Nuclear Burning Wave Concept and Theoretical Approaches for its Description

Authors

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Additional informationNotes on contributorsCharles W. BagnalCharles W. Bagnal Jr. (BS, nuclear engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 1980) is a consulting engineer at GRP Consulting, Inc., currently engaged in reactor physics methods development and nuclear engineering support services. He has been involved in nuclear reactor design analysis and software development for six years. His experience includes advanced light water reactor (LWR) and heavy water reactor designs, including extended burnup fuel cycles using gadolinia burnable poison.Gerard P. CavanaughGerard P. Cavanaugh (BS, physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1969; MS, 1970, and PhD, 1976, nuclear engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) worked from 1973 to 1975 in the Neutronics Physics Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He is currently supervisor of radiation physics and criticality analysis at Combustion Engineering, Inc. (C-E). His primary technical interests are in the areas of radiation transport, stochastic sampling methodologies, and computer applications ranging from mainframes to personal computers.Robert P. HarrisRobert P. Harris (BS, 1974, and MS, 1975, nuclear engineering, and MS, 1984, metallurgy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) has worked in the core design, safety analysis, and licensing of C-E pressurized water reactors since 1973. He is currently involved in the neutronic design of advanced burnable poisons and fuel assemblies. He consults in the areas of core fuel management, safety analysis, and startup physics testing.Regis A. MatzieRegis A. Matzie (BS, physics, U.S. Naval Academy, 1965; MS, 1971, and PhD, 1976, nuclear engineering, Stanford University) is currently the manager of analog plants in the nuclear engineering department at C-E. His current technical interests include advanced LWR designs, methods of improving fuel utilization and fuel cycle costs in current design LWRs, and alternate fuel cycles for advanced converter reactors.Laszlo B. TarkoLaszlo B. Tarko (BS, physics, University of Connecticut, 1980) is currently the lead engineer in the radiation physics group at C-E. His current technical interests include radiation transport, ex-core radiation physics, dose rates, energy deposition, and associated computer techniques.Howard OckenHoward Ocken (D. Eng., metallurgy, Yale University, 1966) is a project manager in the Nuclear Power Division of the Electric Power Research Institute. He has managed projects that addressed materials performance in nuclear core components. His current interests include materials aspects associated with reducing radiation fields, especially replacing cobalt sources and decontamination and preconditioning technology.Per Hedemann JensenPer Hedemann Jensen (BSc, electronic engineering, Technical University, Aarhus, Denmark, 1970) is a senior health physicist at Ris0 National Laboratory, where he is head of the Section for Applied Health Physics. He has been involved in studies of radiological consequences from hypothetical core-melt accidents at nuclear power plants. His current technical interest is experimental work on internal dosimetry problems.Ian J. HastingsIan J. Hastings (PhD, metallurgical science, University of Queensland, 1968) is head of the Fuel Properties and Behaviour Group in the Fuel Materials Branch at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories (CRNL) of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited. His current interests are in oxide fuel behavior under irradiation, particularly release of short-lived fission products under normal and accident conditions, and in fusion ceramics.Elio MizzanElio Mizzan (BA Sc, chemical engineering, University of Toronto, 1949) is a supervisor at the Fuel Materials Branch Hot Cell Facility at CRNL. His interests have been in the areas of postirradiation examination of reactor fuels and materials, particularly postdefect handling of spent U02 fuel.Alan M. RossAlan M. Ross (BSc, general, University of London, 1953) is a supervisor at the Recycle Fuel Fabrication Laboratories of the Fuel Materials Branch of CRNL. His interests include the fabrication, nondestructive assay, properties, irradiation behavior, and neutron radiography of current and advanced thermal reactor fuels.John R. KelmJohn R. Kelm is a research technician in the Fuel Materials Branch at CRNL. His research responsibility is the operation of a special project hot cell. His current interest is U02 oxidation and stress corrosion cracking.Real J. ChenierReal J. Chenier is a research technician in the Fuel Materials Branch at CRNL. His current research responsibility is operation of the postirradiation metallographic facilities.D. H. RoseD. H. Rose is a research technologist in the Fuel Properties and Behaviour Group of the Fuel Materials Branch at CRNL. His current responsibility is fabrication and operation of instrumented in-reactor experiments.J. NovakJ. Novak (BASc, engineering science, University of Toronto, 1974) is employed in Central Nuclear Services, Nuclear Generation Division of Ontario Hydro. Since 1976 he has been engaged in the areas of nuclear fuel production and development. His current technical interests include behavior of irradiated fuel in air, U02 powder characteristics, and fuel performance improvement.Claudio RonchiClaudio Ronchi (Dr. rer. nat. phys., State University, Milan, Italy, 1965) is a research officer at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the Commission of European Communities. After having worked in the research and development of advanced fuels for fast breeders, he is now engaged in reactor safety studies.Jacques van de LaarJacques van de Laar (Ingenieur Fysische Techniek, H.T.S., Heerlen, The Netherlands, 1974) works in thec mathematical modeling department of JRC-Karlsruhe. He is currently involved in the development and execution of computer programs for reactor fuel performance and safety analysis.Hubert BlankHubert Blank (PhD, metal physics, Technical University of Stuttgart, 1957), head of the Physics Division of the European Institute for Transuranium Elements, Karlsruhe, has directed the “Swelling of Advanced Fuels” project at this institute since 1973.Tetsuo FukasawaTetsuo Fukasawa (BS, 1976; MS, 1978; and Dr. Eng., 1981, nuclear engineering, Tohoku University) is a researcher in the Energy Research Laboratory (ERL), Hitachi, Ltd. He has specialized in the