Evaluation of Applicability for the Core Protection Method with 4-Channel CEA Positions to OPR-1000 Plants

To increase the applicability of research results established during the process of integral reactor development program, a new core protection method with 4-channel CEA positions was applied to the domestic commercial plants and its feasibility was evaluated. To achieve above object, state-of-the-art related to core protection system was analyzed as followings: - Unusual CPC operating experience in Korea - Evaluate the proposals of CPC improvement suggested by CPC Task Force Team - Review the conventional CPC used in Yonggwang and Ulchin plants - Review the Common-Q CPC to be implemented in Shin-Kori Units 1 and 2 - Evaluate the SENTINEL core protection system in US and COPS core protection system in Germany - Examine the applied patents in Korea, US and Japan - Analyze the copyright for computer programs used in core protection system design and license agreement for PWR technology between Westinghouse and Korea. In addition, study for the formation of system, design requirement, algorithm improvement and enhancement of operator interface was performed to apply the newly suggested core protection method to the commercial plants. By adopting this method, it is expected that unnecessary channel of reactor trips will be decreased considerably. Although change of system including CEA must be set forth as a prerequisite to apply this method to the domestic commercial plants as well as scheduled plants, this study suggests the strategy and direction for the development of core protection system in domestic. This study, moreover, will provide the valuable information as a basic data in establishing the detailed development plan for the advanced core protection system in the future