See how we’ve adopted analytical methods that fit your operational strategy.
With the increase of intermittent renewable energy sources on the grid, many utilities in the U.S. are looking to implement flexible power operations (FPO) in their nuclear assets to remain competitive. While FPO provides various operational and cost benefits, there are also potential side effects to the plant and its fuel including thermal stresses and fatigue, increased wear and impact on the plant safety analysis.
To address these concerns, our teams are developing analytical methods to analyze the lifetime of Rod Cluster Control Assemblies (RCCAs), including those utilized during FPO. The development includes improvements to modeling neutron fluence in the region above the core, detailed evaluation of mechanical design limits, and delivery of operational guidelines. These enhancements will improve the accuracy of lifetime calculations to help ensure transitions to FPO are executed as expected.
These methods are part of our portfolio of FPO solutions, focusing on the impacts – including the design and safety analysis – regarding the methodology and assumptions used in the plant-specific design Analyses of Record (AOR).
Key Benefits
- Improved accuracy and reduced uncertainties in plant-specific RCCA lifetime calculations
- Streamlined determination of RCCA lifetime for a variety of FPO strategies
- Clear operational guidelines for operation of RCCAs with FPO
- Potential for implementation of the methodology into core monitoring tools like BEACON™
