OPAL : Commissioning a New Research Reactor

OPAL : Commissioning a New Research Reactor

IAEA Conference, Sydney, November 2007IAEA Conference, Sydney, November 2007

Project TimelineProject Timeline

Government announcement 1997

Design and licence application 2000/2001

Construction Licence April 2002

Construction 2002-2006

Cold Commissioning Feb-May 2006

Operating Licence July 2006

First critical 12 Aug 2006

Hot Commissioning Aug 2006 – May 2007

OPAL ReactorOPAL Reactor• Multi-purpose facility – neutron beams,

radiopharmaceuticals, irradiation of materials• 20 MW thermal power• Compact core (~300 kW/L)• Plate type Low Enriched Uranium fuel• D2O reflector• Upward coolant flow (light water)• 2 independent & diverse shutdown systems

Si Irradiation Rigs

Pneumatic Transfer System Tubes

Flap Valves of PCS

PCS Suction Line

Chimney

Reflector VesselRSPCS Rigs Cooling Branch

Pipe Inlet of RSPCS

Bulk irradiation Facility

Commissioning OrganisationCommissioning OrganisationManagement Group

ANSTO/INVAP

Commissioning Group

-INVAP Comm. Mgr.-RRR Prj Eng Mngr-Comm Reactor Mngr

Commissioning TeamsANSTO/INVAP

Quality Assurance Group

QAAudit

ARPANSA

RRR Safety & Licensing Mngr

Operation Group ANSTOGroup

Construction Group

CommissioningSafety Review

Committee

• Experienced HIFAR staff• Shared HIFAR/OPAL staff• Staff seconded from within ANSTO• New recruitment• Contractors• Training courses• Simulator

Staffing and TrainingStaffing and Training

DocumentationDocumentation• Prepared by INVAP, reviewed by ANSTO

Commissioning PlanCommissioning Test ProceduresSafety Analysis ReportDesign, Operations and Maintenance Manuals

• Operating Limits and Conditions

• OPAL Business Management System

Commissioning StagesCommissioning Stages

• Pre- Commissioning• Stage A – Cold commissioning• Stage B1 – First criticality• Stage B2 – Low power tests• Stage C – Power ascension and full power tests

PrecommissioningPrecommissioning

• Previous tests include:• Factory acceptance tests• Installation tests• Functional tests

• INVAP responsible for all commissioning• ANSTO project team provides oversight• ANSTO witness and support precommissioning

activities

Stage A Cold CommisioningStage A Cold Commisioning• 47 test procedures completed:

Safety system tests (FSS, SSS, Containment)Instrumentation and Control system tests (FRPS, SRPS, PAM, RCMS, RMS)Reactor State tests (Power, Physics Test, Shutdown, Refueling)Plant procedure verificationLoss of Normal Power testEmergency drill36 hr cold run

OPAL Control Room

Hot CommissioningHot Commissioning

• ARPANSA issued the Operating Licence in July 2006 allowing fuel to be loaded

• Reactor Operations by accredited ANSTO operators under INVAP supervision

Stage B1Stage B1

• Start up core with three different uranium loadings.

• First critical 12 August 2006 with 14 fuel assemblies loaded

• First Shutdown System shutdown value measured

FirstFirst Core FA DistributionCore FA Distribution

~ 212 g U~ 212 g U235 235 / FA without BP/ FA without BP

~ 383 g U~ 383 g U235 235 / FA with BP/ FA with BP

~ 484 g U~ 484 g U235 235 / FA with BP / FA with BP (standard type)(standard type)

A1 B1 C C1 D1R1

A2 B2 C2 D2

CR 2 CR5 C R3

A3 B3 C3 D3CR

A4 B4 4 C4 D4

Stage B2Stage B2• Completed loading of full core 16 fuel

assemblies• 22 main tests at powers up to 400kW• Irradiation of gold wires for determination

of power peaking factor, reactivity worth of facilities and calibration of nuclear instrumentation

• All feedback coefficients confirmed negative

Stage CStage C

• Reactor power increased in steps to 20 MW

• Nucleonic instrumentation calibration at 3 MW from thermal balance

• Loss of normal electrical supply test from full load

• 20 MW achieved 3 November 2006

Stage-C Power Profile

0

5

10

15

20

14-Oct-06

16-Oct-06

18-Oct-06

20-Oct-06

22-Oct-06

24-Oct-06

26-Oct-06

28-Oct-06

30-Oct-06

1-Nov-06

3-Nov-06

5-Nov-06

7-Nov-06

9-Nov-06

11-Nov-06

Date

Cor

e Po

wer

(MW

th)

Power Profile (MW)

1 MW1 MW

3 MW3 MW5 MW5 MW

10 MW10 MW

15 MW15 MW20 MW20 MW

Commissioning IssuesCommissioning Issues

• Noise in nucleonics instrumentation• Wide range nucleonics detectors change

from pulse to Campbell mode• CNS turbine• Core outlet temperature sensors• Cooling tower performance• Delay in completion of irradiation facilities

Reactor pool

Reflector vessel

Core

Repairs to OPAL reflector vesselRepairs to OPAL reflector vesselHelium gas leak test

gas bubbles

planned duration of each process is ~ 1 month

Coolant Channels between Fuel Plates

Central Control Rod

Hf Control Rods

Fuel Assemblies

Fuel Plates

Reactor Core

Reactor Core