Canadian company L3 MAPPS has secured a contract from China General Nuclear (CGN) unit Ling Ao Nuclear Power to modernise its Phase II full scope simulator.
Under the contract, L3 MAPPS will upgrade the nuclear simulator using advanced and modern Orchid simulation software.
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The contract also covers provisions for the company to equip a severe accident simulation model, which will automatically switch from the standard L3 MAPPS plant models to Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI) modular accident analysis programme (MAAP5).
L3 MAPPS' power systems and simulation marketing and sales vice-president Michael Chatlani said: “L3 MAPPS made new investments last year to enhance autoswitching to the severe accident simulation model and we are delighted that CGN will be the first to take advantage of our latest research and development efforts.”
MAAP5 is a software programme, which conducts severe accident analysis and assessments of core damage and radiological transport for nuclear power plants.
The simulator features 2D and 3D animated, interactive visualisations of the reactor vessel, containment building, and spent fuel pool to offer operators additional insight into the behaviour of the plant in cases of serious accidents.
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By GlobalDataThe updated simulation environment and autoswitch programme are expected to be in operation in Q1, 2018.
Based on Visual Simex simulator executive and ROSE plant models, the Ling Ao Phase II simulation environment will be shifted to Orchid Simulator Executive and Orchid Modelling Environment, respectively.
The MAAP 5.04 models will replace the older MAAP 5.01 models to facilitate autoswitching during times of elevated fuel temperatures.
The MAAP5 system will enable the current simulator to be used for training scenarios related to degraded reactor core conditions that result in fuel melting, including cladding oxidation and hydrogen generation, vessel failure, containment failure, and fission product release.
The Ling Ao Phase II nuclear plant features the first two CPR1000 nuclear generating units that commenced commercial operations in September 2010 and August 2011, respectively.
Image: Ling Ao Phase II full scope simulator. Photo: courtesy of L3 MAPPS.
