Water level instrumentation simulation

Through simulation, evaluations of system performance can be made to increase efficiency, reduce costs, enhance safety and provide effective training. A full function simulation for evaluating water level measurement requires modeling the physical process, the process instrumentation response and where appropriate, the human input/response. This paper examines a full function application simulating the primary system water level in a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR). The physical processes associated with BWR vessel level response are modeled with the Modular Accident Analysis Program (MAAP). The MAAP code is used as the basis for providing primary system and containment thermal-hydraulic response to a compendium of expected plant transients. The BWR vessel level instruments is modeled with the FAI developed Instrumentation PACkage (IPAC). With the thermal-hydraulic input from MAAP, the IPAC software models the various phenomena associated with water level measurements including the effects due to: (1) instrument channel calibration, (2) instrument drift and (3) containment (drywell) environmental effects. This paper discusses the IPAC models (instrumentation components) along with the factors which influence the mass balance of water in the downcomer region. A comparison of the BWR vessel water level complete simulation package to data from a simulated BWR plant transient culminates the discussion of this paper. The full function simulation package presented in this paper, enables a software-based representation of the BWR vessel level to be evaluated under various hypothetical plant conditions including normal, accident, and severe accident events. (author)