A Model Based System Commissioning Approach for Nuclear Facilities

Abstract

Commissioning is considered as a critical phase in the delivery of a Nuclear Facility (NF) as it is the first stage in the authorization of the NF to be exploited. Most of the nuclear projects start to overrun costs during commissioning mainly since this phase is not addressed properly and is affected by many issues from previous phases (Design, Procurement, and Construction). This article proposes a general methodology to prepare and realize the commissioning activities. Using models to do so improves communication and removes ambiguities between stakeholders. It also formalizes and clarifies the commissioning organization and activities prior to any implementation. It also allows for capitalizing and sharing the experience from previous projects, by drawing references models and good practices patterns. The so-called Model Based commissioning method is elaborated around concepts, languages, processes, tools, and patterns inspired from Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) principles and practices. The theoretical foundations will be supported by results from nuclear facilities demonstrating the added value.

Cross-Industry Principles for Digital Representations of Complex Technical Systems in the Context of the MBSE Approach: A Review

“…When constructing an ontology, the rules for a given component, its semantics, information about it, and its attributes are determined. The use of ontology, in essence, is referenced in [121], where a knowledge repository is described as a central component of the methodology. This repository accumulates expertise, experiences, patterns, and reference models, promoting the reuse of experiences by enhancing their model with best practice patterns or by avoiding repetition of past errors.…”

“…According to this principle, when developing a model and describing a complex technical system, it is necessary to involve specialists from various industries. A depiction of the application of these two principles can be found in [121]. The authors propose enhancing the coordination and integration of activities from all stakeholders involved in the design and realization phases of a complex system.…”

“…At the same time, a graphical representation (visualization) of a specific task is itself significant for teamwork and the use of this part of the model [99,104,133]. The authors of [121] provide an example of a visualization principle, emphasizing that the visualization method should allow for data viewing and analysis results while preserving important relationships between the information and illustrating the behaviors of the concerned processes.…”

“…This is an important component of a single system model because it allows for managing changes in the system both at the stage of its formation and during subsequent changes. The life cycle principle is articulated in reference [121], emphasizing the importance of establishing this link at the earliest possible stage from the initiation of the design project to ensure efficient and significant interaction between the subsequent phases.…”

“…This is most relevant for products whose role in the life cycle is identical or similar. Reference [121] illustrates this usage, it outlines how a pattern, a set of models, and related information offer a tried-and-tested solution to a recurring problem and enable engineers and architects to relate a problem to a prevalidated solution. This solution can then be partially reused for analogous issues.…”