IMPACT OF POWER PLANT RELIABILITY ON THE CHOICE OF OPERATING PARAMETER VALUES
Abstract
The influence of power plant reliability on the determination of the most advantageous value for an operating parameter, such as nuclear fuel cycle length, is highly significant. Since the reliability of a power plant has a major influence on the economics of its operation, it is important to select operating strategies that improve generating efficiencies. In this thesis, the basic structure for the development of a methodology to evaluate the effect of operating parameters on plant availability and generating system economic dispatch optimization is described. Plant availability is determined by a fault free model. In this model historic, time dependent, component induced forced outage data is utilized as the basis for the calculation of projected plant forced outage rates. The influence of a particular fuel cycle length at a specific generating station on the operational planning of a multi unit generating system is considered. The basis for the dispatch of units in this analysis is optimal economic operation, i.e., the minimization of the cost of reliably supplying electricity to the system's customers. As a result of the utilization of this technique, a simplified example that considers the choice between a 12- and 18-month fuel cycle length is evaluated in terms of its impact on plant availability, fuel cycle economics, and overall optimal generating system economic dispatch. The reliability portion of this methodology is applied to a simplified representation of the recirculation system of a pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant to illustrate the analytic techniques. It is shown by considering projected, time dependent, component induced plant forced outage rates in the fuel cycle length determination process that it is possible to formulate techniques that consider future plant availability in the economic optimization of a generating system. An illustration of the application of this methodology to a portion of the boiler feed water system of a fossil fired power plant is given.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Nuclear physics
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