The development and application of the accident dynamic simulator for dynamic probabilistic risk assessment of nuclear power plants

This paper describes the principal modelling concepts, practical aspects, and an application of the Accident Dynamic Simulator (ADS) developed for full scale dynamic probabilistic risk assessment (DPRA) of nuclear power plants. Full scale refers not only to the size of the models, but also to the number of potential sequences which should be studied. Plant thermal-hydraulics behaviour, safety systems response, and operator interactions are explicitly accounted for as integrated active parts in the development of accident scenarios. ADS uses discrete dynamic event trees (D-DET) as the main accident scenario modelling approach, and introduces computational techniques to minimize the computer memory requirement and expedite the simulation. An operator model (including procedure-based behaviour and several types of omission and commission errors) and a thermal-hydraulic model with a PC run time more than 300 times faster than real accident time are among the main modules of ADS. To demonstrate the capabilities of ADS, a dynamic PRA of the Steam Generator Tube Rupture event of a US nuclear power plant is analyzed. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Limited.