Power Plant Construction and QA/QC Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Power Plant Construction and QA/QC

Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Engineering Technology Engineering Technology DivisionDivision

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Overview

• Nuclear Power testing began in 1934 in Germany and 1942 in the US

• Nuclear Power Generation began in 1956 in England

• Nuclear Power generates about 20% of the electricity in the US

• Nuclear Power generates heat through fission of uranium and decay of fission products

• Nuclear renaissance has started

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Introduction – 6.1 - History

1933 – Chain Reaction realized by Leo Szilard

1942 - First artificial nuclear reactor, Chicago Pile 1, at the University of Chicago

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

1943 - U.S. military developed nuclear reactors for the Manhattan Project

1951 - "World's first nuclear power plant" is EBR-1, Experimental Breeder Reactor

Introduction – 6.1 - History

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

1953 – Eisenhower Atoms for Peace Speech to UN

1954 – First nuclear power plant built for civil purposes was the AM-1 in Soviet Union (graphite)

1955 – First nuclear powered vehicle, US Navy submarine, the USS Nautilus (PWR)

Introduction – 6.1 - History

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

1956 - The first commercial nuclear power station, Calder Hall in Sellafield, England (50 MW)

1961 – SL-1 Accident, Idaho, PWR/BWR cross

1961 – Dresden Unit1, first privately owned commercial reactor (210 MW)

Introduction – 6.1 - History

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Introduction – 6.1 – History – US Plants

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Questions?

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Fission Theory – 6.2

1. Thermal Neutron generated from fission or decay2. Thermal Neutron absorbed by 92U235 or 93Pu239

3. Compound (or excited) 92U235 or 93Pu239

4. Atom splits creating two fragments – mass conversion to energy.5. Fast neutrons produced.6. Fast neutron has thermalized7. Thermal Neutron absorbed by 92U235 or 93Pu239

8. Fission fragment decays9 .First excited daughter decays10. Fast neutron produced11. Fast neutron absorbed by 92U238

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Heat

Decay Heat

Decay Heat

Heat

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

143 + 90 = 233

Fission Theory – 6.2

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Questions?

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Nuclear Steam Supply Systems – 6.3

NSSS – Main and Support systems needed to generate steam for turbine.

BWR

PWR

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Nuclear Steam Supply Systems – 6.3 – Reactor Types

• PWR – Light Water – Westinghouse, Framatome• PWR – Heavy Water – CANDU - Canada• BWR – Light Water – GE, Toshiba• RBMK – Light Water Graphite – Soviet Union (now

Russia)• GCR – Gas Cooled Reactor – England• LMFBR – Liquid Metal (Sodium) Breeder – United

States• LMFBR – Liquid Metal (Lead) Breeder – Soviet Union

(Russia)• MSRE – Molten Salt – United States• PBR – Pebble Bed – US Lead Design• Natural Reactor – Oklo mine in Gabon, West Africa• Fusion Reactor – The Sun

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Nuclear Steam Supply Systems – 6.3 – World Locations

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Nuclear Steam Supply Systems – 6.3

Questions?

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Nuclear Plant Operation, Maintenance and Control – 6.4

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

ContaminationRadiationContamination and Radiation

Nuclear Plant Operation, Maintenance and Control – 6.4

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Nuclear Plant Operation, Maintenance and Control – 6.4

ContaminationRadiationContamination and Radiation

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Questions?

Nuclear Plant Operation, Maintenance and Control – 6.4

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Reactor Safety – 6.5 – Design Basis Accidents

A design basis accident (DBA) or maximum credible accident (MCA) is a postulated accident that a nuclear facility must be designed and built to withstand and not lose any systems, structures, and components necessary to assure public health and safety.

LOCA – Loss of Coolant Accident – BWR & PWRLOFA – Loss of Flow Accident – BWR & PWRLOPA – Loss of Pressure Accident – PWRSeismic Event – Earthquake – BWR & PWRContainment – Outside Penetration – BWR & PWR

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

• Fuel cladding temperature must not exceed 2192 F• The local fuel cladding oxidation must not exceed

18% of the initial wall thickness• The mass of Zirconium converted into ZrO2 must

not exceed 1% of the total mass of cladding• The whole body dose to a member of the staff must

not exceed 5 REM per year• Critical organ (i.e., thyroid) dose to a member of the

staff must not exceed 30 REM

Reactor Safety – 6.5 – Design Basis Accidents - Criteria

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Reactor Safety – 6.5 – Design Basis Accidents - Systems

Reactor Protection Systems

• Control Rod.

• Safety Injection – Boric Acid, Standby Liquid Control – Potassium Pentaborate

Essential Service Water System

• Flooding – Large Volumes – up to 50,000 gpm

Emergency Core Cooling Systems

• High and Low Pressure – 3,000 to 30,000 gpm

Ventilation

• Control Room

• Containment

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Reactor Safety – 6.5 – Design Basis Accidents - Systems

Electrical Emergency Systems

• Diesel Generator

• Batteries

Containment Systems

• Reactor Vessel

• Primary Containment – Reactor Compartment, Drywell

• Secondary Containment – Reactor Building

Standby Gas Treatment

• Fission Products

• Hydrogen Gas

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Reactor Safety – 6.5 – Design Basis Accidents - Systems

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Reactor Safety – 6.5 – Design Basis Accidents - Systems

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Reactor Safety – 6.6 – Regulations

CFR – Code of Federal Regulations

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Reactor Safety – 6.6 – Regulations

CFR – Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10

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Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems

Reactor Safety – 6.6 – Regulations

CFR – Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10, Part ??

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Questions?

Section 6 – Nuclear Plant Systems