New NPP Designs and licensing

S A Bhardwaj

AERB-USNRC meeting 1
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Nuclear Power Programme Status
In Operation
14 units (2 BWRs &12 PHWRs) 2770 MWe

Under construction
9 units (6 PHWRs, 2 LWRs, 1 PFBR) 4460 MWe

Projects to be taken up next

700 MWe PHWR Units
300 MWe AHWR Units

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 In general, the programme has been
maintaining continuity and so have been
the regulatory process and licensing
requirements.

Safety requirements invariably get

progressively enhanced/ updated based on
the regulatory reviews, prevailing codes &
guides and national and international
experiences and inputs.
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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Requirements For New PHWRS
q Acceptable safety as per prevailing requirements
q Competitive unit energy cost
(Construction period; plant life)
q Simplification – design, operation, construction
q Compatibility with available fuel resources
- Energy security issues
q Environmental friendliness – minimum waste generation.
q Amenability to decommissioning
q Security
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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 International Pointers
Regulatory Reqts for Next NPPs (Firm)
• CANDU 6 - latest versions
• IAEA Design Code NS-R-1

Longer- Term Trends (Proposals)

• ACR 700
• USNRC
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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Acceptable Safety
• Operational Safety – Personnel
– Public
• Accidents
– Prevent accidents
– Intercept potential accidents
– Mitigate accidents – DBAs
– BDBAs/Severe Accidents
Emphasis is on prevention

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
Future Directions For PHWR Safety
• Evolutionary Approach : Progressive improvements

• Fine-tuning of existing
Design/Operations based on
ØOperating experience feedback Reduce
ØPSA insights CDF
ØSystem wise reviews
• Additional considerations for severe accidents
(prevention & mitigation)

AERB-USNRC meeting 7
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Safety In Routine Operations
• Man-Rem Reduction

Ø Maintainability – Layout
– Mechanical Handling Equipment
Ø Tritium in PHTS (Tritium stripping in up graders)
Ø Minimise D2O circuit leaks – Quality components
Ø Materials
Ø DAC – Review Dryer capacity etc.
Ø Allow maintenance outage of circuits/parts of circuits, eg. Process water with minimum
waiting period
• Design to meet surveillance requirements
Ø Consider 2-yr between outages
Ø No impact on operations
Ø Automated testing & logging of results
• Routine Discharges ALARA

AERB-USNRC meeting 8
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Accidents : Prevention/ Interception
• Rigorous application of existing safety design principles:
ØProven/ tested designs
ØRedundancy, diversity, independence, failsafe
ØTwo SDS with double trip coverage (two group concept)
• Simplicity Design, Operation
• Human factors (more operator-proof designs)
ØPrevent operator actions to block safety action in short
term
ØOptimise CR displays

AERB-USNRC meeting 9
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
Accidents : Prevention/ Interception (contd.)
• Robust margins – Inventories/Thermal inertia
Ø Pressurizer
Ø SG inventory
Ø SG makeup sources
• Redundancy/Diversity for SG feed/makeup incl. power supplies
• Diagnostic Monitoring-Increased use of new techniques for Rotating
equipment, valves, high-pressure systems
• Design against fuel string ejection accidents
Ø End fitting ejection : Examine end fitting restraints
Ø Seal plug failure : Shield plug as backup?
(examine rolled joint between end fitting and liner tube)

AERB-USNRC meeting 10
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Accidents : Mitigation
• Lower moderator temperature
ØLimit on outlet temperature
ØOptimise location of calandria inlet/outlet

• ECCS simplifications/improvement
ØBall seals at bottom of tank
ØAHWR accumulator?

AERB-USNRC meeting 11
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Containment:
• Need for suppression pool under review
• Containment Clean-up – Filters vs. Spray
• Water inventory (alternate for suppression pool)
• Primary & secondary containment isolation systems as two
systems
• Airlocks simplification
• Severe accident capability
Ø Hydrogen control
Ø Ultimate load bearing capability
Ø Decay heat removal

AERB-USNRC meeting 12
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
Severe Accident : Prevention/ Mitigation
• Conservatism/Margins in design for DBE’s to cater for
BDBE’s
• Assess selected BDBE’s for
Ø Emergency Planning
Ø Accident Management
Ø Need for additional plant features (cost-effective) for core debris
coolability and containment integrity
• PSA : CDF Target : 10-5 per reactor year
• Hydrogen control – Avoid detonation

AERB-USNRC meeting 13
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
Severe Accident : Prevention/Mitigation (Contd.)

