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At least 1,513 records · Page 84
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Development of Real-Time System Identification to Detect Abnormal Operations in a Gas Turbine Cycle

Here, we present a novel online system identification methodology for monitoring the performance of power systems. This methodology was demonstrated in a gas turbine recuperated power plant designed for a hybrid configuration. A 120-kW Garrett microturbine modified to test dynamic control strategies for hybrid power systems designed at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) was used to implement and validate this online system identification methodology. The main component of this methodology consists of an empirical transfer function model implemented in parallel to the turbine speed operation and the fuel control valve, which can monitor the process response of the gas turbine system while it is operating. During fully closed-loop operations or automated control, the output of the controller, fuel valve position, and the turbine speed measurements were fed for a given period of time to a recursive algorithm that determined the transfer function parameters during the nominal condition. After the new parameters were calculated, they were fed into the transfer function model for online prediction. The turbine speed measurement was compared against the transfer function prediction, and a control logic was implemented to capture when the system operated at nominal or abnormal conditions. To validate the ability to detect abnormal conditions during dynamic operations, drifting in the performance of the gas turbine system was evaluated. A leak in the turbomachinery working fluid was emulated by bleeding 10% of the airflow from the compressor discharge to the atmosphere, and electrical load steps were performed before and after the leak. This tool could detect the leak 7 s after it had occurred, which accounted for a fuel flow increase of approximately 15.8% to maintain the same load and constant turbine speed operations.

algorithms↗
DOE OSTI2011

TESTING OF THE DUAL ROTARY FILTER SYSTEM

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) installed and tested two hydraulically connected SpinTek rotary microfilter (RMF) units to determine the behavior of a multiple filter system. Both units were successfully controlled by a control scheme written in DELTA-V architecture by Savannah River Remediation (SRR) Process Control Engineering personnel. The control system was tuned to provide satisfactory response to changing conditions during the operation of the multi-filter system. Stability was maintained through the startup and shutdown of one of the filter units while the second was still in operation. The installation configuration originally proposed by the Small Colum Ion Exchange (SCIX) project of independent filter and motor mountings may be susceptible to vibration. Significant stiffening of the filter and motor mounts was required to minimize the vibration. Alignment of the motor to the filter was a challenge in this test configuration. The deployment configuration must be easy to manipulate and allow for fine adjustment. An analysis of the vibration signature of the test system identified critical speeds. Whether it corresponds to the resonance frequency of a rotor radial vibration mode that was excited by rotor unbalance is uncertain based upon the measurements. A relative motion series should be completed on the filter with the final shaft configuration to determine if the resonances exist in the final filter design. The instrumentation selected for deployment, including the concentrate discharge control valve and flow meters, performed well. Automation of the valve control integrated well with the control scheme and when used in concert with the other control variables, allowed automated control of the dual RMF system. The one area of concern with the instrumentation was the condition resulting when the filtrate flow meter operated with less than three gpm. This low flow was at the lower range of performance for the flow meter. This should not be an issue in deployment where the desired flow rate will be within the normal operating range of the meter. Testing demonstrated that the use of a flexible line for the filtrate discharge is highly desired at the outlet of the rotary union to transition to the system piping. Isolating the vibration from the rotary union will significantly improve the lifetime of the seals. Methods to monitor and isolate individual filters should be considered during deployment. The ability to diagnose issues and isolate individual filters would allow isolation prior to failure. Thus, filters may be cleaned or repaired instead of requiring complete replacement if the condition were to continue unnoticed. Isolating the filtrate line of each filter during startup will minimize the premature buildup of solids on the filter disks. Several tests have shown that the method of filter startup can improve performance lifetime of the filters. The installation must factor in an air inlet for the draining of a filter that does not involve a reverse flow through the filter disks. The reverse flow may cause deformation of the disks or may damage other components of the filters themselves.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2011

NEXT GENERATION SOLVENT MATERIALS COMPATIBILITY WITH POLYMER COMPONENTS WITHIN MODULAR CAUSTIC-SIDE SOLVENT EXTRACTION UNIT

