Are There Any High-Quality Nuclear Control Simulators Available?

[Fearguy1234]

Are there any good Nuclear control simulators, that can simulate the feel of the controls, and simulate the response from the reactor?

 

[gmax137]

Yes. Every plant has one that the operators train on (per US NRC regulation following Three Mile Island). Each one looks like an exact duplicate of the real control room: the panels and control switches etc. are the same as the real ones so the feel is as close to identical as possible. The plant response is simulated by computer models.

 

[Hiddencamper]

For home use:

The ACME BWR Simulator does a decent job of simulating and explaining the startup of a BWR reactor.

I used it to prepare for getting my BWR senior reactor operator license.

http://bwr.software.informer.com/4.5/

It has a built in training "SRO Certification" program. There are normal program help files, then there are also help files which explain the BWR and operational physics. If you have any questions let me know.

There are a few things that it doesn't do well. It doesn't respond properly when you hit the point of adding heat, which I think is the biggest issue with it. But the controls and interlocks/behaviors of the system is very similar to an actual BWR plant.

As for professional use, I train in a fully scale simulator of the control room every 5-6 weeks. It behaves and responds almost exactly like the plant does.

 

[montoyas7940]

If you are in the US you might get a tour of a simulator used in a nuclear plant training center. If you are in the Southeast I will show you around our sim myself.

@Hiddencamper
BFN here, where are you?

 

[Hiddencamper]

If you are in the US you might get a tour of a simulator used in a nuclear plant training center. If you are in the Southeast I will show you around our sim myself.

@Hiddencamper
BFN here, where are you?

If you are in the US you might get a tour of a simulator used in a nuclear plant training center. If you are in the Southeast I will show you around our sim myself.

@Hiddencamper
BFN here, where are you?

Clinton.

 

[montoyas7940]

I hope things turn to the good for you guys...

 

[anorlunda]

Clinton.

The Clinton plant; Illinois or the Southeast?

I would love to get a tour. I did much of the modeling for the very first such simulator. Dresden 2 simulator, 1967-68.

I bet things are much different now. Would love to see. We could swap,stories, now versus then.

 

[montoyas7940]

I'm at BFN (Alabama) and Hiddencamper is at Clinton (IL.)

Let me know if you are ever nearby and I will show you what I can.