radiochemistry of actinide elements and is currently working in the field of low-level radioactive waste treatment and spent fuel reprocessing.Koichi ChinoKoichi Chino (BS, 1972, and MS, 1974, mechanical engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology) is a researcher at ERL. His primary areas of interest are transport phenomena and radioactive waste management.Osamu KuriyamaOsamu Kuriyama (BS, 1973, and MS, 1975, Tohoku University) is a researcher at ERL. His current interests include the radioactive waste management and chemistry of nuclear waste.Fumio KawamuraFumio Kawamura (BS, chemical engineering, Gunma University,1970; MS, 1972, and Dr. Eng., 1976, Tohoku University) is a researcher at ERL where he is involved in radioactive waste management and reactor water chemistry.Hideo YusaHideo Yusa (BS, physics, Tohoku University, 1959; Dr. Eng., Osaka University, 1969) is a chief researcher at ERL. He is responsible for the research and development of radioactive waste management systems.Bernard L. CohenBernard L. Cohen (BS, Case Institute of Technology, 1944; MS, University of Pittsburgh, 1948; DSc, Carnegie Institute of Technology, 1950) did basic research on nuclear structure using accelerators at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 1950 to 1958 and at the University of Pittsburgh until the mid-1970s. He then turned his research efforts to the environmental impacts of energy generation, including studies of radioactive waste, health effects of radiation, risk and risk aversion, radon problems, and reactor safety. He is a professor of physics at the University of Pittsburgh and a former director (1965 to 1978) of its Scaife Nuclear Laboratories.K. TasakaK. Tasaka (PhD, nuclear engineering, University of Tokyo, 1976) first worked in breeder reactor safety and fission product characteristics research for ten years and in light water reactor (LWR) safety research for nine years at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI). He is the project leader of the Rig of Safety Assessment (ROSA) program, and his current interests include analysis of thermal-hydraulic behavior during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) and an anticipated transient without scram in LWRs.M. SuzukiM. Suzuki (MS, mechanical engineering, Kyoto University, 1971) has worked for the ROSA program since 1974. His current interests include safety evaluation of an LWR.Y. AnodaY. Anoda (PhD, mechanical engineering, University of Tokyo, 1979) is a research engineer for the ROSA program. His current interests include two-phase flow during a LOCA.Y. KoizumiY. Koizumi (PhD, mechanical engineering, University of Tokyo, 1977) is a research engineer for the ROSA program. His current interests include analysis of thermal-hydraulic behavior during a LOCA with emphasis on two-phase flow characteristics and heat transfer.T. YonomotoT. Yonomoto (MS, nuclear engineering, University of Osaka, 1982) is a research engineer for the ROSA program. His current interests include analysis of thermal-hydraulic behavior during a LOCA.H. KumamaruH. Kumamaru (PhD, nuclear engineering, University of Tokyo, 1980) is a research engineer for the ROSA program. His current interests include core heat transfer under LOCA conditions.H. NakamuraH. Nakamura (MS, crystalline material engineering, Nagoya University, 1981) is a research engineer for the ROSA program. His current interests include analysis of thermal-hydraulic behavior during a LOCA.M. ShibaM. Shiba (MS, mechanical engineering, Waseda University, 1959) is the general manager of Reactor Safety Laboratory 1 at JAERI. He has worked for 22 years at JAERI in the field of reactor engineering and safety and is currently responsible for simulated LOCA experiments.Genichi MatsumotoGenichi Matsumoto (BS, physics, Tokyo University, 1946) has been an associate professor of nuclear engineering at Nagoya University from 1963 to the present, where he is responsible for research and education in nuclear reactor engineering. He worked as a member of the Scientific Research Institute of Tokyo following his graduation from Tokyo University, and from 1950 to 1963, he served on the technical staff of the Research Reactor Operation Division of the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. His current research field includes nuclear safety, neutron radiography (especially neutron television technology), and heat pipe technology.Soichi DoiSoichi Doi (BS, 1976, and MS, 1978, nuclear engineering, Nagoya University) has been employed by the Mitsubishi Atomic Power Industry Co. since 1978, where he is responsible for the nuclear fuel engineering of light water reactors.Kohei OhkuboKohei Ohkubo (BS, mechanical engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, 1975) is a staff member of Nagoya University.Yasushi IkedaYasushi Ikeda (BS, physics, 1963, and PhD, nuclear engineering, 1982, Nagoya University) has been an assistant staff member of Nagoya University from 1964 to the present. He has investigated thermodynamics of nuclear materials using mass spectrometric technology; neutron radiography technology is also included in his research interests.Günther HesselGünther Hessel [BS, physics, Technical University Dresden, German Democratic Republic (GDR), 1970] is a research scientist at the Central Institute of Nuclear Research (CIN), Rossendorf. He is involved in experimental investigations and developments for technical diagnosis, especially at nuclear power plants.Hans-Erich KöppenHans-Erich Köppen (BS, computer science, Technical University Dresden, 1973) is a research scientist at the CIN. His area of expertise is microprocessor hard- and software and the construction of autonomously working monitors.Peter LiewersPeter Liewers (BS, physics, University of Halle, GDR, 1957; PhD, physics, University of Leipzig, GDR, 1962) is the scientific leader of the group for reactor diagnostics at the CIN. His interests and activities have shifted from reactor physics to technical diagnostics.Peter SchumannPeter Schumann (BS, nuclear engineering, Technical University Dresden, 1963; PhD, physics, Bergakademie Freiberg, GDR, 1970) is a staff scientist at the CIN where he is concerned with digital signal processing and computer software. Formerly he worked in the field of in-core measuring techniques and neutron spectrometryFrank-Peter WeiβFrank-Peter Weiβ (BS, physics, Technical University Dresden, 1973) is a research scientist in the group for technical diagnostics at the CIN. His current interest is the application of statistical pattern recognition to technical diagnostics.

Authors

A brief description of the development and establishment of ultrasonic control from the point of view of normative and methodological documents in nuclear power engineering is given: its application since the middle of the 60s of the last century is known. Ultrasonic inspection as part of non-destructive testing is mandatory at all stages of the life cycle of nuclear power plants (NPPs): fabrication, installation, operation, repair, reconstruction and modernization. The requirements for it are set forth in the Rules and Regulations for Nuclear Power Engineering, GOSTs, and design documentation. Within the framework of the Russian system of conformity assessment in the field of atomic energy use (conformity assessment in the form of control), basic materials (forgings, stampings, sheets, pipes, castings) and welded joints of NPP equipment and pipelines are subjected to ultrasonic control. An analysis of paragraphs of regulatory and methodological documents causing ambiguous or disputable interpretation is presented. Special attention is given to the preparation procedures, in particular the fabrication of setting samples, setting up the instruments, performing the inspection, and evaluating the metal quality based on the results of the inspection. Appropriate comments and recommendations are provided to fully comply with the requirements of the documents, taking into account the features noted.

We describe the methods and present the results of an examination of removable elements of fittings of two power units of the Rovno Nuclear Power Plant after 10 and 13 years of operation. It was discovered that, after the indicated periods of operation, the technical state of these elements was satisfactory and the material of the rods had no serious defects or other types of damage that could restrict the possibility of their subsequent operation. According to the regulations accepted in nuclear power engineering, the operating modes of fittings realized at nuclear power plants are light-duty as far as the number of loading cycles is concerned. Therefore, the degree of local fatigue damage to the metal of the rods does not reach its critical value. The outlined procedure of examination of removable elements of fittings is comprehensive. It is completed by low-cycle fatigue testing of the damaged metal and enables one to perform an adequate analysis of the possibility of subsequent trouble-free operation of the corresponding equipment.