The Office of Waste Processing, within the Office of Technology Innovation and Development, is funding the development of an enhanced solvent for deployment at the Savannah River Site for removal of cesium from High Level Waste. The technical effort is collaboration between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), and Argonne National Laboratory. The first deployment target for the technology is within the Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU). Deployment of a new chemical within an existing facility requires verification that the chemical components are compatible with the installed equipment. In the instance of a new organic solvent, the primary focus is on compatibility of the solvent with organic polymers used in the facility. This report provides the data from exposing these polymers to the Next Generation Solvent (NGS). The test was conducted over six months. An assessment of the dimensional stability of polymers present in MCU (i.e., PEEK, Grafoil{reg_sign}, Tefzel{reg_sign} and Isolast{reg_sign}) in the modified NGS (where the concentration of the guanidine suppressor and MaxCalix was varied systematically) showed that guanidine (LIX{reg_sign}79) selectively affected Tefzel{reg_sign} (by an increase in size and lowering its density). The copolymer structure of Tefzel{reg_sign} and possibly its porosity allows for the easier diffusion of guanidine. Tefzel{reg_sign} is used as the seat material in some of the valves at MCU. Long term exposure to guanidine, may make the valves hard to operate over time due to the seat material (Tefzel{reg_sign}) increasing in size. However, since the physical changes of Tefzel{reg_sign} in the improved solvent are comparable to the changes in the CSSX baseline solvent, no design changes are needed with respect to the Tefzel{reg_sign} seating material. PEEK, Grafoil{reg_sign} and Isolast{reg_sign} were not affected by guanidine and MaxCalix within six months of exposure. The initial rapid weight gain observed in every polymer is assigned to the finite and limited uptake of Isopar{reg_sign} L/Modifier by the polymers probably due to the polymers porosity and rough surfaces. Spectroscopic data on the organic liquid and the polymer surfaces showed no preferential adsorption of any component in the NGS to the polymers and no leachate was observed in the NGS from any of the polymers studied.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2011

EVALUATION OF ARG-1 SAMPLES PREPARED BY CESIUM CARBONATE DISSOLUTION DURING THE ISOLOK SME ACCEPTABILITY TESTING

Evaluation of Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Chemical Process Cell (CPC) cycle time identified several opportunities to improve the CPC processing time. The Mechanical Systems & Custom Equipment Development (MS&CED) Section of the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) recently completed the evaluation of one of these opportunities - the possibility of using an Isolok sampling valve as an alternative to the Hydragard valve for taking DWPF process samples at the Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME). The use of an Isolok for SME sampling has the potential to improve operability, reduce maintenance time, and decrease CPC cycle time. The SME acceptability testing for the Isolok was requested in Task Technical Request (TTR) HLW-DWPF-TTR-2010-0036 and was conducted as outlined in Task Technical and Quality Assurance Plan (TTQAP) SRNLRP-2011-00145. RW-0333P QA requirements applied to the task, and the results from the investigation were documented in SRNL-STI-2011-00693. Measurement of the chemical composition of study samples was a critical component of the SME acceptability testing of the Isolok. A sampling and analytical plan supported the investigation with the analytical plan directing that the study samples be prepared by a cesium carbonate (Cs{sub 2}CO{sub 3}) fusion dissolution method and analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The use of the cesium carbonate preparation method for the Isolok testing provided an opportunity for an additional assessment of this dissolution method, which is being investigated as a potential replacement for the two methods (i.e., sodium peroxide fusion and mixed acid dissolution) that have been used at the DWPF for the analysis of SME samples. Earlier testing of the Cs{sub 2}CO{sub 3} method yielded promising results which led to a TTR from Savannah River Remediation, LLC (SRR) to SRNL for additional support and an associated TTQAP to direct the SRNL efforts. A technical report resulting from this work was issued that recommended that the mixed acid method be replaced by the Cs{sub 2}CO{sub 3} method for the measurement of magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and zirconium (Zr) with additional testing of the method by DWPF Laboratory being needed before further implementation of the Cs{sub 2}CO{sub 3} method at that laboratory. While the SME acceptability testing of the Isolok does not address any of the open issues remaining after the publication of the recommendation for the replacement of the mixed acid method by the Cs{sub 2}CO{sub 3} method (since those issues are to be addressed by the DWPF Laboratory), the Cs{sub 2}CO{sub 3} testing associated with the Isolok testing does provide additional insight into the performance of the method as conducted by SRNL. The performance is to be investigated by looking to the composition measurement data generated by the samples of a standard glass, the Analytical Reference Glass - 1 (ARG-1), that were prepared by the Cs{sub 2}CO{sub 3} method and included in the SME acceptability testing of the Isolok. The measurements of these samples were presented as part of the study results, but no statistical analysis of these measurements was conducted as part of those results. It is the purpose of this report to provide that analysis, which was supported using JMP Version 7.0.2.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2012

