Investigation of the Bilibin reactor operation in the regime of automatic power and frequency control in isolated power system

The results of experimental investigations of the power unit operation of the Bilibin nuclear power and heating plant (BNPHP) in the regime of automatic power and frequency control in an isolated power system are presented. The BNPHP comprises four similar power units. Each unit includes a steam generating setup - the channel water-graphite reactor with tubular fuel elements with natural circulation of boiling water at all the power levels as well as a turbosetup with two heat selectors and a turbogenerator. The turbine operates on dry saturated steam (with intermediate separation) which is brought from the drum-separator of the reactor natural circulation circuit. The BNPHP operates according to the controller schedule since the start-up of the first power unit. The BNPHP unit power varifies within the 50-100% range 3-4 times per day (by the number of maxima in the schedule of the power system loadings). Two design flowsheets of the unit power control and dynamic characteristics of the system for both vatiants are considered. It is concluded that both investigated automatic control systems are seviceable and deviations of the reactor parameters within the transients are not dangerous for heat release from the core. The plant is better shielded from external mainly short-term perturbations coming from the power system when the system operates in accordance with the first variant of the flowsheet