Application of Dynamic Fault Tree Analysis to Prioritize Electric Power Systems in Nuclear Power Plants

Sejin Baek and Gyunyoung Heo
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Sejin Baek: Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Gyunyoung Heo: Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 14, 1-17

Abstract: Because the scope of risk assessments at nuclear power plants (NPPs) is being extended both spatially and temporally, conventional, or static fault trees might not be able to express failure mechanisms, or they could be unnecessarily conservative in their expression. Therefore, realistic assessment techniques are needed to adequately capture accident scenarios. In multi-unit probabilistic safety assessment (PSA), fault trees naturally become more complex as the number of units increases. In particular, when considering a shared facility between units of the electric power system (EPS), static fault trees (SFTs) that prioritize a specific unit are limited in implementing interactions between units. However, dynamic fault trees (DFTs) can be available without this limitation by using dynamic gates. Therefore, this study implements SFTs and DFTs for an EPS of two virtual NPPs and compares their results. In addition, to demonstrate the dynamic characteristics of the shared facilities, a station blackout (SBO), which causes the power system to lose its function, is assumed—especially with an inter-unit shared facility, AAC DG (Alternate AC Diesel Generator). To properly model the dynamic characteristics of the shared EPS in DFTs, a modified dynamic gate and algorithm are introduced, and a Monte Carlo simulation is adopted to quantify the DFT models. Through the analysis of the DFT, it is possible to confirm the actual connection priority of AAC DG according to the situation of units in a site. In addition, it is confirmed that some conservative results presented by the SFT can be evaluated from a more realistic perspective by reflecting this.

Keywords: dynamic fault tree; station blackout; Alternate AC Diesel Generator; multi-unit (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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