Online Monitoring System to Support Autonomous Remote Microreactor Operations

Microreactors are factory-fabricated and transportable reactors that can be used for electricity production and thermal energy generation in remote locations. They are designed to be self-regulating autonomous systems that do not require a large number of on-site staff. To realize the full benefits of autonomous operation, microreactors need online monitoring systems that provide continuous performance verification of critical components at a level of automation that is not available today in the nuclear industry. Additionally, microreactor process conditions are harsher relative to existing light water reactors, and existing nuclear sensors may not be capable of withstanding the long-term effects of these stressors in a microreactor. Because microreactor sensors and processes will be much different than what are typical for conventional reactors, microreactor developers and future operators need the capability to monitor, store, and analyze characteristic sensor and process behaviors with an online monitoring system. This project proposes expanding the work accomplished in Phase II to transition the prototype online monitoring system developed in Phase II into a commercial solution that can be customized and applied to numerous microreactor designs and configurations. Further development work is needed to refine the prototype systemĺs algorithms to improve their ability to identify, diagnose, and predict sensor and process problems in real-time. Additionally, demonstration of how the system integrates with third-party tools such as data historians will be critical to the successful deployment of a commercial online monitoring system. The Phase I work successfully demonstrated the feasibility of employing artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to provide identification and diagnosis of sensor and process anomalies using data from a variety of sources. In Phase II, a prototype online monitoring system to support autonomous microreactor operations was developed and demonstrated. The research and development effort proposed herein will employ a comprehensive, hands-on approach to produce and demonstrate a commercial online monitoring system to provide real-time automated condition assessment of microreactor sensors and processes. Successful deployment of the proposed system will help minimize the number of on-site highly trained personnel, operators, and maintenance staff required to safely and efficiently operate microreactors. The results of this project will support the development and deployment of microreactors in the United States and the export of American microreactor technologies to other countries. The results will be broadly applicable to microreactors, advanced reactors, small modular reactors, and the existing nuclear fleet for improved sensor performance verification as well as process and component health monitoring, diagnostics, and prognostics.