Computational model FOR THE TRITIUM INVENTORY MANAGEMENT IN A NUCLEAR PLANT

M. Zamfirache^*, A. Bornea, I. Stefanescu, L. Stefan, N. Bidica,

F. Vasut, C. David

National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies - ICIT Rm. Valcea, code 240050 - Rm. Valcea, Uzinei 4, CP7 Riureni, Valcea, Romania, phone:0040 250  736979, fax:0040 250 732746

ABSTRACT

ICIT Rm. Valcea has built an experimental pilot plant having as the main objective the development of a technology for detritiation of heavy water processed in CANDU-type reactors at the nuclear power plant in Cernavoda, Romania.

                The aspects related to safeguards and safety for such a detritiation installation being of great importance, a complex computational model has been developed. The model allows real-time calculation of tritium inventory in a working installation.

                The applied detritiation technology is catalyzed isotopic exchange coupled with cryogenic distillation. The computational model was developed based on the experience performed on the pilot installation. The model uses a set of coefficients specific for isotopic exchange processes. The coefficients were experimentally determined in the pilot installation. The model is included in the monitoring system and uses as entry data the parameters acquired in real-time from automation system of the pilot installation.

                A friendly interface has been created to visualize the final results as data or graphs.

                KEYWORDS: tritium, inventory, detritiation, CANDU