Data on the modern state and development trends for coal and nuclear power engineering in Russia up to 2030 are generalized. It is emphasized that from the viewpoint of strategy, coal and uranium fuel will be the main energy carriers. The forecast of energy consumption is made; the “roadmap” of new power-generating units of heat and nuclear power plants on the territory of Russia is presented.

The access to reliable sources of energy is the key to sustainable development of mankind. The major part of the energy consumed by people is generated with a chemical reaction of fossil fuel burning. This leads to quick depletion of natural resources and progressing environmental pollution. The contribution of the renewable energy sources to the general energy production remains insignificant. A modern 1,000 MW coal-fired thermal power plant (TPP) burns 2.5 million tons of coal per year and produces significant amount of solid and gaseous waste. TPPs are the largest consumers of atmospheric oxygen and sources of carbon dioxide. A nuclear power plant (NPP) of the same power consumes less than 50 tons of fuel per year. Environmentally significant NPP’s waste (liquid, solid and gaseous) is carefully collected, reduced in volume (evaporation, filtering, compaction, incineration, etc.) and securely isolated from the environment at the plant. The annual volume of waste for storage is less than 100 m3. The waste is under the control of a special NPP’s service and regulatory authorities. The energy of fission reaction millions of times exceeding the energy of burning has an enormous potential that mankind can receive. Four hundred and thirty-three nuclear power units with a total capacity of about 400 GW exist in the world. The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi NPP in Japan in March 2011 caused anxiety about nuclear safety throughout the world and raised questions about the future of nuclear power. Now, it is clear that the use of nuclear power will continue to grow in the coming decades, although the growth will be slower than was anticipated before the accident. Many countries with existing nuclear power programmes plan to expand them. Many new countries, both developed and developing, plan to introduce nuclear power. Some countries, such as Germany, plan to abandon nuclear energy. The IAEA’s latest projections show a steady rise in the number of NPPs in the world in the next 20 years. They project a growth in nuclear power capacity by 23% by 2030 in the low projection and by 100% in the high projection [1,2]. The basis of modern nuclear power comprises water-cooled nuclear reactors which use the energy potential of natural uranium inefficiently (thermal reactors). The thermal reactors use isotope U-235 in which the content of natural uranium is <1%. Breeder reactors are capable of using the significant part of energy potential, which is unavailable to thermal light water reactors. As a result, the same starting quantity of uranium can produce 50 times more energy. These reactors can transform U-238 into fissile Pu-239 in larger amounts than they consume fissile material. This feature is called ‘breeding’ [3]. The key problem of using the basic benefitsv of nuclear power is to ensure the safety of its use, as well as decommissioning and reliable isolation of process waste from the biosphere. The long-term large-scale nuclear power should possess guaranteed safety, economic stability and competitiveness, absence of the raw material base restrictions for a long period of time and environmental sustainability (low waste). The nuclear power systems with fast neutron reactors and liquid metal coolant can satisfy these conditions. More than 40 years of Russian experience in the field of construction and operation of sodium fast reactors makes it possible to summarize and analyze the ecological features of reactors of this type, the possibility of their use for sustainable energy supply of mankind and solving environmental problems.

The study of heat transfer in spiral coiled tubes is of great interest in view of the widespread use of such channels in engineering practice, in particular, in nuclear power engineering in the form of steam generators at research reactors and nuclear power plants. In the projected BREST-OD-300 reactor facility (RF), a configuration of helical coiled tubes is considered as a steam generator. Thermal hydraulic tests of the model steam generator RF BREST-OD-300 (version 2000) with helical coiled tubes with longitudinal coolant flow were carried out in SSC RF - IPPE at the SPRUT facility in 2011-2013 years. The test program was aimed to study heat transfer and thermal hydraulic stability of the steam generating tubes. Throughout the range of variation the regime parameters, regimes with a reversal circulation in the water loop have not been detected. Despite the fact that the results of conducted tests on the steam generator model gave extensive information on heat transfer in different zones of the steam generating tube, however, the insufficient number of heat transfer tubes in the module (only three) does not allow to conclude that the full hydrodynamic stability of BREST RF steam generator in all possible modes of operational parameters. On the other hand, in a real construction the motion of the heating coolant is omitted with flow around the bundle of tubes close to the transverse flow. Therefore, insufficient reasoning for the transferring results obtained on a three-tube model to a full-scale steam generator served as the basis for testing of a multi-tube full-height fragment model of a reduced diameter one row of the tube bundle actual steam generator. During the tests, there were no noises typical of the unstable operation of water loop. There were no oscillations of water and steam temperature, respectively, at the inlet to the collectors and out of the collectors. At high lead temperatures, the temperature of the superheated steam was always close to the inlet temperature of the lead. The tests showed the absence of the thermohydraulic instability, as in the case of longitudinal and transverse coolant flows in the investigated modes of lead and water parameters. Other parameters being equal, the steam temperature at the outlet of the steam generating tube in case of transverse flow was higher than in the case of longitudinal flow. The experimental data obtained during the testing are primarily necessary for the verification of codes that allow the correct calculation of the various operating modes of the BREST-OD-300 steam generator.

