Update on the USNRC's Nuclear Plant Analyzer

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6441146

Laats, E T

The Nuclear Plant Analyzer (NPA) is the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) state-of-the-art nuclear reactor simulation capability. This computer software package integrates high fidelity nuclear reactor simulation codes such as the TRAC and RELAP5 series of codes with color graphics display techniques and advanced workstation hardware. An overview of this program was given at the 1984 Summer Computer Simulation Conference (SCSC), with selected topics discussed at the 1985 and 1986 SCSCs. Since the 1984 presentation, major redirections of this NRC program have been taken. The original NPA system was developed for operation on a Control Data Corporation CYBER 176 computer, technology that is some 10 to 15 years old. The NPA system has recently been implemented on Class VI computers to gain increased computational capabilities, and is now being implemented on super-minicomputers for use by the scientific community and possibly by the commercial nuclear power plant simulator community. This paper addresses these activities and related experiences. First, the Class VI computer implementation is discussed. The trade-offs between gaining significantly greater computational speed and central memory, with the loss of performance due to many more simultaneous users is shown. Second, the goal of the super-minicomputer implementation is to produce a very cost-effective system that utilizes advanced (multi-dimensional, two-phase coolant) simulation capabilities at real wall-clock simulation times. Benchmarking of the initial super-minicomputer implementation is discussed. Finally, the technical and economic feasibility is addressed for implementing the super-minicomputer version of the NPA with the RELAP5 simulation code onto the Black Fox full scope nuclear power plant simulator.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 6441146
• Report Number(s): EGG-M-36886; CONF-870706-2; ON: DE87012433
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210700* -- Nuclear Power Plants-- Regulation & Licensing
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
BWR TYPE REACTORS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTORS
SAFETY
SIMULATION
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
US NRC
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS