Hierarchical Control of Reactor Inlet Temperature in Pool-Type Plants -II: Implementation and Results

• Published in: Nuclear science and engineering Vol. 125; no. 3; pp. 337 - 347
• Main Authors: Garcia, Humberto E., Vilim, Richard B., Dean, Eric M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: La Grange Park, IL Taylor & Francis 01.03.1997; American Nuclear Society
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Sodium; Physical model; Hierarchical control; Fast breeder; Control systems; Nuclear power plants; Liquid metals; Temperature control
• ISSN: 0029-5639; 1943-748X
• DOI: 10.13182/NSE97-A24279

The implementation of a computer-based controller for regulating reactor inlet temperature (RIT) in a pool-type power plant is described. The mathematical description of the controller is given in a companion paper. The elements of the control system are organized in a master-follower hierarchical architecture that takes advantage of existing in-plant hardware and software to minimize the need for plant modifications. Low-level control algorithms are executed on existing local digital controllers (followers) with the high-level algorithms executed on a new plant supervisory computer (master). A distributed computing strategy provides integration of the existing and additional computer platforms. The control system operates by having the master controller first estimate the secondary sodium flow needed to achieve a given RIT. The estimated flow is then used as a setpoint by the follower controller to regulate sodium flow using a motor-generator pump set. The control system has been implemented in a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) setup and qualified for operation in the Experimental Breeder Reactor II at Argonne National Laboratory. The HIL results are provided.