Symposium on Advanced Sensors and Modeling Techniques for Nuclear Reactor Safety

Reload Safety Evaluation, Startup Experiments and In-Core Monitoring of KKNPP Reactors

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in Tamil Nadu, India is an imported VVER-1000 reactor of V-412 design from Russia. Core fuel Management and reload analysis of these reactors is performed in-house at NPCIL HQ. Core operational follow-up of theses reactors are performed and loading pattern for the next cycle is designed. The chosen core load pattern for the cycle is checked for fulfilment of core normal operational characteristics at full power in terms of cycle length, power-peaking factors, fuel burn-up, LHGR, DNBR etc. Also the range of neutronic input parameters and reactivity coefficients to the Safety Analyses are checked to see if the values of parameters remain within the bounds used in Safety analyses from Beginning of Cycle to End of Operation-Cycle. Start up experiments at the Beginning of the Cycle are performed to verify key neutronic parameters like moderator temperature coefficient, differential and integral worth of control groups, emergency protection system worth etc. During reactor Power operation core related safety parameters are monitored by In-core Monitoring System. Presented here are the main parameters estimated to verify the safety of the designed core, the experiments performed to verify these parameters and online monitoring of important Safety related core parameters.