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OPAL : Commissioning a New Research Reactor
OPAL : Commissioning a New Research Reactor
IAEA Conference, Sydney, November 2007IAEA Conference, Sydney, November 2007
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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
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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
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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
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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
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• Experienced HIFAR staff• Shared HIFAR/OPAL staff• Staff seconded from within ANSTO• New recruitment• Contractors• Training courses• Simulator
Staffing and TrainingStaffing and Training
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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
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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
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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
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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
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OPAL Control Room
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Reactor pool
Reflector vessel
Core
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Repairs to OPAL reflector vesselRepairs to OPAL reflector vesselHelium gas leak test
gas bubbles
planned duration of each process is ~ 1 month
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Coolant Channels between Fuel Plates
Central Control Rod
Hf Control Rods
Fuel Assemblies
Fuel Plates
Reactor Core
Reactor Core
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