Micro Hydro Electricity Generation in S.T.P, A Case Study of S.T.P, Salawas-J...
L3_Power_SIMnews_42
1. A semi-annual report on L-3 MAPPS
Power Systems and Simulation activities
I s s u e 4 2 | J u n e 2 0 1 6
IN THIS ISSUE
NEW BUSINESS ......................................................... 2
Darlington Station Replacement Trip Computers
Wolsong 1 Full Scope Simulator
Krško Simulator Upgrade
Diablo Canyon Simulator Upgrade
INFO EXCHANGE ........................................................ 6
2016 Owners Circle™ Conference (San Antonio)
CUSTOMER PROFILE ................................................. 8
ENGIE Electrabel’s Benjamin Matthysen
VIEW POINT .............................................................. 10
The Nuclear Safety Paradox
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS ............................................ 12
SPECIAL REPORT ..................................................... 14
Opening of Upgraded Sizewell B Simulator
Simulator Security
COMPANY NEWS ..................................................... 17
L-3 Ethics App Now Available
TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENTS ................................. 18
Managing the Simulator Network
Introducing Orchid® Communications Exchange
INFO EXCHANGE ...................................................... 21
Out and About
Upcoming Events
LIGHTER SIDE ......................................................... 23
Wolsong 1
L-3 MAPPS to build Full Scope
CANDU Simulator for KHNP
[page 3]
2. “We have always capitalized on common technology
solutions for our Marine Systems and Power Systems lines
of business,” said Rangesh Kasturi, president of L-3 MAPPS.
“The new project with OPG is an excellent opportunity that
allows us to extend the technology and know-how that we
use in our naval integrated platform management systems
and CANDU* plant control computers and apply them to an
adjacent plant process at Darlington.”
“For more than four decades, we have worked with OPG to
develop advanced custom-engineered solutions for all of
its nuclear generating stations,” added Michael Chatlani,
vice president of marketing & sales for L-3 MAPPS Power
Systems and Simulation. “We are grateful to OPG for the
confidence they have placed in us to deliver key control and
simulation products that have positively contributed to the
strong performance of its plants.”
In support of the Darlington refurbishment program and
OPG’s overall effort to design and develop a replacement
for SDS2, L-3 MAPPS will carry out the hardware design,
integration and testing of prototype systems, including
qualification testing, followed by the delivery of production
units for the SDS2 trip computers and the SDS1 and SDS2
display/test computers.
Ontario Power Generation produces about half of Ontario’s
electricity in a reliable, safe and environmentally sustainable
manner. OPG phased out coal generation in 2014 – the
single largest climate change initiative in North America.
OPG relies on hydro and nuclear power, energy sources that
are 99.7 percent free of greenhouse gas and smog-causing
emissions. OPG’s Darlington Nuclear Generating Station,
located in the Municipality of Clarington in Durham Region,
70 kilometers east of Toronto, is a four-unit station with a
net output of 3,512 megawatts that began operating in the
early 1990s. The refurbishment of Darlington to extend the
operational life of the station has been in planning for more
than six years and will be one of the largest infrastructure
projects in Canada. Outage execution on the first unit will
start in October 2016.
* CANDU is a registered trademark of Atomic
Energy of Canada Limited, used under
license by Candu Energy Inc., a member
of the SNC-Lavalin Group.
L-3 MAPPS signed a contract with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to provide replacement trip computers for the second
shutdown system (SDS2) and display/test computers for both the first shutdown system (SDS1) and SDS2 on the four
generating units at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. The design phase is underway and the final production
computer equipment for the four generating units is expected to be delivered by the second quarter of 2019.
Darlington Nuclear Generating Station Quick Facts
Utility: Ontario Power Generation
Reactor Supplier: Candu Energy
Reactor Type: PHWR (CANDU)
Capacity: 3,512 MWe (4 units)
Date of Operation: Unit 1-1992, Unit 2-1990, Unit 3-1993, Unit 4-1993
Location: Clarington, Ontario, Canada
source:OntarioPowerGeneration
2 | simnews | Issue 412 | simnews | Issue 42
newbusiness
3. Wolsong Unit 1 Quick Facts
Utility: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power
Reactor Supplier: Candu Energy
Reactor Type: PHWR (CANDU 6)
Capacity: 679 MWe
Date of Operation: April 1983
Location: Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Republic of Korea
“We are grateful to KHNP for this latest opportunity to
demonstrate why our nuclear power plant simulators are
second to none,” said L-3’s Michael Chatlani, vice president
of marketing & sales for L-3 MAPPS Power Systems and
Simulation. “In addition to our recent simulator projects at
Embalse and Cernavodă, the work on Wolsong 1 further aligns
L-3 to offer best-in-class simulator solutions for new CANDU*
build programs, especially in Argentina, China and Romania.”
