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Swiss nuclear power and the case for long-term operation
Designed for 40 years but built to last far longer, Switzerland’s nuclear power plants have all entered long-term operation. Yet age alone says little about safety or performance. Through continuous upgrades, strict regulatory oversight, and extensive aging management, the country’s reactors are being prepared for decades of continued operation, in line with international practice.
T. W. Kerlin, E.M. Katz, J. G. Thakkar, J. E. Strange
Nuclear Technology | Volume 30 | Number 3 | September 1976 | Pages 299-316
Technical Paper | Uranium Resource / Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT76-A31645
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A mathematical model for predicting the dynamic response of the H. B. Robinson pressurized water reactor plant was formulated and compared with results from measurements made during full-power operation of the plant. The model was based on the basic conservation laws for neutrons, mass, and energy; design data from the safety analysis report were used to evaluate the necessary coefficients. The model included representations for point kinetics, core heat transfer, piping, pressurizer, and the steam generator. The experiment involved perturbations in control rod position and main steam valve opening. Periodic binary input signals and step inputs were used. Theoretical and experimental frequency responses were obtained from the model and the test data. The comparison showed that the model was capable of good predictions for reactivity perturbations and fair predictions for steam valve perturbations. A method was also demonstrated for using the test data for at-power determination of the differential control rod worth.