Power Station Simulators

Advances in electronics have made possible the production of a vast variety of tools for the simulation of ever more complex problems related to physics and engineering. Applications to the nuclear field have been consistently enlarged over the years up to the point where simulators have now been developed both for engineering design and for nuclear power plant operator training. The number and the variety of simulators have grown to such an extent that it has become necessary to classify the numerous types now available. Simulators are of paramount importance for the design of nuclear power plants, for optimizing their efficiency and for the training of their operators: factors that contribute to their overall security. This study of power plants was commissioned by the Directorate-General Energy, of the European Communities, and its appearance marks the first comprehensive text of its kind on the entire panoply of nuclear power plant simulators. To complete the picture, the simulation of fossil fuel stations is also included. The volume gives a systematic view of a very complex field and allows the reader to find his way toward a classification.

Many large-scale processes like refineries or power generation plant are constructed using the multi-vendor system and a main co-ordinating engineering contractor. With such a methodology. the key process units are installed complete with local proprietary control systems in place. Re-assessing the so called lower level control loop design or structure is becoming less feasible or desirable. Consequently, future comp~titive gains in large-scale industrial systems will arise from the closer and optimised global integration of the process sub-units. This is one of the inherent commercial themes which motivated the research reported in this monograph. To access the efficiency and feasibility of different large-scale system designs, the traditional tool has been the global steady-state analysis and energy balance. The process industries have many such tools encapsu lated as proprietary design software. However, to obtain a vital and critical insight into global process operation a dynamic model and simulation is necessary. Over the last decade, the whole state of the art in system simulation has irrevocably changed. The Graphical User Interface (G UI) and icon based simulation approach is now standard with hardware platforms becoming more and more powerful. This immediately opens the way to some new and advanced large-scale dynamic simulation developments. For example, click-together blocks from standard or specialised libraries of process units are perfectly feasible now.

An exploration of how advances in computing technology and research can be combined to extend the capabilities and economics of modern power plants. The contributors, from academia as well as practising engineers, illustrate how the various methodologies can be applied to power plant operation.

The book provides highly specialized researchers and practitioners with a major contribution to mathematical models’ developments for energy systems. First, dynamic process simulation models based on mixture flow and two-fluid models are developed for combined-cycle power plants, pulverised coal-fired power plants, concentrated solar power plant and municipal waste incineration. Operation data, obtained from different power stations, are used to investigate the capability of dynamic models to predict the behaviour of real processes and to analyse the influence of modeling assumptions on simulation results. Then, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation programme, so-called DEMEST, is developed. Here, the fluid-solid, particle-particle and particle-wall interactions are modeled by tracking all individual particles. To this purpose, the deterministic Euler-Lagrange/Discrete Element Method (DEM) is applied and further improved. An emphasis is given to the determination of inter-phase values, such as volumetric void fraction, momentum and heat transfers, using a new procedure known as the offset-method and to the particle-grid method allowing the refinement of the grid resolution independently from particle size. Model validation is described in detail. Moreover, thermochemical reaction models for solid fuel combustion are developed based on quasi-single-phase, two-fluid and Euler-Lagrange/MP-PIC models. Measurements obtained from actual power plants are used for validation and comparison of the developed numerical models.

This book explains the modelling and simulation of thermal power plants, and introduces readers to the equations needed to model a wide range of industrial energy processes. Also featuring a wealth of illustrative, real-world examples, it covers all types of power plants, including nuclear, fossil-fuel, solar and biomass. The book is based on the authors’ expertise and experience in the theory of power plant modelling and simulation, developed over many years of service with EDF. In more than forty examples, they demonstrate the component elements involved in a broad range of energy production systems, with detailed test cases for each chemical, thermodynamic and thermo-hydraulic model. Each of the test cases includes the following information: • component description and parameterization data; • modelling hypotheses and simulation results; • fundamental equations and correlations, with their validity domains; • model validation, and in some cases, experimental validation; and • single-phase flow and two-phase flow modelling equations, which cover all water and steam phases. A practical volume that is intended for a broad readership, from students and researchers, to professional engineers, this book offers the ideal handbook for the modelling and simulation of thermal power plants. It is also a valuable aid in understanding the physical and chemical phenomena that govern the operation of power plants and energy processes.

In cases where a "replica" plant-referenced full scope simulator is not available, it may be necessary for operators to receive their training with a computer simulation or to travel to another plant that has a simulator. This publication provides information and guidance on various aspects of the use of control room simulators.

As nuclear power is one of the options that can be used to meet the growing energy demands of countries around the world, educating and enriching people with adequate knowledge on nuclear energy, nuclear reactor technologies, nuclear systems, reactor components and the embedded nuclear safety features are of paramount importance. Experience shows that education and training NPP simulators are effective tools that allow for a broad range of target groups to meet education and training objectives. It is the purpose of this publication to provide guidance based on the lessons learned from IAEA training courses on reactor technologies with the use of various NPP simulators. The main topics are classification of various types of NPP simulators for education and training, suitable selection of simulators according to assessment of education and training needs, and integration of simulators in to educational and training programmes to enhance knowledge based skills.

Accompanying CD-ROM contains additional information.