Development and implementation of monitoring for the reactor core of unit No. 5 of the Novovoronezh nuclear plant by local parameters

Abstract

In the course of upgrading the unit no. 5 reactor core of the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant, operational limits by local parameters, which limit the admissible linear power density and the relative power of fuel elements, were established. Due to applying modern computer technologies in systems of the in-core monitoring, the calculation of power density for all fuel elements in the real-time mode is implemented. To monitor the power density of fuel elements, the algorithm for determining the limiting linear power density is developed depending on the reactor core height and on the average nuclear fuel burnup. The admissible relative power of fuel elements is determined. In the course of the performed work, the excessive conservative limitations on nonuniformity of the reactor power density are excluded. The monitoring of power density by local parameters instead of indirect K _q (fuel-assembly relative power) and K _v (relative power of the fuel assembly section) made it possible to increase the fuel efficiency and to improve the economic parameters of fuel cycles of the unit no. 5 reactor core of the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant.