Software for Nuclear Power Plant Operation Simulation/Analysis?

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There is a lack of readily available operation simulation software for nuclear power plants, particularly for fast reactors, as most companies either develop their own or pay for custom solutions. For light water reactors (LWRs), independent codes like SIMULATE from StudsvikScandpower exist, but creating effective simulation software typically requires extensive development time and resources. Thermal hydraulics analysis can utilize tools like VIPRE and RETRAN, while ambitious users may explore CFD codes like STAR-CCM or ANSYS-CFX. Fast reactor operation software is often tailored to specific reactor designs, and manufacturers may provide operational software with their reactors. Overall, the development and maintenance of such software necessitate rigorous quality assurance and significant investment.
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Are there some kind of software for nuclear power plant (PWR and other plant type like LMFBR) operation simulation/analysis software, not safety analysis software like RELAP and TRAC ?
If you know, please tell me !
 
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law&theorem said:
Are there some kind of software for nuclear power plant (PWR and other plant type like LMFBR) operation simulation/analysis software, not safety analysis software like RELAP and TRAC ?
If you know, please tell me !

Nobody knows that ?
 
law&theorem said:
Are there some kind of software for nuclear power plant (PWR and other plant type like LMFBR) operation simulation/analysis software, not safety analysis software like RELAP and TRAC ?
If you know, please tell me !
In what kind of software is one interested? For fast reactors, most are reasearch reactors and they probably use a plant specific simulator.

For LWRs (both PWR and BWR), there are vendor codes, and there are independent codes like SIMULATE from StudsvikScandpower. Ostensibly, if one does the lattice code for a fast spectrum and fast reactor geometry, then one could simulate a fast reactor with a code like simulate.

For thermal hydraulics and safety analysis, there are VIPRE and RETRAN, or one can use COBRA-IIIC or some derivative.

If one is ambitious, one could try a CFD code like STAR-CCM/STAR-CD (CD-Adapco) or ANSYS-CFX.
 
Astronuc said:
In what kind of software is one interested? For fast reactors, most are reasearch reactors and they probably use a plant specific simulator.

For LWRs (both PWR and BWR), there are vendor codes, and there are independent codes like SIMULATE from StudsvikScandpower. Ostensibly, if one does the lattice code for a fast spectrum and fast reactor geometry, then one could simulate a fast reactor with a code like simulate.

For thermal hydraulics and safety analysis, there are VIPRE and RETRAN, or one can use COBRA-IIIC or some derivative.

If one is ambitious, one could try a CFD code like STAR-CCM/STAR-CD (CD-Adapco) or ANSYS-CFX.

Thank you for your reply.
I'm interested in fast reactor power plant's operation software, especially the operation mode simulation software and thermal/ analysis software.
 
Really there isn't software like that laying around on the internet for free. People (or companies) that want / need such software write it themselves or pay someone to write it. I don't really know about fast reactor designs, but for LWRs, plant simulation software typically takes thousands of manhours to put together, and normally is an evolutionary development of previous work that may have taken tens of thousands of hours. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you're looking for.
 
gmax137 said:
Really there isn't software like that laying around on the internet for free. People (or companies) that want / need such software write it themselves or pay someone to write it. I don't really know about fast reactor designs, but for LWRs, plant simulation software typically takes thousands of manhours to put together, and normally is an evolutionary development of previous work that may have taken tens of thousands of hours. Unless I'm misunderstanding what you're looking for.
That's really a key/critical point. Not only do such software take tens of thousands of manhours to develop and maintain, the software as to be developed, maintained and applied under a rigorous QA program. Such software packages can cost $100k's.

Likely, such software for a fast reactor is unique to the particular fast reactor, e.g., EBR-I, EBR-II, FFTF, Phenix, BN-350, BN-600, . . .
 
Wouldn't the manufacturers of the reactors include operations software upon delivery? I'd think they'd have a vested interest to deliver a standardized package rather than letting every customer write their own.

Or am I missing something?
 
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