The BEACON™ Core Monitoring System is an advanced core monitoring and support package that uses current instrumentation in conjunction with a three-dimensional (3-D), nodal analytical methodology for online measurement and analysis of 3-D power distributions. The system performs core monitoring, measurement data reduction, analysis, and follow and prediction.

The BEACON™ Core Monitoring System is an advanced core monitoring and support package that uses current instrumentation in conjunction with a three-dimensional (3-D), nodal analytical methodology for online measurement and analysis of 3-D power distributions. The system performs core monitoring, measurement data reduction, analysis, core follow and prediction.

Network Management Service (NMS), combined with the Westinghouse Technology Upgrade and Maintenance Service and the customer’s HP maintenance agreement, provides dependable computing capabilities — a necessity for engineers performing reload designs or continually monitoring core performance.

Background With more than 30 years of extensive nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) non-loss-of coolant accident (LOCA) safety analysis experience, Westinghouse is at the forefront of developing and maintaining state-oftheart methods. Westinghouse now offers a non-LOCA safety analysis methodology and technical transfer package that incorporates the RETRAN-02 computer code with Westinghouse software (FACTRAN, TWINKLE, OPTOAX), along with a set of analysis methods approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

In today’s competitive environment, utility employees must maintain high safety standards while achieving economic efficiency. It is imperative that utilities reduce plant operating and maintenance costs, minimize fuel costs and achieve the greatest return on advanced technology investments, while maintaining safety. To achieve this difficult balance, utility engineers must have a thorough understanding of nuclear fuel design methods and plant operating requirements. Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel Training Services can help utility personnel meet these needs by offering catalog courses and developing special customized courses.

The Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program (RELAP) is a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission-developed tool for analyzing loss of coolant accidents (LOCAs) and system transients in pressurized water reactors (PWRs) or boiling water reactors (BWRs). It is a suite of codes for analyzing thermal hydraulic events using state-of-the-art two-phase flow models, which has broad capabilities in both nuclear and non-nuclear systems. RELAP5 is widely used worldwide in transient analyses for light water reactors (LWRs).

Westinghouse has developed state-of-the art nuclear fuel codes and methods, and through superior training and documentation, is capable of effectively delivering them to Westinghouse licensees worldwide. Westinghouse fuel technology consists of its design codes, procedural manuals to guide the designer in applying the methodology, and training, an essential element of successful and effective technology licensing. Throughout the year, the Westinghouse Technology Upgrade and Maintenance Service provides plant operators and fuel vendors with the latest versions of codes and improvements in methodology.

Westinghouse core design and safety analysis capabilities for VVER reactors lead to customer success in multiple areas. Examples include fuel and core designs, supporting power uprate projects, plant optimization projects, design reconstitution, modernization projects, safety upgrades, cycle-specific analyses, fuel licensing calculations and operational support.

The Robust Westinghouse Fuel Assembly (RWFA) design has rapidly become the Westinghouse standard fuel product for the VVER-1000 units in Ukraine. The RWFA design is an evolution of Westinghouse's previous VVER-1000 fuel design, WFA, which was first introduced as Lead Test Assemblies in South Ukraine Unit 3 in 2005.