ME Seminar - Analysis and Recommendations on Multi-Module Control Methods for Small Modular Reactors

Guest Speaker: Prof. LU Lixuan

Department of Energy and Nuclear Engineering
Ontario Tech University

Lixuan Lu obtained her Ph.D degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Western Ontario (now Western University), Canada in 2005. She joined the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (now Ontario Tech University), Canada as an assistant professor in 2005, and obtained her associate professorship and full professorship in 2011 and 2017, respectively. Her research interests cover dynamic probabilistic safety assessment, reliability analysis, instrumentation and control in nuclear power plants, small modular reactors, passive safety systems, risk-informed performance-based decision-making, and networked control systems in safety-critical applications.

The future of nuclear power is expected to strongly dependent on the success of generation IV nuclear reactors, such as Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), as nations aim to decarbonize their electrical grids. The push to develop and deploy new advanced reactor concepts has been gaining significant impetus over the recent decade, which has been fueled by both an inherent desire to improve older technologies, but also in part as countries seek to accelerate their descension away from a dependence on fossil fuels. This has resulted in the emergence of many different Small Modular Reactor (SMR) concepts. SMRs have desirable advantages compared to traditional large scale reactors, which include prospects for faster reactor deployment, various multi-modular configurations, usage in remote & marine applications, and to act as a stabilizing source for grids dependent on intermittent energy sources. These concepts involve new complex control dynamics not previously encountered in traditional reactor controllers, which has brought about novel control approaches and methods to allow for efficient operation of SMRs. Various multi-module control methods have been attracting more and more attention over the past few years, with a special focus on load-following capabilities. It is expected that this presentation will provide theoretical guidance while formulating the control strategies and schemes for multi-module SMRs.