News
Upgrade of NEMES Diagnostic and Monitoring System at Temelín NPP
An article addressing the importance of NEMES monitoring system and its upgrading appeared in the corporate newspaper issued by ČEZ, a.s - Temelín NPP (No.23/2019). Key HW and SW components for the system have been supplied by TES s.r.o. as mentioned by Mr. Trubka, the head of profession support of electrical group at Temelín NPP. The system ensures processing of thousands of different signals and monitoring of all important electrical equipment at the power plant. Data provided by the system are considered to be very important for LTO program at Temelín NPP. The „ nonstandard monitoring system“ has been under major up-grading since the beginning of this year. It should be finished by 2025. The system provides continuous monitoring of voltage and electrical currents parameters of the key electrical equipment. „ Nonstandard monitoring system “(shortly NEMES) watches, for instance, generator, transformer, main circulating pumps or diesel- generators. Provided data are available especially for managers and operating personnel of electrical equipment. The system is not directly involved in the control of the power unit; however its importance increases at the moment when any failure occurs. „It is thanks to the system that the cause of the problem can be detected very quickly". Such information can reduce tens of hours, in particular, during period of very tight shutdown timetable. The testing of diesel-generators performed a few weeks ago can be mentioned as an example. The system enabled that within half an hour we could identify the cause of unplanned shutdown of the important power source“, explained Mr. Trubka, the head of profession support of electrical group in ČEZ, a.s., Temelín NPP. In 2019 its 6 year modernisation project was launched. It lies in complete replacement of hardware. The modernization includes replacement of diagnostic units, ensuring processing up to 30 thousand signals, some of which has already been in operation for almost 20 years. The technicians try to schedule works to fit the shutdown plan of the power plant: „The works could also be performed when the equipment is in service, however we could lose the data important to LTO of the power plant. Based on the information on history and current condition of the equipment we can set down conditions of future operation”, Mr. Trubka underlined the significance of the diagnostic system (author of this article is Marek Sviták).
Partial Discharge Monitoring of the Generator in Operation at NPP Temelín
Since 2000 both generators at NPP Temelín have been monitored by on-line diagnostic system MOSAD®–6 (integrated into plant information system under NEMES name). Benefits of the MOSAD®–6 system to the service and maintenance of the electrical equipment are explained by Oto Mareček, executive director of TES company in the interview for All For Power magazine. Monitoring system MOSAD®–6 is developed and supplied by TES. MOSAD®–6 is designed to continuous monitoring of all important electrical equipment for power output and house load of both NPP Temelín units. Among others, the partial discharge in stator winding of the generator is a key parameter for early detection of emerging failure. It is of a great importance for the NPP operator, that the monitoring of the generator is performed without interrupting its operation. Partial discharge monitoring is facilitated with TurboGuardII TC device. Data communication ensures the transfer of recorded data to MOSAD®–6 system where the data are evaluated, archived and synchronised with other measured analogue and binary signals. MOSAD®–6 is equipped with web interface for visualization allowing customer friendly access to measured data and quick assessment of the current status including time trends. Such diagnostics has been regularly provided by TES since 2015. The operator obtains valuable information on the equipment condition and ground for maintenance planning.
Critical Heat Flux Calculation by ALTHAM C12 Code
The second stage of the project no. CZ.01.1.02/0.0/0.0/17_102/0011478 "Application of Codes and Correlations for the Calculation of Critical Heat Flux in Nuclear Reactors" was started on January 1st, 2019. The project is co-financed by "Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovations for Competitiveness (OPPIK)". In the framework of the project TES experts in cooperation with the Brno University of Technology have developed and evaluated methodology procedures for safety analyses related to the critical heat flux in nuclear reactors of PWR type with square geometry of nuclear fuel. The computation will be performed with ALTHAM C12 program developed by ALVEI. Experimental data for the validation of the computational code and related methodology was obtained from international NEA and EPRI databases.
“Good Practice” Award for TES project “Knowledge Transfer in the Field of Neutronic Calculations for Safety Analyses of NPP”
The project "Knowledge Transfer in the Field of Neutronic Calculations for Safety Analyses of NPP" was carried out between years 2016 and 2018 in frame of EU "Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovations for Competitiveness". The project was rewarded by Ministry of Industry and Trade as the one with the highest potential and quality that could be used as a “good practice” example to prepare new programs and challenges in future. In the course of work on this project calculation models, programs and methodologies have been developed and validated that are needed for neutronic calculations of the VVER and PWR reactor unit types in TRACE-PARCS and SCALE-Triton calculation programs.
