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Protection system modifications in Westinghouse pressurized water reactors to reduce the frequency of unnecessary feedwater-related trips

Conference · · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA)
OSTI ID:6922926

The Westinghouse Owners' Group (WOG) established its Trip Reduction and Assessment Program (TRAP) in June 1985 in response to a goal announced by the Nuclear Management and Resources Council (NUMARC-an industry oversight group) to achieve a significant reduction in unnecessary reactor trips. A review of operating experience between 1979 and 1985, at Westinghouse-supplied plants, revealed that the largest number of automatic reactor trips ({approximately}40%) was associated with the feedwater system. Therefore, the WOG TRAP sponsored several feasibility studies to identify and estimate possible sources of margin, which could be applied to reduce the frequency of unnecessary feedwater system-related reactor trips. Two approaches were identified. The first approach automatically adjusts the allocation of instrument uncertainties in the low-low-level trip setpoint, while the second approach effectively reduces the setpoint safety analysis limit (i.e., before uncertainties are added) at low-power levels.

OSTI ID:
6922926
Report Number(s):
CONF-890604--
Journal Information:
Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA), Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (USA) Vol. 59; ISSN TANSA; ISSN 0003-018X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English