Next Generation Solvent – Materials Compatibility with Polymer Components within Modular CausticSide Solvent Extraction Unit (Final Report)

The Office of Waste Processing, within the Office of Technology Innovation and Development, is funding the development of an enhanced solvent for deployment at the Savannah River Site for removal of cesium from High Level Waste. The technical effort is collaboration between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), and Argonne National Laboratory. The first deployment target for the technology is within the Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU). Deployment of a new chemical within an existing facility requires verification that the chemical components are compatible with the installed equipment. In the instance of a new organic solvent, the primary focus is on compatibility of the solvent with organic polymers used in the facility. This report provides the data from exposing these polymers to the Next Generation Solvent (NGS). The test was conducted over six months. An assessment of the dimensional stability of polymers present in MCU (i.e., PEEK, Grafoil, Tefzel and Isolast) in the modified NGS (where the concentration of LIX®79 and MaxCalix was varied systematically) showed that LIX®79 selectively affected Tefzel and its different grades (by an increase in size and lowering its density). The copolymer structure of Tefzel and possibly its porosity allows for the easier diffusion of LIX®79. Tefzel is used as the seat material in some of the valves at MCU. Long term exposure to LIX®79, may make the valves hard to operate over time due to the seat material (Tefzel) increasing in size. However, since the physical changes of Tefzel in the improved solvent are comparable to the changes in the CSSX baseline solvent, no design changes are needed with respect to the Tefzel seating material. PEEK, Grafoil and Isolast were not affected by LIX®79 and MaxCalix within six months of exposure. The initial rapid weight gain observed in every polymer is assigned to the finite and limited uptake of Isopar® L/Modifier by the polymers probably due to the polymers porosity and rough surfaces. Spectroscopic data on the organic liquid and the polymer surfaces showed no preferential adsorption of any component in the NGS to the polymers and with the exception of CPVC, no leachate was observed in the NGS from any of the polymers studied. The testing shows no major concerns for compatibility over the short duration of these tests but does indicate that longer duration exposure studies are warranted, especially for Tefzel. However, the physical changes experienced by Tefzel in the improved solvent were comparable to the physical changes obtained when Tefzel is placed in CSSX baseline solvent. Therefore, there is no effect of the improved solvent beyond those observed in CSSX baseline solvent.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2011

Development of the ANL Plant Dynamics Code and Control Strategies for the Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle and Code Validation with Data from the Sandia Small-Scale Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle Test Loop

