SIMULATION | SCALING REACTOR CONCEPTS
Simulation key to scaling up concepts
The proliferation of new reactor concepts coming out of
research labs around the world and an aging population of skilled nuclear engineers raises the question of how to efficiently develop new ideas into viable demonstrators. Simulation can help
By Didier Paen, Business Development Manager, and Jean-Christophe Blanchon, R&D Manager, CORYS
IN MANY COUNTRIES, INVESTMENT IN nuclear power has waned significantly over recent decades. Now, as the previous generation of engineers ages into retirement, there are too few new engineers to take over. The rise of the new nuclear industry has only further compounded the skills shortage and resulting knowledge management challenges. Simulation can play a major role in upskilling new engineers entering the field and recording the knowledge accumulated by the previous generation. Simulation can not only to help bring new reactor concepts to pre-commissioning efficiently, but also facilitate cross-functional teamwork, communication, and the transfer of skills.
From design to commissioning – a multi-step process When a new nuclear reactor concept is first developed, it is generally limited to a preliminary design illustrated using a software-based demonstrator that runs physical equations. Moving from this early incarnation of a new reactor to a detailed design that is ready for test commissioning is a multi-step process involving several teams. At this stage, the
number of elementary systems is limited, but it will increase to up to more than 200 by the time the detailed design is ready for test commissioning. The right simulation software can help with the technical and organisational aspects of these complex projects by delivering an appropriate environment for engineering activities and the development of elementary systems at each step in the project lifecycle. Ideally, a single environment, such as CORYS ALICES Plus platform, should be able to cover all activities, from instrumentation and control (I&C) to the human-machine interfaces (HMIs), physical process models, and, finally, the
operating rules and instructions. ● Instrumentation and control: First, the I&C specifications should be drawn up and implemented in the simulator. An I&C emulator or equivalent I&C software is then fed into the simulator. Preparation of commissioning and tests is the final step in the process.
● Human-machine interfaces: A simulator should cover initial concepts, operator station specifications, human factor studies, and full replica operator stations for operator training.
Above: Just a few computers with Intel core i9 chips can support complex simulation systems Photo credit: Ireshetnikov54/
Shutterstock.com
40 | October 2024 |
www.neimagazine.com
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