TES Report NUREG/IA-0502 Published by U.S. NRC
Since 1998 TES has been working closely with U.S. NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) within the CAMP (Code Assessment and Maintenance Program). Within this program TES experts participated on independent validation of computational codes applied for assessment of nuclear safety of nuclear power plants. Recently a report NUREG/IA-0502 “Post-Test Analysis of Cold Leg Small Break 4.1% at PSB-VVER Facility using TRACE V5.0“ elaborated by TES experts was published. It has been already the fourth report published in the report series NUREG/IA. The document is freely available on NRC website: https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/agreement/ia0502/.
TES at Nuclear Power Industry Exhibition in Korea
TES representative Mr. Jan Frélich participated in the 2018 Korea Nuclear Industry Exhibition that was held from 29th to 30th August in Gyeongju Haiko, South Korea. The exhibition aimed to extend export opportunities of Korea nuclear industry. The importance of the event for Korea nuclear industry potential growth was highlighted by strong support from Gyeongbuk Province, Gyeongju City, and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., as well as from the Korea Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy. About 1,300 people visited the exhibition, including 74 nuclear power plants, research institutes and overseas nuclear plant buyers. The event featured discussions by experts related to the nuclear industry, workshops of students and also one-to-one meetings with representatives of KHNP and other potential investors. As part of the TES programme, Mr.Frélich visited the KINGS university (KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School) in Ulsan city where he met top university representatives and discussed areas of cooperation, especially in the field of industrial research and development.
Innovation of calculation models for safety analyses of nuclear power plants
In October 2017 TES specialists from the Computational analyses and Safety Department successfully completed the project of the Innovation of Calculation Models for Safety Analyses of Nuclear Power Plants. The project was aimed to develop a comprehensive CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) model of the nuclear reactor and to perform CFD calculations of the coolant mixing in VVER-1000 reactor. Results gained in cooperation with the University of West Bohemia in Plzeň (Czech Republic) will be applied in TES for further innovation and validation of calculation models developed in RELAP5 and TRACE codes for safety analyses of VVER-1000 reactor units, especially in modes where data for validation from real nuclear reactors or experimental facilities are not available. The project is co-financed by the European Union under the Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovations for Competitiveness.
TES presentation in the Electrical Engineering Council of Rosenergoatom
TES took part in the sitting of the Electrical Engineering Council of ROSENERGOATOM Concern, which was dedicated to the „Enhancement of electrical equipment reliability“held from 9 to 13 October, 2017 in Moscow organized under aegis of the Russian Rosenergoatom Concern. The programme addressed mostly issues of diagnostics and measuring and included topics related to the electrical equipment installed in areas of electrical engineering and electric technology of nuclear power plants. The TES company in its contribution focused on the presentation of new web interface of the monitoring system MOSAD®-5 implemented in the nuclear power plant Dukovany and Temelín and also paid attention to the condition diagnostics of asynchronous motors detected by means of measurement and analyses of electrical parameters.
The development of new software for the analysis of high power induction motors
TES in cooperation with the Department of Theoretical and Experimental Electrical Engineering (DTEE) and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication (FEEC) of the University of Technology in Brno (BUT) has been working on the development of a specific software for analysis of signals measured on power supply of high power induction motors while applying the MCSA method (Motor Current Signature Analysis). The software is considered to be a key element of the diagnostic method allowing periodic monitoring with the aim to analyse the technical condition of the motor within predictive maintenance and service life management. The software together with measuring equipment will be used regularly to provide the analysis of high power induction motors at nuclear and fossil-fuel power plants or other industrial enterprises. The project is co-financed by the European Union under the Operational Programme Enterprise and Innovations for Competitiveness.
ANSYS Fluent VVER-440 Application Training
TES company in partnership with Brookhaven National Laboratory developed and implemented expert training on use of ANSYS-FLUENT software program and its application on VVER-440 reactor unit. The training was organized under the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's International Technical Assistance Program with the goal of enhancing ANRA's (Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority) and TSO's (NRSC- Nuclear and Radiation Safety Centre) technical capabilities and expertize. The 4-week training program included special lectures delivered by experts from TES s.r.o, Czech Technical University in Prague (CVUT Praha), Brno University of Technology (VUT Brno) and TechSoft Engineering spol s.ro. Armenian experts were trained in the training facilities of TES in Třebíč and Czech Technical University in Prague. After a demanding work programme all participants could relax by sightseeing of Třebíč, Brno and Prague UNESCO heritage.