Significant progress has been made in the ongoing development of the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) Plant Dynamics Code (PDC), the ongoing investigation and development of control strategies, and the analysis of system transient behavior for supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO 2 ) Brayton cycles. Several code modifications have been introduced during FY2011 to extend the range of applicability of the PDC and to improve its calculational stability and speed. A new and innovative approach was developed to couple the Plant Dynamics Code for S-CO 2 cycle calculations with SAS4A/SASSYS-1 Liquid Metal Reactor Code System calculations for the transient system level behavior on the reactor side of a Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) or Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor (LFR). The new code system allows use of the full capabilities of both codes such that whole-plant transients can now be simulated without additional user interaction. Several other code modifications, including the introduction of compressor surge control, a new approach for determining the solution time step for efficient computational speed, an updated treatment of S-CO 2 cycle flow mergers and splits, a modified enthalpy equation to improve the treatment of negative flow, and a revised solution of the reactor heat exchanger (RHX) equations coupling the S-CO 2 cycle to the reactor, were introduced to the PDC in FY2011. All of these modifications have improved the code computational stability and computational speed, while not significantly affecting the results of transient calculations. The improved PDC was used to continue the investigation of S-CO 2 cycle control and transient behavior. The coupled PDC-SAS4A/SASSYS-1 code capability was used to study the dynamic characteristics of a S-CO 2 cycle coupled to a SFR plant. Cycle control was investigated in terms of the ability of the cycle to respond to a linear reduction in the electrical grid demand from 100% to 0% at a rate of 5%/minute. It was determined that utilization of turbine throttling control below 50% load improves the cycle efficiency significantly. Consequently, the cycle control strategy has been updated to include turbine throttle valve control. The new control strategy still relies on inventory control in the 50%-90% load range and turbine bypass for fine and fast generator output adjustments, but it now also includes turbine throttling control in the 0%-50% load range. In an attempt to investigate the feasibility of using the S-CO 2 cycle for normal decay heat removal from the reactor, the cycle control study was extended beyond the investigation of normal load following. It was shown that such operation is possible with the extension of the inventory and the turbine throttling controls. However, the cycle operation in this range is calculated to be so inefficient that energy would need to be supplied from the electrical grid assuming that the generator could be capable of being operated in a motoring mode with an input electrical energy from the grid having a magnitude of about 20% of the nominal plant output electrical power level in order to maintain circulation of the CO 2 in the cycle. The work on investigation of cycle operation at low power level will be continued in the future. In addition to the cycle control study, the coupled PDC-SAS4A/SASSYS-1 code system was also used to simulate thermal transients in the sodium-to-CO 2 heat exchanger. Several possible conditions with the potential to introduce significant changes to the heat exchanger temperatures were identified and simulated. The conditions range from reactor scram and primary sodium pump failure or intermediate sodium pump failure on the reactor side to pipe breaks and valve malfunctions on the S-CO 2 side. It was found that the maximum possible rate of the heat exchanger wall temperature change for the particular heat exchanger design assumed is limited to ±7 C/s for less than 10 seconds. Modeling in the Plant Dynamics Code has been compared with available data from the Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) small-scale S-CO 2 Brayton cycle demonstration that is being assembled in a phased approach currently at Barber-Nichols Inc. and at SNL in the future. The available data was obtained with an earlier configuration of the S-CO 2 loop involving only a single-turbo-alternator-compressor (TAC) instead of two TACs, a single low temperature recuperator (LTR) instead of both a LTR and a high temperature recuperator (HTR), and fewer than the later to be installed full set of electric heaters. Due to the absence of the full heating capability as well as the lack of a high temperature recuperator providing additional recuperation, the temperature conditions obtained with the loop are too low for the loop conditions to be prototypical of the S-CO 2 cycle.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Spin-Torque in Systems with Inhomogeneous Magnetization

The work performed during the grant period focused on the phenomenon of spin-transfer torque. This is a quantum mechanical effect whereby the angular momentum of conduction electrons is transferred to the magnetization of ferromagnetic structures. Our work on this subject began with phenomenological drift-diffusion and Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equations to demonstrate unambiguously that unpolarized current flow from a nonmagnet into a ferromagnet can produce a precession-type instability of the magnetization. We then used Boltzmann calculations appropriate to spin-valve type magnetic heterostructures composed of a non-magnetic thin film sandwiched between two thin film layers with uniform magnetization. Perhaps our most important paper dealt with quantum and semi-classical calculations of spin-transfer torque in systems with domain walls and other inhomogeneous distributions of magnetization. The latter work caused us to suggest that the Landau-Lifshitz approach to magnetic damping provided a clearer picture of the physics than the more popular (but formally equivalent) Gilbert approach to damping. Finally, we returned to our Boltzmann calculations and made a serious effort to analyze experimental data on current-induced magnetization in switching in magnetic spin-valve structures. Our work was part of a world-wide effort to study and harness the transport of the electron's spin and was one of the first sustained theoretical efforts in this direction in the United States. The payoff is just now being seen. In November of 2012, the Everspin Corporation announced the release of the first commercial spin-torque magnetoresistive random access memory.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Analytical Solution to the Pneumatic Transient Rod System at ACRR

The ACRR pulse is pneumatically driven by nitrogen in a system of pipes, valves and hoses up to the connection of the pneumatic system and mechanical linkages of the transient rod (TR). The main components of the TR pneumatic system are the regulator, accumulator, solenoid valve and piston-cylinder assembly. The purpose of this analysis is to analyze the flow of nitrogen through the TR pneumatic system in order to develop a motion profile of the piston during the pulse and be able to predict the pressure distributions inside both the cylinder and accumulators. The predicted pressure distributions will be validated against pressure transducer data, while the motion profile will be compared to proximity switch data. By predicting the motion of the piston, pulse timing will be determined and provided to the engineers/operators for verification. The motion profile will provide an acceleration distribution to be used in Razorback to more accurately predict reactivity insertion into the system.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Continuing the Evaluation of All-Metal Values for Use in a Tritium Environment

It is desired in tritium gas processing systems to minimize the use of polymer components due to their degradation from tritium exposure (beta decay). One source of polymers in tritium processes are valve components. An all-metal diaphragm valve with no plastic wetting components could be used in certain tritium applications to reduce organic materials in the tritium process.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
NASA NTRS2024

Manifold Integrated Pyrovalve

The Manifold Integrated Pyrovalve (MI-PV) provides a state-of-the-art, low mass, low volume, normally-closed (NC) pyrotechnic isolation valve configuration which is optimized for small free-flier applications. Small scale free-flier (e.g. CubeSat) applications require high pressure fluid isolation valves with leak rates low enough to endure long pad stays, and often have severe mass and volume limitations. The MI-PV utilizes a unique configuration where the shear section and the pyrotechnic ram assembly (PRA) are installed directly into a ported gas manifold, allowing elimination of heavy fluid fittings and connections. This configuration can be readily scaled and adapted to the needs of other long duration missions.

valve pyrovalve pyrotechnic↗
DOE OSTI2011

Automation of Column-based Radiochemical Separations: A Comparison of Fluidic, Robotic, and Hybrid Architectures

Two automated systems have been developed to perform column-based radiochemical separation procedures. These new systems are compared with past fluidic column separation architectures, with emphasis on setting up samples and columns in parallel, and using disposable components so that no sample contacts any surface that any other sample has contacted. In the first new approach, a general purpose liquid handling robot has been modified and programmed to perform anion exchange separations using 2 mL column bed columns in 6 mL plastic disposable column bodies. In the second new approach, a fluidic system has been developed to deliver clean reagents through disposable manual valves to six disposable columns, with a mechanized fraction collector that positions four rows of six vials below the columns. The samples are delivered to the columns via a manual 3-port valve from disposable syringes. This second approach, a hybrid of fluidic and mechanized components, is simpler and faster in performing anion exchange procedures for the recovery and purification of plutonium from samples.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Design study and comparative evaluation of JSFR failed fuel detection system

A conceptual design study of an advanced sodium-cooled fast reactor JSFR has progressed in the 'Fast Reactor Cycle Technology Development (FaCT) 'project in Japan. JSFR has two failed fuel detection systems in the core. One is a failed fuel detection (FFD) system which continuously monitors a fission product from failed fuel subassembly. The other is a failed fuel detection and location (FFDL) system which locates when it receives signals from FFD. The FFD system consists of a FFD-DN which detects delayed neutron (DN) in sodium and a FFD-CG which detects fission products in the cover gas of the reactor vessel. In this study, requirements to the FFD-DN and the FFD-DN design to meet the requirements were investigated for the commercial and demonstration JSFR. In the commercial JSFR, a sampling type FFD which collects sodium from the reactor vessel by sampling lines for DN detectors was adopted. The performances have been investigated and confirmed by a fluid analysis in the reactor upper plenum. In the demonstration JSFR, the performance of DN detectors installed on the primary cold-leg piping has been confirmed. For the FFDL systems, experiences in the previous fast reactors and the R and D of FFDL system for JSFR were investigated. This study focuses on the Selector-Valve and the Tagging-Gas FFDL systems. Operation experiences of the Selector-valve FFDL system were accumulated in PFR and Phenix. Tagging-gas system experiences were accumulated in EBR-II and FFTF. The feasibility of both FFDL systems for JSFR was evaluated. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Evaluation of anticipatory signal to steam generator pressure control program for 700 MWe Indian pressurized heavy water reactor

700 MWe Indian Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (IPHWR) is horizontal channel type reactor with partial boiling at channel outlet. Due to boiling, it has a large volume of vapor present in the primary loops. It has two primary loops connected with the help of pressurizer surge line. The pressurizer has a large capacity and is partly filled by liquid and partly by vapor. Large vapor volume improves compressibility of the system. During turbine trip or load rejection, pressure builds up in Steam Generator (SG). This leads to pressurization of Primary Heat Transport System (PHTS). To control pressurization of SG and PHTS, around 70% of the steam generated in SG is dumped into the condenser by opening Condenser Steam Dump Valves (CSDVs) and rest of the steam is released to the atmosphere by opening Atmospheric Steam Discharge Valves (ASDVs) immediately after sensing the event. This is accomplished by adding anticipatory signal to the output of SG pressure controller. Anticipatory signal is proportional to the thermal power of reactor and the proportionality constant is set so that SG pressure controller's output jacks up to ASDV opening range when operating at 100% FP. To simulate this behavior for 700 MWe IPHWR, Primary and secondary heat transport system is modeled. SG pressure control and other process control program have also been modeled to capture overall plant dynamics. Analysis has been carried out with 3-D neutron kinetics coupled thermal hydraulic computer code ATMIKA.T to evaluate the effect of the anticipatory signal on PHT pressure and over all plant dynamics during turbine trip in 700 MWe IPHWR. This paper brings out the results of the analysis with and without considering anticipatory signal in SG pressure control program during turbine trip. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Hydraulic and mixing evaluations for SRS miscible liquid solutions

