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Performing Advanced Nuclear Power Plant Research with NI Tools

Author(s):

John Hopson, P.E., Oregon State University

Industry:

Energy/Power

Product:

DIAdem, Data Acquisition, LabVIEW, LabVIEW Datalogging and Supervisory Control

The Challenge:

Certifying next-generation nuclear reactors.

The Solution:

Testing the AP1000 next generation nuclear reactor by installing a data acquisition (DAQ) system that uses LabVIEW Datalogging and Supervisory Control (DSC) module.


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Using NI DAQ Hardware and LabVIEW DSC Modules for Next-Generation Nuclear Reactors
Driven by a Nuclear Power 2010 Initiative, next-generation nuclear reactors are in the final stages of certification. One such design, called AP1000, is under testing at the Oregon State University Advanced Thermal Hydraulic Research Laboratory (ATHRL). To support research efforts, we recently installed a data acquisition system based on National Instruments DAQ hardware and the LabVIEW DSC Module.

In 1991, we began research on next-generation nuclear reactors by developing a scaled model of a 600 MWe nuclear power plant. We developed this scaled model to test passive safety systems during normal to abnormal operating conditions, as well as under accident scenarios. In 1994, we completed testing, and the design was licensed in early 2000. Because of the need for more base-load generation, the Department of Energy and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission have provided funding to upgrade the facility and begin testing a new Westinghouse Electric Company design -- AP1000. This new nuclear power plant will produce 1,000 MWe of electrical power.

For AP1000, our ATHRL facility has a larger core, which uses electrical heater rods to simulate nuclear fuel and a new data acquisition system. We selected National Instruments products because they offered the best integrated solution. The Industrial Company (Tualatin, OR), the original contractor for the facility, installed the new system early 2003. .

The control system includes a number of Fischer Porter process controllers, an Omron PLC and a Wonderware InTouch application for logging sequence-of-events (SOE) data. We decided to tap and pull only analog instruments to the NI hardware, while digital field devices remained with the controllers. This avoided the need to re-validate the existing system per quality assurance requirements for nuclear facility applications.

Using a client query tool, users can easily access data from both the data acquisition products and control system. Using Microsoft SQL Server 2000, a linked server provides connection to the Citadel database, which provides key information and benchmark data and a new database maintains SOE data.

Advantages of a Client-Based Approach:
This client-based approach has the following advantages:

· Flexible data mining – users now can create complex queries to effectively mine the data, such as trending process variables based on pump on/off states. Of course, users also can query digital events based on a process transient.

· Multiple retrieval formats – AP1000 data retrieval demand is diverse. Faculty, students, test sponsors, and analysts need data, and all have different delivery requirements. With the client query tool, each user can choose the preferred format. Users can load text files into NI DIAdem for powerful trending/reporting. Users can send data directly to Microsoft Excel and leverage existing macros, or export data as platform independent binary files, so the NRC can leverage nuclear computer codes within the UNIX environment.

· Scalable and secured – by using Windows Authentication, only those users included in the appropriate Domain group can access data. This ensures integrity and qualifies the tests for certification. Security also is easier to manage as students enroll and graduate from the program.

Reducing Validation Time with NI Data Acquisition System
With the new NI data acquisition system, we can scan, record, and validate our test data in a fraction of the time required with the previous system, while meeting the stringent nuclear safety testing standards. The increased storage rates help engineers view quick transients, such as pressure changes, and create data files more than 33 million data points for a standard 15-hour test. DIAdem handles our large datasets so efficiently that we no longer need to cut and past files into Microsoft Excel.

Scaled modeling has become an industry standard and a vital part of licensing next-generation nuclear reactors. Users can observe events and extraordinary phenomena that have only been possible with complex computer codes in a completely safe and controlled manor. Using a client-based approach to integrate current technology with legacy systems, we lost no time generating data. The Citadel database is essentially a type of flight recorder for the test reactor, providing key information and benchmark data to ultimately license AP1000.

Configuring a Citadel Linked Server
Implementing a Citadel linked server is a simple approach for system integrators and developers to share historical process data. It also provides seamless integration with other process and business information systems that support ANSI-92 structured query language (SQL). Users only need a network connection and ability to query the database.

Assuming users have Microsoft SQL Server 2000 SP3 and National Instruments logos 4.4 installed, they can follow these steps to configure a Citadel linked server:

1. From the Start Menu, open Administrative Tools and double-click the Data Sources (ODBC) icon.
2. Select the System DSN tab. “Citadel 4” should be listed as a System Data Source.
3. Click Configure to open the National Instruments Citadel ODBC Setup dialog.
4. Enter the database path to the Citadel data directory.
5. Click OK to save and close the dialog.
6. From the Start Menu, launch Microsoft SQL Server Enterprise Manager.
7. Connect to the desired SQL Server instance.
8. Open the Security folder.
9. Right-click Linked Servers and select New Linked Server.
10. Enter the name CITADEL.
11. Click Other data source, and from the drop-down list, select Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers.
12. Enter the Product Name and Data Source name to match the Citadel ODBC Setup from Step 4.
13. Click OK to save and close the dialog.
14. If you expand the CITADEL Linked Server folder and click Tables, you should see the Trace and Points tables.
15. Close Enterprise Manager. You are done!
16. To test the linked server, launch Microsoft Query Analyzer. Run a SQL script similar to the following for a tag and time period you know data exists.

SELECT * FROM openquery(CITADEL,
'SELECT Localtime, "\\apex02\ap1000\LDP-127"
FROM Traces where Localtime > "05/01/2003 17:00:00"
AND Localtime < "05/01/2003 18:00:00"
AND Interval = "00:00:01"')
The results are:
"Localtime" "\\apex02\ap1000\LDP-127"
------------------------ ----------------------------------
2003-05-01 17:00:01 38.478760855926841
2003-05-01 17:00:02 38.520210874330355
2003-05-01 17:00:03 39.418146501814782
2003-05-01 17:00:04 39.741096501814781
2003-05-01 17:00:05 40.043466393138246
.
.
.
(1682 row(s) affected)

Working as a team, Oregon State University research and National Instruments technology created a capable and validated data acquisition, storage, and retrieval system. Results from our work helped Westinghouse recently issue a draft safety evaluation report (DSER) in record time. Final Design Certification is planned for 2005.

For more information, contact:
John Hopson
ATHRL research at Oregon State University
Tel: (541) 737-3064
E-Mail jahopson@ne.orst.edu.