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<strong>atw</strong> Vol. 63 (<strong>2018</strong>) | Issue 8/9 ı August/September<br />
OPERATION AND NEW BUILD 452<br />
Revised version of a<br />
paper presented at<br />
the Annual Meeting<br />
of Nuclear Technology<br />
(AMNT 2017), Berlin.<br />
Detailed Measurements and Analyses<br />
of the Neutron Flux Oscillation<br />
Phenomenology at Kernkraftwerk Gösgen<br />
G. Girardin, R. Meier, L. Meyer, A. Ålander and F. Jatuff<br />
1 Introduction This paper summarises recent investigations [1], [2], [3] on measured neutron flux noise at<br />
the Kernkraftwerk Gösgen-Däniken AG, who is operating since 1979 a German KWU pre-KONVOI, 3-Loop PWR with a<br />
thermal power of 3,002 MWth (1,060 MWe). In a period of approx. 7 cycles from 2010 to 2016, an increase of the<br />
measured neutron noise amplitudes in the in- and out-core neutron detectors has been observed, although no significant<br />
variations have being detected in global core, thermo-hydraulic circuits or instrumentation parameters. Verifications of<br />
the instrumentation were performed and it was confirmed that the neutron flux instabilities increased from cycle to<br />
cycle in this period. In the last two years, the level of neutron flux noise remains high but seems to have achieved a<br />
saturation state.<br />
In a power reactor, neutron noise is<br />
the result of random fluctuations of<br />
many parameters, primarily neutronic<br />
ones such as the number of neutrons<br />
emitted per fission, thermal-hydraulic<br />
parameters such as the fluctuations of<br />
the primary water inlet temperature,<br />
and mechanical parameters as for<br />
example main circulation pump vibrations<br />
or core internal vibrations. In<br />
a KWU-PWR as KKG, the significant<br />
neutron noise is observed at a frequency<br />
in the range of 0.1 Hz to about<br />
10 Hz, with a peak close to 1 Hz. Each<br />
component has a typical spectral<br />
response in the frequency domain,<br />
and such a spectrum analysis can be<br />
used as a diagnostic tool for surveillance<br />
[4]. A significant variation of<br />
the measured spectrum during a cycle<br />
can be potentially interpreted as of<br />
relevance for the plant performance<br />
or safety. For that reason the Reactor<br />
Pressure Vessel (RPV) and main<br />
| | Fig. 1.<br />
Schematic representation of the 3002 MW 3-Loop KKG core and the radial<br />
positions of the in-core (left white on the map) and ex-core neutron flux<br />
detectors. The colour map shows the relative power map (Fq) at the<br />
assembly level. The inner axial flux distribution is monitored via six axially<br />
and uniformly distributed in-core Self-Powered Neutron Detectors, while<br />
the four radial ex-core channels contain two compensated ionisation<br />
chambers, i.e. for the upper and lower core regions.<br />
cir culation pumps at KKG are<br />
equipped with acceleration and absolute<br />
position sensors.<br />
To deepen the understanding of<br />
this behaviour, neutron flux signals at<br />
different core locations and burnup<br />
have been newly measured at a<br />
sampling rate up to 100 Hz in order to<br />
analyse possible spatial correlations<br />
between the measured signals. The<br />
measurements corresponded to<br />
Middle- of-Cycle (MOC) and End-of-<br />
Cycle (EOC) conditions, for two<br />
successive cycles aiming at analysing<br />
noise evolution, additionally to the<br />
known linear increase during the<br />
cycle. During the cycle itself, the noise<br />
amplitude increase is linearly correlated<br />
to the decrease of the negative<br />
moderator temperature reactivity<br />
coefficient (Γ T ), which is caused by<br />
the decrease of the boron con centration<br />
in the primary circuit; this<br />
behaviour is well known and predictable.<br />
The phenomena to be<br />
investigated here is the variation from<br />
cycle-to-cycle, which was unexpected.<br />
Auto- and cross-correlations between<br />
neutron signals in the time and<br />
frequency domain were investigated<br />
by means of signal analysis tools. In<br />
this respect several hypotheses behind<br />
the increase of neutron noise – e.g.<br />
core loading pattern, fuel structure<br />
design, variations of the core inlet<br />
temperature, core asymmetry, etc. –<br />
were identified and checked on<br />
the measured high-frequency data.<br />
Globally it was observed that the<br />
highest neutron noise amplitudes<br />
were to be found in one single core<br />
quadrant, located between Loop 1 and<br />
Loop 3 of the core. Radial correlations<br />
were also identified between core<br />
quadrants, but no measurable time<br />
delays were found axially between<br />
measurements from top and bottom<br />
neutron signals.<br />
Additional measurements of various<br />
plant parameters were also performed,<br />
in a second phase, to extend<br />
the analysis not only to neutron flux<br />
signals, but also temperature, pressure<br />
or component vibrations. Correlations<br />
between vibration signals and<br />
neutron flux signals were analysed as<br />
well.<br />
A brief description of the KKG core<br />
is provided in Section 2. The performed<br />
measurements, neutron noise analysis<br />
performed at KKG [3], along with the<br />
results are described in Section 3.<br />
Section 4 presents a summary of the<br />
performed analysis and the current<br />
model explaining its origin.<br />
2 KKG Core design<br />
The reactor is a Pressurized Water<br />
Reactor (PWR) pre-KONVOI 3-Loop,<br />
manufactured by KWU-Siemens with<br />
a thermal power of 3002 MWth<br />
(1060 MWe). The core contains 177<br />
fuel assemblies with a 15 x 15 fuel<br />
assembly layout and an active core<br />
height of 352 cm.<br />
Since 2014 (Cycle 36) the core is<br />
for the first time fully loaded with<br />
HTP fuel assemblies manufactured<br />
by AREVA GmbH, whose fuel design<br />
features Zircaloy/Duplex cladding<br />
material, modern spacer grid geometries<br />
and UO 2 fuel with 4.95%-wt<br />
enrichment equivalent. The reactor is<br />
typically operated at full power for<br />
12-month cycles and has five different<br />
radial burnup regions. The moderator<br />
temperature coefficient of reactivity<br />
Γ T is in the range of 30 pcm/K at BOC<br />
to 70 pcm/K at EOC. The boron<br />
concentration is typically 950 ppm at<br />
BOC and is continuously decreasing<br />
at a rate of ~ 3 ppm/day. The core<br />
is operated at a maximal Linear<br />
Heat Generation Rate (LHGR) of<br />
525 W/cm, with an average power<br />
density q’’’ of about 105 W/cm 3 [5].<br />
Operation and New Build<br />
Detailed Measurements and Analyses of the Neutron Flux Oscillation Phenomenology at Kernkraftwerk Gösgen ı G. Girardin, R. Meier, L. Meyer, A. Ålander and F. Jatuff