The Wolsong 1 full scope simulator will use L-3’s industry-
leading PC/Windows-based graphical simulation tools for
the plant models and instructor station. All of the plant
systems will be simulated, including the reactor, nuclear
steam supply systems, balance of plant systems, electrical
systems and I&C systems. The simulator’s models will
be developed, validated and maintained in L-3’s Orchid®
simulation environment. The plant computer systems, known
as Digital Control Computers (DCCs), will be represented by
a fully emulated dual DCC that will be integrated in the full
scope simulator. The simulator will be equipped with full
replica control room panels driven by L-3’s Orchid® Input
Output software and a new compact input/output system.
The new plant models will also be complemented with severe
accident simulation capabilities by including a version of
the Modular Accident Analysis Program, known as MAAP4-
CANDU**, L-3’s first implementation of severe accident
simulation for CANDU plants. The simulator will additionally
be equipped with new two-dimensional and three-dimensional
animated, interactive visualizations of the reactor vessel and
containment building to provide trainees further insight into
the behavior of the plant during severe accidents.
KHNP, a subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corporation
(KEPCO), provides about 30 percent of South Korea’s
electricity supply, making it the nation’s largest power
generation company. It has a total installed capacity of more
than 27,000 MW through the operation of 25 nuclear power
units, 35 hydropower units, 16 pumped-storage power units
and a number of renewable energy facilities. The Wolsong
site in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, houses four
700 MWe class CANDU reactors, Units 1 to 4. The 30-year
operating license of Wolsong 1 ended in November 2012.
On 27 February 2015, the Nuclear Safety and Security
Commission approved a 10-year license extension until
November 2022 for the refurbished and uprated Wolsong 1
reactor, and the unit returned to service on 23 June 2015.
The full scope operator training simulator for Wolsong Units
2, 3 and 4 was supplied by L-3 MAPPS.
* CANDU is a registered trademark of Atomic Energy of Canada
Limited, used under license by Candu Energy Inc., a member of the
SNC-Lavalin Group.
** A valid license to MAAP4 from EPRI as well as the right to MAAP4-
CANDU from the CANDU Owners Group (COG) is required prior to a
customer being able to use MAAP4-CANDU with Licensee’s simulator
products. EPRI and COG do not endorse any third-party products or
services.
L-3 MAPPS has secured a contract from Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP) to supply the full scope operator
training simulator for the Wolsong Unit 1 (Wolsong 1) nuclear power plant. The simulator is scheduled to be completed in
the first quarter of 2018.
source:KoreaHydro&NuclearPower
newbusiness
June 2016 | simnews | 3
4. Krško Quick Facts
Utility: Nuklearna elektrarna Krško
Reactor Supplier: Westinghouse
Reactor Type: PWR
Capacity: 696 MWe
Date of Operation: January 1983
Location: Vrbina, Slovenia
“It is a privilege to have another opportunity to work with
NEK, an innovative company that has always challenged us to
push technological boundaries,” said Michael Chatlani, vice
president of marketing & sales for L-3 MAPPS Power Systems
and Simulation.
“The NEK and L-3 MAPPS teams have worked very well together
since the Krško full scope simulator was declared ready for
training in 2000,” said Božidar Krajnc, plant engineering
director for NEK. “We look forward to implementing this
significant simulator upgrade project with L-3 MAPPS, which is
an important part of our safety upgrade program.”
The current UNIX operating system-based simulator will be
replaced with a virtualized Windows-based platform running
L-3’s state-of-the-art Orchid® simulation environment. The virtual
machine solution is designed to simplify simulator maintenance
and switchover between the main and backup simulations.
The nuclear island and conventional island models will be
migrated into Orchid. In addition to various plant model
upgrades to reflect plant changes from the SUP, the Electric
Power Research Institute’s Modular Accident Analysis
Program (MAAP4) will be upgraded to MAAP5*, including the
addition of the spent fuel pit model. MAAP is connected to the
plant simulation to model postulated severe accidents.
