L-3 MAPPS celebrates opening of upgraded Sizewell B simulator

L-3 MAPPS announced yesterday that it had participated in the official opening of EDF Energy's upgraded Sizewell B plant training simulator on January 21, in Suffolk, England. The Canadian company was awarded a contract to carry out the upgrade work in September 2014.

L-3 MAPPS announced yesterday that it had participated in the official opening of EDF Energy's upgraded Sizewell B plant training simulator on January 21, in Suffolk, England. The Canadian company was awarded a contract to carry out the upgrade work in September 2014.

EDF Energy and L-3 MAPPS representatives celebrate the completion of Sizewell B's simulator upgrade (Image: L-3 MAPPS)

The previous UNIX operating system-based simulator was replaced with new PC/Windows-based computers running L-3's Orchid simulation environment. The reactor core model was upgraded with an Orchid Core Builder "to provide the higher-fidelity Comet Plus model and improved 2-D and 3-D visualization of the core parameters in runtime.," L-3 MAPPS said.

The simulator's containment model was also upgraded in the Orchid Modelling Environment. The enhanced simulator is equipped with new cameras and microphones to record training sessions using Orchid Multimedia Manager, which is fully synchronized with the Orchid Instructor Station, it said. The upgraded simulator also includes Orchid Sound System "to generate control room sounds depending on the simulator scenario".

L-3 MAPPS additionally provided six Orchid Touch Interface classroom simulators to be used by the plant operators or other plant personnel to become familiar with the plant control room and its operation.

It also provided a 3-D PWR Learning Simulator for training on plant transients, as well as 3-D Learning Modules for fundamentals training with various components, including pumps, valves and heat exchangers. It also delivered a series of System Knowledge Modules - smaller-scale simulations focused on specific areas of the plant - "to enhance systems training for plant technicians".

The ceremony was attended by EDF Energy representatives, including Jim Crawford, Sizewell B station director. L-3 MAPPS' team was led by Michael Chatlani, vice president of marketing and sales.

Crawford said: "Working with L-3 MAPPS, we have been able to embrace new technology to further enhance our nuclear training program here at Sizewell B."

This was the second time L-3 MAPPS had worked with EDF Energy to upgrade the Sizewell B simulator following a renovation project in 2000-2002.

Chatlani said: "Sizewell B has always been a special site to L-3 MAPPS as it gave us our first significant entry into the UK's power generation sector and fueled years of further in-country successes."

Sizewell B - currently the only pressurized water reactor in the UK - went into commercial operation in February 1995 and is expected to be in operation until 2035.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News