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Title: Training operators of VVER-1000 units in Eastern Europe

Journal Article · · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society
OSTI ID:426318

The VVER 1000 is the most recent nuclear reactor designed in the former Soviet Union. Its design and operation principles are close to Western four-loop reactors in the 1000- to 1500-MW class; therefore, the Western simulation technology is usually directly applicable to the simulation of these units. Moreover, the current number of state-of-the-art training simulators in operation is very limited. A total of 19 units are in operation, while only 2 modern simulators are available (full-scope type) in Balakovo and Zaporozhe. Access to these simulators is practically limited to the respective plants` trainees, which means that the other units have to be satisfied with hands-on training. Facing this situation and taking into account the predicted lifetime of these plants (15 to 25 yr to go, maybe more), a lot of effort has been made in recent years to provide the plants with modern simulators. The major hurdles to this action were obviously financial and technical (availability of codes, computers, software tools). Today, one full-scope project (Kalinin) is almost complete, and three have been announced (Novovoronezh, Khmelnitsky, Kozloduy). Full-scope simulators are clearly the ultimate target of a concerned power plants. However, all users do realize the advantages of the complementary approach with compact simulators: 1. They can be available quickly for starting the training process. 2. They cover a training field that is not (or partly) addressed by full-scope simulators, i.e., the demonstration of physical phenomena in normal and accidental situations.

OSTI ID:
426318
Report Number(s):
CONF-961103-; ISSN 0003-018X; TRN: 96:006307-0039
Journal Information:
Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Vol. 75; Conference: Winter meeting of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) and the European Nuclear Society (ENS), Washington, DC (United States), 10-14 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English