Evaluation of surveillance test interval from risk viewpoint

Author

Chou, H.P. ; Wang, Y.H. ; Wei, Y.S. ; Lin, T.J.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Nucl. Eng., Nat. Tsing Hua Univ., Hsinchu, Taiwan

Volume

45

Issue

3

fYear

1998

fDate

6/1/1998 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1009

Lastpage

1013

Abstract

The paper presents the application of the probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) technique for surveillance test interval (STI) evaluation. Assessment was performed for the reactor protection system (RPS) and based upon the living PRA model of the Taipower´s Maanshan power plant. A fault tree was developed and analyzed to find the most proper subsystem for test interval relaxation. Comparisons were made for generic data and plant specific data sets; approaches of staggered test versus sequential test were also compared. Sensitivity studies were made to evaluate the uncertainty of human error and common cause failure factors. Event tree analyses were made to calculate core melt down frequencies for test induced transients and anticipated transient without scram (ATWS) events and to evaluate the effect of STI relaxation. Results indicated that an extension of three times of the current RPS test interval has no significant risk impact for the Maanshan plant

Keywords

fault trees; fission reactor accidents; fission reactor safety; fission reactor theory; nuclear power stations; surveillance; ATWS; Maanshan nuclear plant; PRA; anticipated transient without scram; common cause failure; core melt down frequencies; event tree; fault tree; human error; probabilistic risk assessment; reactor protection system; sequential test; staggered test; surveillance test interval; test induced transients; Fault trees; Inductors; Power generation; Power system modeling; Power system protection; Risk management; Sequential analysis; Surveillance; Testing; Transient analysis;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Nuclear Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9499

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/23.682698

Filename

682698