Digital NPP

Today, the most up-to-date subject for VNIIAES and the industry is the development of the Digital NPP software package. Two branches of VNIIAES are engaged in this direction.

The development of the software and hardware suite “Digital NPP with VVER” (SHS DNPP) has been carried out at VNIIIAES since 2011. The basis for its creation was the long-term experience of VNIIAES in the field of simulator building and precision modeling; experience of the Nuclear Safety Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences - in terms of modeling emergency conditions at NPPs; VNIIEF production capabilities - in terms of creating high-performance computing hardware.

The power block models developed on the basis of the SHS DNPP integrated all the advantages of a simulator approach to modeling (a wide range of simulated technological systems, detailed modeling of automatic process control systems, real-time and accelerated time scale calculation), and an approach based on the application of improved computational codes estimates (a wide range of simulated phenomena, the possibility of adequate modeling of severe accident conditions).

The purpose of this suite is to simulate normal, transient and emergency processes by means of “digital counterparts” of NPP blocks, and to check the quality factor of the project in various modes. We use a super-computer, which allows us to calculate complex emergency processes at an acceptable time; the work is carried out jointly with the Institute of IBRAE RAS. We have repeatedly demonstrated the operation of a digital nuclear power plant and plan that after some time we will be able to provide services to verify the quality of projects to organizations interested in it. Among them are our design institutes, supervisory bodies, and other industry organizations. Developing the Digital Nuclear Power Plant project, we are acting in line with the direction of digital transformation, which has been announced both in the country and in the industry, in order to switch to a qualitatively different level of project implementation. The idea of the possible delivery of a “digital nuclear power plant” in the form of a “packaged product” has good prospects. Any newcomer country receiving a model of the latest-generation nuclear power plants will want to study and experiment. It gains a huge impetus for further development of its peaceful nuclear program.

Within the framework of the “Digital NPP with VVER” project, VNIIAES is completing the creation of a new promising platform for the development of simulators of Russian-designed nuclear power plants.

This platform will make it possible to create a full-scale simulator providing adequate reproduction of the largest possible range of modes, including severe beyond design basis accidents, which will improve the quality of training for personnel of Russian nuclear power plants.