Summary Report on TWG-LWR

Eero Patrakka

Senior Vice President, Nuclear Engineering

Teollisuuden Voima Oy

Olkiluoto, Finland

The TWG-LWR provides advice and support for activities on advanced technology for LWRs conducted within IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Energy, and it provides an effective forum for cooperation on technology development for current and advanced LWRs for improving economics and safety. Activities of common interest with the TWG-HWR are conducted jointly.

Achievements since 1.2003:

Advice on, and review of, Agency activities:

Provided advice for the Agency’s 2006-7 Programme, and reviewed ongoing activities

Information exchange:

Established a password protected web-site on Highlights of National Programmes on Water-Cooled Reactor Technology Development (jointly with the TWG-HWR)
Published TECDOC-1391 “Status of Advanced LWR Designs: 2004” with an overview of development trends and goals and with descriptions of 35 designs. The descriptions include summaries of measures taken by the designers to enhance economy and maintainability.
Published TECDOC-1390 “Construction and Commissioning Experience of Evolutionary Water-Cooled NPPs” (jointly with the TWG-HWR; led by the Nuclear Power Engineering Section) addressing recent new plants (Qinshan III 1&2; Kashiwazaki-Kariwa 6&7; Lingau 1&2; Yonggwang 5&6; Tarapur 3&4), and including a review of methods for completing site construction on schedule and budget, and measures to reduce the commissioning period.

Cooperative Research:

Completed the CRP on “Establishment of a Thermo-physical Properties Data-Base of Materials” (jointly with TWG-HWR). A TECDOC presenting new measurements and data assessments is being prepared; over 1300 data files are in the IAEA THERPRO Web site
Started the CRP on “Natural Circulation Phenomena, Modelling and Reliability of Passive Systems that Utilize Natural Circulation” (jointly with TWG-HWR)

Education:

Convened Workshop on “NPP Simulators for Education” (jointly with TWG-HWR)
Convened Course on “Natural Circulation in Water-Cooled Reactors” (with TWG-HWR)

Cooperation in non-Agency Meetings:

GENES-4 / ANP2003 International Conference was convened in Kyoto, Japan

Problems:

It is not easy to locate results of the TWG on IAEA’s Worldatom web site. The results will likely be made more visible by publication of the quarterly Newsletter by the Division of Nuclear Power (in hard copy and on the Web).

Recommendations:

Collect and share recent experience on power up-rating (working with NPES)
Establish a CRP on “Heat Transfer Behaviour and Thermo-hydraulics Code Testing for SCWRs” (jointly with TWG-HWR)
Continue to share information on Technical Means for Improving Economics
Prepare a document on “Design, Reliability and Cost Considerations of Passive Safety Systems in Advanced Water-Cooled Reactors” (jointly with TWG-HWR
Continue the activities in Education