• Makeup water to :
Ø SG’s (at low pressure)
Ø Moderator (to prevent severe core damage)
Ø Calandria vault (to mitigate severe core damage)
This makeup should be from sources independent of normal
station electric & water supplies: could be from
firewater pumping systems or large overhead pool
• Decay heat removal/recirculation for above makeups
into containment

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Others: Life Management Related
• Amenability to ISI with minimum man-rem

• Minimum 60 years life

• Amenability to EMCCR

Spent fuel storage – Space availability for future

contingencies

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Licensing Of New Power Plants

700 MWe Project – Salient Safety

Enhancements

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Overall Plant Layout

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 700MWe Plant Layout
Design criteria:
ØCompact for operational ease
ØCost effectiveness with minimum tunnels &
trenches
ØDifferent approach for turbine missile

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 700MWe PLANT LAYOUT

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Plant Design Overview

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Reactor core parameters
700MWe TAPP-3,4
§ Fission power : 2285 MW : (1825)
§ Power to coolant : 2166 MW : (1730)
§ Maximum channel power : 6.5 MW : (5.5)
§ No. of Channels- : 392 : (same)
§ No of fuel elements per bundle : 37 : (same)
§ Pressure Tube Design Temperature : 315 oC : (310)
§ Pressure Tube Des. Pressure - : 113.08kg/cm2(g)@315 oC

123.03kg/cm2(g)@275o: Same)
§ Pressure Tube ID : 103.04 mm : (same)
§ Pressure Tube Thickness - : 4.3 mm : (same)

AERB-USNRC meeting 21
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
700 MWe vis-a-vis 540 MWe (TAPP3,4) System
700 MWe Systems: Changes over 540 MWe:

PHT Higher temp + Boiling

Boiling beyond ~83-89%

power

Feeder redesign (higher size

outlet feeder)

AERB-USNRC meeting 22
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 700 MWe vis-a-vis 540 MWe (TAPP3,4) System(continued)

700 MWe Systems: Changes over 540 MWe:

• Reactor Core Hardware essentially same

• Reactor Physics & 1. Higher utilisation of 37-element

Power fuel bundle rating.

2. Higher thermal power (2166

Mwt to coolant).

3. Core void effect.

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
Passive Decay Heat Removal System
(PDHRS)

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 PDHRS - Functions
qTo ensure continued availability and recirculation
of the inventory on the secondary side of the
Steam Generators.

qProvision of water for suction to the ECCS pumps

qSuction for RB spray system

qInjection into the calandria (Moderator) for BDB

Event
AERB-USNRC meeting 25
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 PDHRS – Salient Design Features
GFour PDHRS tanks of 200 m3 capacity – one for each
steam generator
GHorizontal u-tube condenser bundle
GShell side holdup sufficient to give decay heat removal for
>8 hours considering boil-off & no make up
GWith make up - heat removal can be continued indefinitely
GBasis for U-bundle sizing – 2% FP & 100ºC on shell side
GSteam inlet & condensate lines sized to give minimal
pressure drop ~ 2 mWC

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 PDHRS – Perspective view

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 PDHRS - Advantages
qPassive system for continued core decay heat
removal which will prolong inventory preservation in
steam generator
qMake up by diesel driven pumps of low head
provide diversity of supply
qThis decay heat removal concept is a well proven
concept in BWRs (e.g. TAPS) thus no extra efforts
in developmental work.
qMultipurpose system – further economy
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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Man-rem Reduction
Measures

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
Salient Approaches For Man-rem Reduction In 700MWe
Project

qBetter equipment handling

qDecongested layouts
qFeedback of earlier units – Improvements in
systems/equipments
qMinimise welds & ISI requirements
qShielding improvements

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Improved Pump room layout – plan view

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
Improved pump room layout – perspective view

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Concept of Single Overhead crane
for wider coverage & better handling of equipments

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
•FM service area located below FM vault.
•Dry transfer of fuel between FM and mobile transfer machine.
•Automated loading of fuel in spent fuel building.
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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 AERB-USNRC meeting 35
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Avoid Hydrogen Pockets

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 AERB-USNRC meeting 37
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Open above

headers

AERB-USNRC meeting 38
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Main Steam Line Break
(MSLB) Scenario

AERB-USNRC meeting 39
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Concept of two steam lines per steam
generator

qEffect of two steam lines on MSLB scenario is

being analyzed to arrive at optimal design to
optimize building pressure
qSteam lines to have same velocities as 540
MWe
q600 mmNB vs 2x~400mmNB

AERB-USNRC meeting 40
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
Conceptual Design of two steam lines per SG –
Perspective view

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
Primary Containment Related

AERB-USNRC meeting 42
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Salient Changes
GDeletion of suppression pool
GIntroduction of spray system
GRB with ECCS sump
GChanges in air locks
GMinimize penetration EP’s & better
EP design
AERB-USNRC meeting 43
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Status
• PSAR under pre-licensing review by AERB
• Specific areas of difference between 540 MWe and
700 MWe, under discussion. Important amongst these are:
– Reactor control system with boiling adopted in
coolant
– Possibility of flow instability in parallel flow with boiling in
coolant channels

AERB will take up formal review of 700 MWe design after

successful commissioning of first unit of 540 MWe

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 Conclusion
Cost effective design with safety
enhancements and better
performance is being evolved for 700
MWe Project.

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC
 THANK YOU

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Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India 30 Aug - 3 Sept 2004, Washington DC