"Monitoring and diagnostics of nuclear power plant equipment are obligatory for safeguarding of NPP operation. Means of NPP monitoring and diagnostics include both performance control of common facilities and diagnostics of reactor equipment," said the chief specialist of the Department of Engineering Support of Rosenergoatom Maxim Krylov, while speaking at the seminar.
Maxim Krylov presented a report "Condition monitoring and Diagnostics in Energy Industry" and told the seminar participants about basic means and methods of equipment control for various types of nuclear power plants, as well as about history of their development and prospects of use. Krylov explained that control of nuclear reactor operation was based on a number of special systems which ensures their reliable work due to early detection of equipment defects. Large-scale implementation of such systems started about 30 years ago. As of today, in reactor facilities for PWR and VVER besides systems that provide process control of the nuclear reaction and heat, there is a certain standard equipment of reactor plants diagnostics, which includes such as coolant leak detection system, the monitoring system of vibration and thermal movement of equipment and pipelines, etc.
Maxim Krylov also noted that today we observe the emergence of distributed systems for data collection and processing to pursue opportunities to improve the use of diagnostic systems at NPPs. In particular, in 2011, Rosenergoatom, with the EU support under the TACIS programs, implemented a prototype model of Branch diagnostic system (BDS) that ensured data transmission from 3 power units of the Kalinin NPP to BDS established on the basis of All-Russian Scientific Research Institute for Nuclear Power Plant Operation (VNIIAES). Based on the results of pilot operation of this system, Rosenergoatom decided to extend the industry center functions by connecting specialized organizations.
MCMD-MPMM is an international seminar dedicated to the latest developments in monitoring and diagnostics of power equipment. The seminar is held annually and attracts leading experts, engineers and technicians responsible for operation of power-generating equipment, as well as representatives of equipment suppliers and service providers.