Soil-structure interaction (SSI) is the critical issue that needs to be considered in both seismic and isolation analysis of nuclear power plant (NPP) structures constructed on soft-soil or non-rock sites. The substructure method and the direct method are two alternatives to analyze SSI effect. The substructure method has been certified by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and widely used in China’s nuclear power engineering, with relatively low calculation cost and accurate energy radiation simulation of the infinite foundation in the frequency domain. However, this approach can only be applied to linear analysis theoretically due to the basis of linear superposition principle, having difficulty considering the nonlinearities of materials and contacts in the near-field. To the research status of seismic analysis of NPP considering SSI effect in China, this paper proposes a three-dimensional time-domain method based on viscoelastic artificial boundary and wave motion theory, which contributes to appropriately simulating the foundation radiation damping and non-uniform seismic input. Comparative SSI analyses are performed for an example of NPP structure using the proposed method and the mature substructure approach respectively. Moreover, influence of oblique incident ground motion on seismic response of NPP is also studied in this paper.

We present a survey of modern approaches to the creation of automated systems for ultrasonic inspection of welds used abroad and demonstrate the advantages of their application in nuclear power engineering. We also describe the automated systems for ultrasonic inspection developed in the Ukraine and used at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, analyze the results of testing of these systems, and outline the directions of subsequent improvement of testing procedures and modernization of equipment used for automated ultrasonic inspection.

One of America’s best kept secrets is the success of its nuclear electric power industry. This paper presents data which support the construction and operating successes enjoyed by energy companies that operate nuclear power plants in the US. The result—the US nuclear industry is alive and well. Perhaps it’s time to start anew the building of nuclear power plants. Let’s take the wraps off the major successes achieved in the nuclear power industry. Over 20% of the electricity generated in the United States comes from nuclear power plants. An adequate, reliable supply of reasonably priced electric energy is not a consequence of an expanding economy and gross national product; it is an absolute necessity before such expansion can occur. It is hard to imagine any aspect of our business or personal lives not, in some way, dependent upon electricity. All over the world (in over 30 countries) nuclear power is a low-cost, secure, safe, dependable, and environmentally friendly form of electric power generation. Nuclear plants in these countries are built in six to eight years using technology developed in the US, with good performance and safety records. This treatise addresses the success experienced by the US nuclear industry over the last 40 years, and makes the case that this reliable, cost-competitive source of electric power can help support the economic engine of the country and help prevent experiences like the recent crises in California and the Northeast. Traditionally, the evaluation of electric power generation facility performance has focused on the ability of plants to produce at design capacity for high percentages of the time. Successful operation of nuclear facilities is determined by examining capacity or load factors. Load factor is the percentage of design generating capacity that a power plant actually produces over the course of a year’s operation. This paper makes the case that these operating performance indicators warrant renewed consideration of the nuclear option. Usage of electricity in the US now approaches total generating capacity. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has pre-approved construction and operating licenses for several nuclear plant designs. State public service commissions are beginning to understand that dramatic reform is required. The economy is recovering and inflation is minimal. It’s time, once more, to turn to the safe, reliable, environmentally friendly nuclear power alternative.

Free-response survey items were used to study industrial risk perception with six groups of respondents: Nuclear Engineers, Chemical Engineers, Science Writers, and two groups selected from the general public. Several questionnaire items referred to “the closest hazardous facility that concerns you.” Because of the free-response format, respondents were able to nominate any industrial facility. About half of the respondents identified a hazardous facility within ten miles; appropriately, respondents selected on the basis of living near to hazardous facilities (one of the general public groups) reported hazardous facilities closer to them than did the other groups. The most frequently identified facility was a Nuclear Power Plant; this was true for all groups except the Nuclear Engineers. Pollution and Leak of Radioactive Materials were the most frequently mentioned risks. Nuclear Power Plants were strongly differentiated from other facilities by respondents, and a Leak of Radioactive Material from a Nuclear Power Plant was the most frequently mentioned exposure path. Other questionnaire items dealt with respondents’ views of two specific facilities, a Toxic Chemical Disposal Facility and a Nuclear Waste Disposal Facility. Respondents who were either physically closer to or professionally identified with hazardous facilities were distinguished from others by lower levels of concern about adverse effects, particularly health effects. This was coupled, however, with higher levels of concern for effects to specific groups of living persons, particularly workers at hazardous facilities. The discussion of these results is focused on three significant risk perception problems. First, public perception of industrial risks, with emphasis on Nuclear Power and Nuclear Waste Disposal. Second, the concern (or lack of it) of persons living today for persons living in future generations. Third, the appropriate use and interpretation of free- and fixed-response items in survey research.

