Protection systems for and methods of operating nuclear boiling water reactors

• US 20080152066A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Jacobs, Randall Howard
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 376/277
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 17/00 Monitoring; Testing measuring in general G01; Maintaining
• CPC Class Codes: G21D 3/001 Computer implemented control
• CPC Class Codes: G21D 3/04 Safety arrangements emergency protection of reactor G21C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/00 Energy generation of nuclear origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

A protection system for a BWR may include a power-dependent high reactor pressure setpoint. The high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to at least one value of percent power in an operating domain of the reactor may be less than the high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to 100% power. A method of operating the BWR may include implementing the power-dependent high reactor pressure setpoint. The protection system may include a first high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to 100% power and at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to one or more values of percent power in the operating domain. The at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint may be less than the first high reactor pressure setpoint. The method of operating may include implementing the first high reactor pressure setpoint and the at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint.

Claims

1. A protection system for a nuclear boiling water reactor, the protection system comprising:

a power-dependent high reactor pressure setpoint;

wherein the high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to at least one value of percent power in an operating domain of the reactor is less than the high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to 100% power.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power-dependent high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a reactor scram.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power-dependent high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a warning, an alarm, or a warning and an alarm.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to at least one value of percent power in an operating domain of the reactor initiates a reactor scram.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to 100% power initiates a reactor scram.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more signals in the system that correspond to one or more values of percent power are delayed in time before the one or more signals affect the power-dependent high reactor pressure setpoint.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more signals in the system that correspond to one or more values of percent power are lagged relative to one or more signals in the system that correspond to reactor pressure.

8. A protection system for a nuclear boiling water reactor, the protection system comprising:

a first high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to 100% power; and

at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to one or more values of percent power in an operating domain of the reactor;

wherein the at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint is less than the first high reactor pressure setpoint.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a reactor scram.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a warning, an alarm, or a warning and an alarm.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a reactor scram.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a warning, an alarm, or a warning and an alarm.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein one or more signals in the system that correspond to one or more values of percent power are delayed in time before the one or more signals affect the at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein one or more signals in the system that correspond to one or more values of percent power are lagged relative to one or more signals in the system that correspond to reactor pressure.

15. A method of operating a nuclear boiling water reactor, the method comprising:

implementing, in a protection system for the reactor, a power-dependent high reactor pressure setpoint;

wherein the high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to at least one value of percent power in an operating domain of the reactor is less than the high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to 100% power.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the power-dependent high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a reactor scram.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the power-dependent high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a warning, an alarm, or a warning and an alarm.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to at least one value of percent power in an operating domain of the reactor initiates a reactor scram.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to 100% power initiates a reactor scram.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein one or more signals in the protection system that correspond to one or more values of percent power are delayed in time before the one or more signals affect the power-dependent high reactor pressure setpoint.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein one or more signals in the protection system that correspond to one or more values of percent power are lagged relative to one or more signals in the system that correspond to reactor pressure.

22. A method of operating a nuclear boiling water reactor, the method comprising:

implementing, in a protection system for the reactor, a first high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to 100% power; and

implementing, in the protection system for the reactor, at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint that corresponds to one or more values of percent power in an operating domain of the reactor;

wherein the at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint is less than the first high reactor pressure setpoint.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a reactor scram.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the first high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a warning, an alarm, or a warning and an alarm.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a reactor scram.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint initiates a warning, an alarm, or a warning and an alarm.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein one or more signals in the protection system that correspond to one or more values of percent power are delayed in time before the one or more signals affect the at least one second high reactor pressure setpoint.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein one or more signals in the protection system that correspond to one or more values of percent power are lagged relative to one or more signals in the system that correspond to reactor pressure.