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Download fileRisk modelling of ageing nuclear reactor systems
journal contribution
posted on 2021-10-04, 12:31 authored by Mark James Wootton, John D Andrews, Adam Lloyd, Roger SmithRoger Smith, A John Arul, Gopika Vinod, M Hari Prasad, Vipul GargA nuclear reactor is expected to function for extensive periods, during which, coolant circulation and core
reactivity must always be maintained safely. Understanding the risks associated with the operation of
such systems requires proper consideration of ageing components and the effects of preventative maintenance. The traditional methodologies, such as Fault Trees and Event Trees, have limitations in their abilities to model ageing processes and complex maintenance strategies. Petri Nets have been used in this
research as a more suitable alternative. A case study reactor is presented to demonstrate this capability.
Petri Nets were developed for five key subsystems: primary coolant circulation, shutdown condensation,
emergency core coolant injection, emergency shutdown, and control and monitoring, building a representation which considers their failure modes, reaction of the system to faults, and ongoing component
maintenance actions. These models reveal statistics for the timing of failure of these subsystems and relative frequencies of outcome categories
Funding
Design and Maintenance of Nuclear Safety Systems for Life Extension (DaMSSLE)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
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