The hydraulic results demonstrate that pump head pressure of 20 psi recirculates about 5.6 liters/min flowrate through the existing 0.131-inch orifice when a valve connected to NT-41 is closed. In case of the valve open to NT-41, the solution flowrates to Savannah River Site (SRS) tanks, NT-21 and NT-41, are found to be about 0.5 lpm and 5.2 lpm, respectively. The modeling calculations for the mixing operations of miscible fluids contained in the SRS HB-Line tank NT-21 were performed by taking a three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach. The CFD modeling results were benchmarked against the literature results and the previous SRNL test results to validate the model. Final performance calculations were performed for the nominal case by using the validated model to quantify the mixing time for the HB-Line tank. The results demonstrate that when a pump recirculates a solution volume of 5.7 liters every minute out of the 72-liter tank contents containing two acid solutions of 2.7 M and 0 M concentrations (i.e., water), a minimum mixing time of 1.5 hours is adequate for the tank contents to get the tank contents adequately mixed. In addition, the sensitivity results for the tank contents of 8 M existing solution and 1.5 M incoming species show that the mixing time takes about 2 hours to get the solutions mixed. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2017

Benefits of digitalizing and employing simulation to increase plant system performance and ensure compliance with technical specifications - 109

The essential services water system in a BWR nuclear power plant was affected by corrosion, soiling and blockages due to ageing. Those episodes affected safety margins hindering the Technical Specifications compliance during periodic system testing. Tecnatom designed, implemented and tested a design modification for the on-line monitoring of this system by integrating it in the existing Digital Control System (DCS). Key system parameters were acquired in real time to be displayed in the Human System Interface, used in performing calculations and stored their historical evolution. The objective was to optimize monitoring and surveillance of the essential service water system. Furthermore, Tecnatom developed an engineering simulator ('What if' simulator) consisting of a hydraulic model of the system. This simulator takes as inputs each heat exchanger performance parameters from the plant DCS, allows the user to change the essential services water system configuration (valves position, UHS level...) and calculates theoretical process values predicting the system real behavior. In a second stage, more system instruments were wired to the DCS for Technical Specifications compliance automatic surveillance regarding opening and closing times of system valves. Operating experience shows important benefits after the digitalization. It enhances on-line information of system operation and automates calculation of load loss factor of each heat exchanger. It eases the evaluation of blockages and soiling in the system allowing optimization of cleaning proceedings. System Surveillance Requirements and Test Requirements reports have been automated optimizing the operation workload. The simulator use enables to identify optimal system configuration increasing safety margins of the system and ensuring Technical Specifications fulfillment. (authors)

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Failure Diagnosis for the Holdup Tank System via ISFA

This paper discusses the use of the integrated system failure analysis (ISFA) technique for fault diagnosis for the holdup tank system. ISFA is a simulation-based, qualitative and integrated approach used to study fault propagation in systems containing both hardware and software subsystems. The holdup tank system consists of a tank containing a fluid whose level is controlled by an inlet valve and an outlet valve. We introduce the component and functional models of the system, quantify the main parameters and simulate possible failure-propagation paths based on the fault propagation approach, ISFA. The results show that most component failures in the holdup tank system can be identified clearly and that ISFA is viable as a technique for fault diagnosis. Since ISFA is a qualitative technique that can be used in the very early stages of system design, this case study provides indications that it can be used early to study design aspects that relate to robustness and fault tolerance. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Multifunctional Optoelectronic-Spintronic Device Based on Hybrid Organometal Trihalide Perovskites

A novel “hybrid” optoelectronic–spintronic (O-S) device that contains an organometal trihalide perovskite (OTP)-based solar cell or light-emitting diode coupled to an inorganic spin valve is presented. The synergy between the OTP and spin valve components results in two new functionalities: nonlinear magnetophotoconductivity and hysteretic magnetoelectroluminescence.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