Nuclear Plant Journal - Digital Versions

More documents

Recommendations

Info

A Plant... Continued from page 25 fans are equipped with instrumentation to support high-speed vibration monitoring and other condition evaluation techniques. The alarms from the advanced condition monitoring are integrated into the plant displays and alarm system. The DC Power Supply utilizes the latest proven technology to monitor battery voltage and provides for a “battery maintenance” feature that maintains batteries at full charge. Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems have input voltage electronic switching that protect from grid-induced spikes that could trip the safety-related DC power from their inverters. 10. How does ESBWR handle unstable and disruptive phenomena, such as water hammer The passive safety design of the ES- BWR has an enhanced design capability to mitigate disruptive phenomena. In the case of water hammer, an improved system layout and enhanced features mitigate the probability of water hammer and potential consequences. Those improved features include various system design and layouts, such as surge tanks, automatic air release/vacuum valves installed at high points in system piping and at the pump discharge, proper valve actuation times to minimize water hammer, procedural requirements ensuring proper line filling prior to system operation and after maintenance operations, and the use of a check valve at each pump discharge to prevent backflow into the pump. 11. Is GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy exploring options to manufacture reactor pressure vessels given the fact that there are very few manufacturers in the world to meet the required demand Because of GEH’s continued involvement in building and uprating nuclear plants around the world, we have maintained a robust manufacturing and supply chain, which serves us well as we engage in the nuclear renaissance. However we recognize that the demand is increasing, and as we have done in the past, we continually explore additional options for manufacturing reactor pressure vessels and other large components. 12. How does the economy of the ESBWR compare with its previous designs As GEH’s next evolution of advanced BWR technology, the ESBWR offers a simplified design providing improved safety, excellent economics, better plant security, a broad seismic design envelope and operational flexibility that increases plant availability. Contact: Ned Glascock, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, 3901 Castle Hayne Road, Wilmington, NC 28402; email: Edward.glascock@ge.com. 26 http://subscribe.npjonline.com http://www.NPJOnline.com Nuclear Plant Journal, September-October 2008
A Forward Thinking Design By Ray Ganthner, AREVA. 1. What were AREVA’s objectives in introducing the EPR to the global market World-wide energy demand is increasing at an accelerating pace. At the same time, there are environmental challenges to consider. The world needs more CO2-free nuclear energy to provide certainty of energy supply to the economy. AREVA’s objective was to develop and offer a design that would most effectively meet the demand for a reliable source of power generation. The EPR is an evolutionary design based on mature, yet greatly enhanced, technology that improves safety and performance. That’s why we call it the evolutionary power reactor. The EPR has many innovative design features; but they are all based on proven technologies to provide the confidence and certainty of design the public and plant operators demand. 2: What innovative fuel cycles have been used in the EPR to maximize fuel effi ciency The EPR design provides enhanced and flexible fuel utilization. The EPR has increased thermal margin compared with existing plants. The linear heat rate has been reduced and the coolant flow per assembly has been increased compared with a typical Pressurized Water Reactor plant. Therefore, the EPR has improved flexibility in designing fuel cycles from 12 months to 24 months. Using our proven gadolinium burnable absorber and axial blankets, coupled with a new heavy neutron reflector around the core, we are able to design extremely efficient cores that minimize uranium requirements. This is important with the price of Uranium being much higher than it was only a few years ago. Responses to questions by Newal Agnihotri, Editor of Nuclear Plant Journal. Ray Ganthner Ray Ganthner is AREVA NP Inc. senior vice president, New Plants Deployment. He joined the company in 1980 and is currently responsible for certifi cation of advanced reactor designs for deployment in North America, including light water reactors and advanced high temperature gas reactors. 3. What fuel and fuel cladding material design enhancements have been made in EPR to ensure minimum damage of the fuel during normal operation, and during accident scenarios AREVA utilizes our latest, most advanced cladding material, M5 TM , for EPR fuel. This cladding is already in use in many operating reactors world wide. The testing and operating history has verified that this cladding has superior mechanical properties and significantly reduces cladding oxidation as compared with standard zirconium or zircoloy-4 material. The experience of this advanced material developed by AREVA increases the certainty of optimum fuel performance in the most challenging operating environments. Additionally, the plant is designed to operate in the range where Ganthner became Manager of Group and New Projects in 1991 and among his notable achievements was completion of the Bellefonte and WNP-1 nuclear power plants. In 1994, Ganthner was named vice president of engineering and project services, where he was responsible for commercial nuclear power plant products and services. Ganthner’s executive responsibilities were expanded to include business development in 1996. In 1997, Ganthner was called upon to sponsor an international team to develop advanced nuclear fuel designs for introduction in the U.S. and Europe, and in 2000, he returned to the commercial nuclear power plant business where he was responsible for plant systems and analysis, and engineering programs with offi ces in Virginia, North Carolina and Massachusetts. Ganthner holds a Bachelor of Science in Naval Science from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master of Business Administration from Lynchburg College. there are significant margins and thus the fuel starts out with a better margin in the case of any operational transients or in the unlikely event of an accident transient. 4. How has EPR improved the reactor water chemistry to minimize affect on the fuel and on reactor internals during normal operation and during accident conditions The EPR is designed to be compatible with the latest water chemistry limits specified by the Electric Power Research Institute. All materials in contact with the reactor coolant are selected to be compatible with these requirements. Furthermore, pH control of the reactor coolant is made easier by the use of enriched B10 for soluble reactivity control, which decreases the amount of (Continued on page 28) Nuclear Plant Journal, September-October 2008 http://www.NPJOnline.com http://requestinfo.npjonline.com 27
Page 1 and 2: Nuclear Plant Journal Plant Mainten
Page 3 and 4: your trusted partner in mission cri
Page 5 and 6: Nuclear Plant Journal September-Oct
Page 7 and 8: GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Confidenc
Page 9 and 10: Construction Agreement After the si
Page 11 and 12: Corporation Purchase The Babcock &
Page 13 and 14: defense, aerospace and other commer
Page 15 and 16: Meeting & Training Calendar 1. NEI
Page 17 and 18: Very High Temperature Gas-cooled Re
Page 19 and 20: To learn the secret of our winning
Page 21 and 22: Bechtel Nuclear: Building on the Pa
Page 23 and 24: to produce 300 MWe electricity alon
Page 25: special material selection and rigo
Page 29 and 30: Entering A New Class For over 40 ye
Page 31 and 32: Focus (v) : to concentrate attentio
Page 33 and 34: implemented as an integral part of
Page 35 and 36: Our enrichment technology provides
Page 37 and 38: BUILDING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE ® C
Page 39 and 40: 18M092008D Leading Maintenance Solu
Page 41 and 42: Machining, re-imagined. Throughout
Page 43 and 44: is nevertheless focused on electric
Page 45 and 46: hydrogen production as well as elec
Page 47 and 48: Leading edge design Optimal plant a
Page 49 and 50: Customers rely on you to power thei
Page 51 and 52: ©2008 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc
Page 53 and 54: our vendor inspections provide us w
Page 55 and 56: Your chiller system should be this
Page 57 and 58: is the use of nuclear energy for oi
Page 59 and 60: Intelligent Monitoring Technology B
Page 61 and 62: Vermont's Largest Source of Electri
Page 63 and 64: WESTINGHOUSE HAS SOME simple ideas,

Nuclear Plant Journal - Digital Versions

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?