ABWR power tests simulation by using a dual RELAP5 nuclear power plant simulation platform

Lungmen nuclear power plant is the first advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR) plant in Taiwan. According to the most up-to-date schedule, Lungmen Plant will begin its power tests in later 2011. The tests contain (1) loss of feedwater heater test, (2) one feedwater pump trip test, (3) one reactor internal pump trip test, (4) three reactor internal pumps trip test, (5) loss of offsite power and turbine/generator trip test, (6) turbine trip test, (7) load rejection test, (8) fast load winddown test, and (9) reactor full isolation test. The acceptable values of the plant major parameters in all test criteria of each plant power test have been provided by the plant vendor's analysis results. Thus, the verification of the correctness of the vendor results is important. A dual RELAP5 advanced Lungmen Plant specific simulation platform (ALPS) has been used to simulate the plant power tests. ALPS is developed based on two independent RELAP5 modules: one for the reactor system modeling and the other one for the balance of plant system modeling. All plant systems simulation models are synchronized on a PC-based commercial simulation platform, namely 3KeyMaster. The plant major control systems and the emergency core cooling system are simulated in great detail with the built-in modeling tools of 3KeyMaster. ALPS calculation results have been compared with the plant vendor's preliminary power tests analysis results. The comparison results have been delivered to the plant vendee for references. In this article some typical power tests simulation and comparison results are presented for (1) one feedwater pump trip test, (2) one reactor internal pump trip test, (3) load rejection test, and (4) reactor full isolation test.

► A dual RELAP5 engineering simulator ALPS is developed for Lungmen ABWR Plant.
► Lungmen RPV and BOP are simulated in great detail by two independent RELAP5 models.
► ALPS has been used to simulate Lungmen Plant power tests.
► The developed techniques are helpful to the nuclear power plants.