The simulator’s legacy Datapath SC input/output (I/O) system
will be replaced with a new compact I/O system driven
by L-3’s Orchid® Input Output software. The compact I/O
solution will also be used to drive a new simulated emergency
control room, which is replacing remote shutdown panels
spread throughout the plant.
Analog cameras and microphones connected to a legacy
audio/video (A/V) system will be replaced with digital
equivalents that are driven by Orchid® Multimedia Manager,
which is fully synchronized with the simulator’s instructor
station, Orchid® Instructor Station. The A/V system is used to
monitor and record operators during training and to debrief
them following training sessions. The upgraded simulator
will additionally feature Orchid® Sound System to generate
control room sounds, including earthquakes.
Nuklearna elektrarna Krško operates the only nuclear power
plant in Slovenia. The Krško Nuclear Power Plant, located
in Vrbina in the Municipality of Krško, is equipped with a
Westinghouse two-loop pressurized water reactor and has a
net electrical output of 696 MWe. It is connected to the 400
kV grid, supplying power to consumer centers in Slovenia
and Croatia. The plant went into commercial operation on
1 January 1983 and supplies approximately 40 percent of
the total electricity produced in Slovenia. Its simulator, put
into service on 31 March 2000, is primarily used to train and
license main control room operators in the safe and efficient
operation of the plant.
*A valid license to MAAP5 from EPRI is required prior to a customer
being able to use MAAP5 with Licensee’s simulator products. EPRI
does not endorse any third-party products or services.
L-3 MAPPS signed a contract with Slovenia’s Nuklearna elektrarna Krško (NEK) to upgrade the full scope simulator for the
Krško Nuclear Power Plant. The simulator upgrade is part of NEK’s Safety Upgrade Program (SUP) to modernize the plant to
prevent severe accidents and to mitigate consequences consistent with the nuclear industry’s response after the Fukushima
accident. The simulator upgrade project is underway and is expected to be in service in the third quarter of 2017.
source:NuklearnaelektrarnaKrško
4 | simnews | Issue 42
newbusiness
5. “PG&E and L-3 MAPPS have steadily worked together since
2012 to modernize the Diablo Canyon simulator,” said John
Becerra, supervisor of Simulator & Exam Support/Learning
Services at DCPP. “The close collaboration between the two
companies has resulted in one success after another and we
look forward to embarking on the next phase of the project.”
“A large part of the simulator has now been moved to
L-3’s Orchid® simulation environment and PG&E has
already benefited from our robust simulation methods
and technology,” said Michael Chatlani, vice president
of marketing & sales for L-3 MAPPS Power Systems and
Simulation. “It has been a tremendous opportunity to work
with PG&E on the Diablo Canyon simulator over the past four
years and we are committed to achieving excellence again
with the fifth phase of the simulator’s modernization.”
The fifth simulator upgrade phase will see all BOP legacy
models replaced with Orchid® Modeling Environment-
based models. The scope of the effort includes replacing all
hydraulic, logic, protection and auxiliary simulator systems.
Following this project, almost no legacy software will
remain on the simulator, making it fully Orchid®-based and
providing DCPP with a sound and user-friendly environment
to maintain and further upgrade the simulator for the
service life of the plant.
In the first phase of the program, the DCPP simulator
benefited from a replacement of the legacy input/output
(I/O) system with L-3 MAPPS’ compact, modular I/O system
powered by Orchid® Input Output. The second phase involved
rehosting the legacy simulation models to modern simulation
servers based on PC/Windows technology, with L-3’s Orchid®
Simulator Executive managing the legacy and upgraded
models. As part of the second phase, L-3 MAPPS replaced
the original instructor station with its Orchid® Instructor
Station, replaced the reactor core neutronics model with L-3’s
high-fidelity Comet Plus™ reactor core model generated and
maintained with Orchid® Core Builder, replaced the reactor
coolant system thermal-hydraulic model with L-3’s ANTHEM™
advanced thermal-hydraulic model developed in the Orchid®
Modeling Environment, and replaced the legacy chemical
and volume control system (CVCS) models with updated
CVCS models also developed using the Orchid® Modeling
Environment. In the third phase, L-3 MAPPS augmented
the full scope simulator with new Orchid® Touch Interface
classroom simulators. In the fourth phase, the legacy plant
electrical systems models were replaced with higher-fidelity
models in Orchid® Modeling Environment.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined
natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based
in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company
delivers some of the United States’ cleanest energy to 15
million people in northern and central California. Diablo
Canyon’s two Westinghouse 4-loop pressurized water reactor
units in San Luis Obispo produce approximately 18,000
gigawatt-hours of electricity annually – enough to power
nearly three million California homes. PG&E is seeking 20-
year license extensions for each unit to ensure the long-term
availability of a valuable source of safe, clean, affordable
and reliable electricity.