After the nuclear accidents of Chernobyl and Fukushima, several studies reported adverse health effects on wildlife animals. Epidemiological studies in humans found significant increases of leukemia rates in young children residing within 5km from nuclear power plants. This study investigates morphological abnormalities in true bugs (Heteroptera), collected in the environs of three Swiss nuclear power stations (NPS). The objective of the study is to test whether there is an increased frequency of abnormalities in the vicinity of NPS. We found a frequency of abnormalities of 14.1% at distances r<5km and a frequency of 6.8% for distances r>5km, a rate ratio of 2.1 (P<0.0001). The corresponding odds ratio was 2.26 (95% CI: 1.59, 3.18). We also conducted logistic regression of abnormality rates on reciprocal distance for each NPS site. The trend was significant for NPS Beznau (regression coefficient β=1.5±0.3, P<0.0001) but not significant for NPS Gösgen und NPS Leibstadt with little samples within 5km. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to find adverse health effects on insects near operating nuclear power plants. Due to its ecological design, however, it cannot answer the question whether the effect is caused by radiation from nuclear power plants.

Modular construction technology is one of the effective ways to shorten the construction period and reduce the cost of nuclear power plants. It is one of the important features of the development of nuclear power engineering construction technology. The application of the module in China has a history of more than 20 years, and it was first used in the construction technology of nuclear island workshop dome steel lining. As modularization is the technology of integrated design,procurement and construction,and is based on the three-dimensional design platform, the close cooperation among design, procurement and construction also needs the support of the corresponding information platform. It is more urgent and necessary for the unified, shared and rapid interface response processing of upstream, downstream and management information. Based on the actual needs of nuclear power project construction and relying on the modular three-dimensional model, this paper develops and constructs a three-dimensional visual modular comprehensive information management system integrating the business data of design, procurement, construction, commissioning and management, realizes the efficient coordination and fine management of modular advanced construction technology of nuclear power project, and provides an information management platform for modular construction of nuclear power project.

In order to develop a comprehensive program of simulator-interfaced instruction and research, the American Electric Power Corporation and Centerior Energy Corporation are working with the Nuclear Engineering programs at the University of cincinnati and the Ohio State University. The first phase of the program, the development and presentation of a course sequence on commercial nuclear power plant systems design and operation, has been completed. Program instruction began on January 3, 1994 with the first presentation to 29 undergraduate and graduate engineering students at the University of Cincinnati and the Ohio State University. The sequence covered two academic quarters and included visits to each of the nuclear power plants involved in the collaboration. Class lectures were presented in video-classrooms such that instructors at one site could reach not only their own students but students at the other university as well. Class lecture material was developed primarily from similar materials utilized and developed by the utilities to train their own engineers and operators. The initial development effort was described in an earlier progress report. The collaborative effort required to present the course sequence has produced a variety of benefits, some expected and some unexpected. These include: (1) university course material prepared from actual operating plant resources, not merely textbook cases; (2) enhancement of traditional learning setting with significant time spent at the plant simulators; (3) opportunities for students to tour working nuclear power plants; (4) professional enrichment and development for the collaborators through frequent interaction with peers at various plants and universities; (5) initiation of research projects of mutual interest to utilities and universities; (6) enhancement of students` ability to make early contributions in the plant engineering workforce through more complete understanding of plant operations; (7) bringing the OSU and UC faculty to the forefront of the development of new instructional technologies (multi-media, real-time distance learning applications). The initial offering of the course on LWR systems and operations was very successful in providing university students learning opportunities they did not have in other classes. Student evaluations indicated their appreciation for the opportunities to visit the plant sites, perform plant evolutions in the simulators and interact with the utility training personnel. Several students were so positive in their reactions that they recommended making the course sequence a required part of the nuclear power engineering curriculum.