On-line monitoring for static and dynamic performance verification of I and C systems at Sizewell B nuclear power station - 329

Conference · Thu Jun 15 04:00:00 EDT 2017

OSTI ID:23035426

Goffin, P. ^[1]; Shumaker, B.; Hashemian, A.; Morton, G. ^[2]

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1. EDF, Energy Generation, Sizewell B, Power Station, Nr Leiston, Suffolk IP16 4UR (United Kingdom)
2. Analysis and Measurement Services -AMS- Corporation, 9119 Cross Park Drive, Knoxville, TN 37923 (United States)

Plant operations and maintenance (O and M) activities account for nearly 75% of the generation cost of a modern nuclear power plant (NPP). This is largely due to time-based maintenance strategies that are expensive, time-consuming, prone to error, and sometimes detrimental to plant equipment. In contrast, condition-based maintenance via on-line monitoring (OLM) can reduce costs, increase equipment availability, and improve safety. OLM uses signals from existing plant sensors to verify the performance of plant instrumentation and equipment while the plant is operating. The Sizewell B nuclear power station in the United Kingdom, a four-loop pressurized water reactor (PWR), uses OLM techniques for several condition-based performance verification activities including pressure, level, and flow transmitter calibration monitoring, resistance temperature detector (RTD) cross calibration, and dynamic performance monitoring of pressure, level, and flow sensing systems. The implementation of OLM has enabled the plant to extend the calibration intervals of its pressure, level, and flow transmitters from 18 to 54 months and has significantly reduced the amount of critical path time needed to perform RTD cross calibration testing (up to 36 hours). Dynamic performance monitoring of its pressure, level, and flow transmitters with OLM has enabled the plant to monitor transmitter and sensing line response degradation while the plant is operating at 100% power and has dramatically reduced testing time versus the traditional hydraulic ramp testing method. The Sizewell B OLM implementation provides valuable insights into on how to overcome the technical and regulatory challenges for widespread OLM adoption by the nuclear industry. This paper describes the technical and regulatory aspects of this implementation and includes detailed examples of static and dynamic performance testing results to demonstrate the types of capabilities of OLM. Analyzing existing signals with OLM technologies can provide significant cost and safety benefits for the existing fleet of nuclear power plants. (authors)

• Research Organization: American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
• OSTI ID: 23035426
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CALIBRATION
ERRORS
HYDRAULICS
IMPLEMENTATION
MONITORING
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE TESTING
REACTOR MAINTENANCE
REACTOR SAFETY
SENSORS
SIGNALS
SIZEWELL-B REACTOR
UNITED KINGDOM
VERIFICATION