choosing the sites for underground small nuclear power plants based on a limited number of criteria. Conclusions. The approaches used for choosing the sites have similar algorithms. The site choosing procedure pays a lot of attention to formation of criteria and an integrated assessment of impacts of an energy object on the environment. The underground placement of energy objects improves their security that allows decreasing a number of observed criteria when choosing the sites.

scholarly journals Reassessment of selected factors affecting siting of Nuclear Power Plants

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.E. Davis ◽  
A.L. Hanson ◽  
V. Mubayi ◽  
H.P. Nourbakhsh
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Factors Affecting

License Renewal in the U.S. and Plant Life Management (PLIM)

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garry G. Young ◽  
Mark A. Rinckel
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Life Management ◽  
Technical Requirements ◽  
Plant Life ◽  
License Renewal

License renewal of operating nuclear power plants in the United States has become one of the most successful nuclear industry activities in the past few years. It is anticipated that over 90% of the 103 operating nuclear power plants in the United States will pursue license renewal and seek an additional 20 years of operation. Some plants may pursue operation to 80 years or longer since the license renewal rule does not limit the operating life of a nuclear power plant. The requirements for renewing the operating license of a nuclear reactor in the United States are contained in Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Regulation 10 CFR Part 54, which addresses general, technical, technical specification, and environmental requirements. The most labor intensive element of the requirements are the technical requirements, which include addressing an integrated plant assessment (IPA) and time limited aging analyses (TLAA). The cost of performing the needed reviews and obtaining a renewed license ranges between $10M to $15M. The license renewal rule focuses on aging of passive long-lived components and aging management programs that manage those structures and components. The aging management programs credited to manage aging include both existing programs (e.g., ASME Section XI) and a few new programs (e.g., Reactor Vessel Internals Aging Management Program). Commitments to aging management programs for license renewal may be implemented and tracked through a comprehensive plant life management (PLIM) program. PLIM is the process to integrated equipment aging management with other plant activities to maximize plant value. PLIM can save the operating plant a significant amount of money by effectively planning and implementing component refurbishment and replacement. The ultimate decision to seek license renewal and continue operation is based on PLIM, which considers aging, safety, and economics.

Comparison of Plant Life Management Approaches for Long Term Operations

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Nuzzo ◽  
Ki-Sig Kang
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Member States ◽  
Safety Review ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
Life Management ◽  
Design Life ◽  
Plant Life

Many Member States of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have given high priority to long term operation of nuclear power plants beyond the timeframe originally anticipated (e.g. 30 or 40 years). Out of a total of 445 (369 GWe) operating nuclear power plants, 349 units (297 GWe) have been in operation for more than 20 years (as of November 2011) and many are engaged in investigations and studies aimed at prolonging the plant service life. The need for engineering support to operation, maintenance, safety review and life management for long term operation as well as education and training on LTO issues is increasingly evident. Plant life management (PLiM) techniques that can be defined as the integration of ageing and economic planning, have been used in operating nuclear power plants to maintain a high level of safety, optimize performance and justify long term operation (LTO) beyond the plant design life. In addition, as a follow up to the Fukushima accident, operators have become even more attentive to beyond design basis measures in the preparation of their plants for operation beyond their design life. In many countries, the safety performance of NPPs is periodically assessed and characterized via the periodic safety review (PSR) process. Regulatory review and acceptance of PSRs constitutes for these countries the licensing requirement for continued operation of the plant to the following PSR cycle (usually 10 years). In the USA and in other countries operating US designed plants, instead of a PSR process, a license renewal application (LRA) process is followed, which requires certain pre-requisites such as ageing management programmes, particularly for passive irreplaceable systems structures and components (SSCs). Active components are normally addressed via the maintenance rule (MR) requirements and other established regulatory processes. A third group of Member States have adopted a combined approach that incorporates elements of both the PSR process and selected LRA specific requirements, such as time limited ageing analysis. Taking into account this variety of approaches, the IAEA initiated work to collect and share information among Member States on good practices in plant life management for long term operation in nuclear power plants, by comparing the various approaches to the PSR reference and by drawing lessons learned from relevant applications and experiences.

A New Paradigm: Cycling Operations at Nuclear Power Plants in the United States

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Lefton ◽  
Nikhil Kumar ◽  
Douglas Hilleman ◽  
Dwight Agan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nuclear Plant ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Renewable Integration ◽  
Load Following ◽  
Relative Damage

Nuclear power plants are no longer immune to cycling operation. While certain nuclear power plants in Europe have been performing load following operation, this type of operation has largely been avoided in the United States. Due to increasing contribution of nuclear generation in the mix, European operators were forced to make modifications to increase the maneuverability of their nuclear generation assets. However, in the United States, nuclear generation is still a relatively smaller contributor (19%), but with rapid increase in renewable generation, some nuclear plans are being asked to operate at reduced power and cycle to lower power levels. These shutdowns are typically of a short-term duration on a weekend or in periods of high renewable megawatt generation. With most future renewable integration studies advocating for increased flexibility on the grid, nuclear generation maneuverability will allow system operators with another resource to mitigate and reduce system costs. This paper presents the results of a detailed study of a 1,150 MW boiling water reactor (BWR) nuclear plant when cycled to low loads. The authors present the relative damage of cycling to various reduced power levels 80% to 15% power levels compared to a cold startup and shutdown of a nuclear plant. An assessment was made of the systems that had fatigue damage and costs. We also discuss some of the limitations of cycling that a nuclear plant has and present and discuss recommendations to reduce damage and costs.

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