Operational Monitoring of Small Modular Reactor Facilities

Abstract

Small Modular Reactor (SMR) facilities are expected to be operated with minimal expert maintenance staffing, which suggests the need for continuous monitoring of equipment and containment largely free of human supervision. To this end, CNL is investigating the following:

• Inspection issues that might impact the (regulatory) licensing of SMR facilities in Canada.
• Methods of unattended monitoring of process equipment of an operating SMR.
• Unattended monitoring to assure the structural integrity of SMR containment, particularly concrete.

Review and survey investigations have identified potential mitigating factors in SMR operating licenses that may be realized due to design features.Methods of monitoring equipment without the need for numerous maintenance staff have also been identified, but so have challenges due to the novel and unique nature of SMR designs. Structural integrity verification and time-monitoring of containment (concrete) can be accomplished by adapting existing nondestructive monitoring technologies, using embedded sensors. The extent of the capabilities of these technologies and gaps in SMR requirements are not presently known.Survey work and experimentation addressing the above concerns have been ongoing at CNL since 2013/14. Results to date will presented, and implications for the operation of Small Modular Reactors with minimal staffing will be discussed.