Method for thermal performance monitoring of a nuclear power plant using the NCV method

A method for instigating operator action to minimize thermodynamic losses in a nuclear power plant, the nuclear power plant comprising a Reactor Vessel (RV) containing a fissioning material when operating on-line and a Turbine Cycle (TC), comprising the steps of:

• before on-line operation:
• acquiring a Neutronics Model comprising a set of Off-Line Operating Parameters;
• identifying a set of neutron flux dependent terms comprising an average neutron flux [ΦTH], a Temporal Fission Density [ΦTHΣF], a temporal fission rate [ΦTHΣFVFuel], a recoverable nuclear power [ΦTHΣFVFuelυREC], a total nuclear power [ΦTHΣFVFuel(υREC+υTNU)] and another term provided it is a function of the average neutron flux [ΦTH];
• identifying a set of declared unknown parameters which include a RV coolant mass flow, a Condenser heat rejection, a useful power output and one parameter selected from the set of neutron flux dependent terms;
• formulating a calorimetrics Model of the nuclear power plant based only on a plurality of thermodynamic formulations which solve simultaneously for the set of declared unknown parameters, the plurality of thermodynamic formulations comprising:
• formulating a Second Law, exergy analysis of the nuclear power plant,
• formulating a First Law, conservation of the nuclear power plant,
• formulating a First Law conservation of the TC, and
• formulating a fourth independent equation based on thermodynamic laws;
• and
• while operating on-line:
• acquiring a set of On-Line Operating Parameters, including a set of thermodynamic extensive properties of the RV's coolant, the TC's working fluid, an independently computed term selected from the set of neutron flux dependent terms if required, and a measured useful power output if required;
• using the calorimetrics Model to solve simultaneously for the set of declared unknown parameters resulting in a set of Thermal Performance Parameters including a total exergy flow supplied to the nuclear power plant, a useful power output and a set of system irreversible losses, based on the Neutronics Model and the set of On-Line Operating Parameters;
• computing a set of Fission Consumption Indices (FCIs) based on the set of Thermal Performance Parameters, resulting in a FCIPower and a set of system FCILoss-k;
• monitoring the system for increases in the set of system FCILoss-k, resulting in a set of identified degraded FCILoss-k;
• instigating operator action such that the set of identified degraded FCILoss-k is minimized thereby maximizing FCIPower resulting in an increase in the nuclear power plant's system effectiveness (εSys).

A method for instigating operator action such that a nuclear power plant is operated in a safe manner, the nuclear power plant comprising a Reactor Vessel (RV) containing a fissioning material when operating on-line and a Turbine Cycle (TC), comprising the steps of:

• before on-line operation:
• acquiring a Neutronics Model comprising a set of Off-Line Operating Parameters including a SEP Power Trip Limit and an applicable Regulatory Limit;
• identifying a set of neutron flux dependent terms comprising an average neutron flux [ΦTH], a Temporal Fission Density [ΦTHΣF], a temporal fission rate [ΦTHΣFVFuel], a recoverable nuclear power [ΦTHΣFVFuelυREC], a total nuclear power [ΦTHΣFVFuel(υREC+υREC)] and another term provided it is a function of yje average neutron flux [ΦTH];
• identifying a set of declared unknown parameters which include a RV coolant mass flow, a Condenser heat rejection, a useful power output and one parameter selected from the set of neutron flux dependent terms;
• formulating a calorimetrics Model of the nuclear power plant based only on a plurality of thermodynamic formulations which solve simultaneously for the set of declared unknown parameters, the plurality of thermodynamic formulations comprising:
• formulating a Second Law exergy analysis of the nuclear power plant,
• formulating a First Law conservation of the nuclear power plant,
• formulating a First Law conservation of the TC, and
• formulating a fourth independent equation based on thermodynamic laws;
• formulating a Verification Procedure, comprising:
• identifying a set of System Effect Parameter differences (Δλmm), selected from the group consisting of ΔλGEN, ΔλEQ82, ΔλFLX, ΔλRVU, ΔλFCS, ΔλFWF, ΔλRVF and ΔλMISC, resulting in a set of selected Δλmm,
• identifying a set of Choice Operating Parameters (Λnn), selected from the group consisting of Λ1 through Λ14, resulting in a set of selected Λnn,
• formulating a multidimensional minimization analysis which minimizes the set of selected Δλmm by varying the set of selected Λnn;
• and
• identifying Mechanisms for Controlling the Rate of Fission in the fissioning material including Safety Mechanisms;
• while operating on-line:
• acquiring a set of On-Line Operating Parameters, including a set of thermodynamic extensive properties of the RV's coolant, the TC's working fluid, an independently computed term selected from the set of neutron flux dependent terms if required, and a measured useful power output if required and a set of data required for the sets of selected Δλmm and Λnn;
• using the calorimetrics Model to solve simultaneously for declared unknown parameters resulting in a set of Thermal Performance Parameters which includes the resolved declared unknown parameters, First Law efficiencies, Second Law effectivenesses and Fission Consumption Indices;
• using the Verification Procedure based on the sets of selected Δλmm and Λnn, resulting in a set of verified Thermal Performance Parameters including a converged set of selected Δλmm;
• monitoring temporal trends in the set of verified Thermal Performance, resulting in a set of monitored & verified Thermal Performance Parameters;
• monitoring temporal trends in the converged set of selected Δλmm, resulting in a set of monitored & converged selected Δλmm;
• and
• instigating operator action by activating the Mechanisms for Controlling the Rate of Fission including a TRIP of the nuclear power plant when any one of the set of monitored & verified Thermal Performance Parameters exceed the applicable Regulatory Limit, or when any one of the set of monitored & converged selected Δλmm exceed the SEP Power Trip Limit based on monitoring temporal trends.