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EPTS9ADEFS9AD

Nuclear engineering: Fluid systems for Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs)

ECTS Credits : 2

Duration : 21 hours

Semester : S9

Person(s) in charge :

Benoît Blanpain, fluid systems engineer, AREVA, benoit.blanpain@areva.com

Keywords : PWR - Design - fluid systems - normal operating conditions - Damaged running mode

Prerequisites : Thermohydraulics

Objective:

Understand how PWRs are designed and their thermohydraulic fonctionnement

> Lectures
1. Normal operating conditions
2. Reactor startup and shutdown, thermic aspect
3. Reactor startup and shutdown, chemical aspect
4. Damaged running mode, containment systems
5. Accident operation procedures on the secondary system
6. Analysis of past accidents (Three Mile Island, Tchernobyl, Fukushima)

> Tutorials

1. Stable operation (adaptation of force produced to force required, adaptation of frequency), field construction of normal operation (Pressurizer Tanker operating range chart)

2. Sizing of Residual Heat Removal System/Component Cooling Water System or Essential Service Water System : calculation of energy evacuation capacities

3. Analysis of dilution/boranation (bore 10, crystallisation), sizing of Fuel Pool Circulation (time analysis from the moment of exposure of degraded fuel assembly)

4. Simplified design of security injection system: balancing of injection lines, pumps selection according to varied requirements (demanded flow rate, maximum pressure of injection, NPSH), pumps protection (zero flow rate)…

5.Sizing of Discharge Pressurized Tanker : condensation of steam discharge, compression of gaseous phase, ultimate temperature…

6. Analysis of sizing accidental release (Loss of Coolant Accident)

Abilities : 

Levels

Description and operational verbs

Know 

Pressurised water reactors (PWR) constitute half of the world’s nuclear power production systems, and are responsible for all nuclear power produced on French soil. The mechanism employed is most often outlined as a chain made up of a “primary circuit”, “secondary circuit” and “tertiary circuit”.

This module aims to equip its graduates with a solid grounding in both this chain mechanism, and beyond. Firstly, the students will be provided an acute understanding of the normal operating conditions of PWR styled nuclear power reactors. This being when they are in production, load following operation, before, during and after fuel reloading. Students will therefore be apprised of so-called “auxiliary” circuits.

The second part of the module covers PWR operation in the case of an accident. The civil nuclear industry being a delicate issue, we are committed to a thorough and infallible management of accidental release (which case is rare). Over the course of this module section we will examine “containment systems”.

This module enables a detailed understanding of complex thermo hydraulic systems and PWR structures, focussing on practical examples of equipment gauging (heat exchanger, fuel cells...) and documented accidental release occurrences.

It is also an opportunity to effectively implement numerous concepts that have been established in the disciplines of fluid mechanics, thermal transfer, or even applied thermodynamics. Certain concepts will be further clarified, if needs be. Finally, it is important to realize that such significant fluid systems are also employed in many other industries (fossil fuel energy production, chemistry, etc…).

Understand

Apply

Analyse

Summarise

Assess

Evaluation :

•  Written test

•  Continuous Control

•  Oral report

•  Project

•  Written report