Assessing environmental compatibility of new technologies for use in nuclear power plants

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:28364

Korsah, K; Turner, G W; Mullens, J A

A microprocessor-based reactor trip channel has been assembled for environmental testing under an Instrumentation and Control (I and C) Qualification Program sponsored by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The goal of this program is to establish the technical basis for the qualification of advanced I and C systems. The trip channel implemented for this study employs technologies and digital subsystems representative of those proposed for use in some advanced light-water reactors (ALWRS) such as the Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (SBWR) and AP600. It is expected that these tests will reveal any potential system vulnerabilities for technologies representative of those proposed for use in ALWRS. The experimental channel will be purposely stressed considerably beyond what it is likely to experience in a normal nuclear power plant environment, so that the tests can uncover the worst-case failure modes (i.e., failures that are likely to prevent an entire trip system from performing its safety function when required to do so). Based on information obtained from this study, it may be possible to recommend tests that are likely to indicate the presence of such failure mechanisms. Such recommendations would be helpful in augmenting current qualification guidelines.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 28364
• Report Number(s): CONF-9411173--4; ON: DE95007370
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
DIGITAL SYSTEMS
ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
FIBER OPTICS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS
REACTOR INSTRUMENTATION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
VALIDATION
WATER COOLED REACTORS