L-3 MAPPS secured an order from Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) to carry out a balance of plant (BOP) model
upgrade on the Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) operator training simulator. The project is in the development phase and
the upgraded plant models are expected to be in service on the simulator in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Diablo Canyon Unit 1 Quick Facts
Utility: Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
Reactor Supplier: Westinghouse
Reactor Type: PWR
Capacity: 1,151 MWe
Date of Operation: May 1985
Location: Avila Beach, California, USA
source:“Mike”MichaelL.Baird,flickr.bairdphotos.com
newbusiness
June 2016 | simnews | 5
6. infoexchange
Stay Tuned
The next North American edition of
the Owners Circle™ Conference will
take place on 19-20 January 2017 in
San Diego, California. Please check
Owners Circle™ Online later this year
for further details.
The North American edition of L-3 MAPPS’ 2016 Owners Circle™
Conference was held on 4-5 February in San Antonio, Texas with
participants from Canada, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, United
Kingdom and the USA (California, Florida, Idaho, Michigan,
Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,
Texas and Virginia). The event included a business meeting on
Thursday and Friday and a networking evening at the Rio Cibolo
Ranch located near San Antonio.
On day one, the group met for
a short business meeting to
cover the previous Owners
Circle™ Conferences’
action items, L-3 MAPPS
Power Systems and
Simulation business
overview and Orchid®
technology updates.
Examples of Orchid®
technology updates
presented included
new configuration
management/control
enhancements
in Orchid® Modeling
Environment, Orchid® Instructor Station
feature enhancements and UNICODE support for non-
Roman character sets (Chinese, Japanese, etc.), the new
Orchid® Simulation Hub, a part of Orchid® Network Loader
(see story in the Technical Developments section in this
issue of simnews for more details), new features added to
Orchid® Multimedia Manager and improvements to the
3-D visualization products in support of L-3 MAPPS’ severe
accident simulation and Learning Simulators. Later that same
day, after a short bus ride, the group
arrived at the peaceful and cozy
Rio Cibolo Ranch. The first activity
of the night was a moonlit hayride
6 | simnews | Issue 42
7. that took the participants to feed longhorns. We were then
treated to a “Texas-style” dinner. After dinner, the Owners
Circle™ members and guests participated in a wide variety of
activities including lasso throwing, horseshoe pitching, eight-
ball, ping pong, and marshmallow roasting, to name a few.
The business meeting resumed on day two with a well-
received presentation on preparing simulator technical
specifications and a presentation on the latest advances in
Learning Simulators with a focus on how to create scenarios
and captions for scenario-based Learning Simulators.
Following the mid-morning break, a presentation was given
on a joint project between GE and L-3 MAPPS related to
the modeling of the GE EX2100e main generator excitation
system. Live tool reviews on Orchid® Modeling Environment
and Orchid® Instructor Station followed to demonstrate
the use of the latest features/enhancements. L-3 MAPPS
continuously invests in its Orchid® technology and always
strives to introduce the newest developments to Owners
Circle™ members first. The meeting concluded with questions
and answers and open discussions.
L-3 MAPPS would like to thank all participants who joined the
Owners Circle™ Conference as well as the L-3 MAPPS support
team from Canada and the USA.
If you are a user of L-3 MAPPS simulation products and
wish to join us for future Owners Circle™ conferences or if
you would like to be a co-host, please contact us at
power.mapps@L-3Com.com.
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Register Now
The next European edition of the Owners
Circle™ Conference will take place on 3-4
October 2016 in Lyon, France. Please visit
Owners Circle™ Online for more details and to
register.
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Stay Tuned
The next North American edition of the Owners
Circle™ Conference will take place on 19-20
January 2017 in San Diego, California. Please
check Owners Circle™ Online later this year for
further details.
infoexchange
June 2016 | simnews | 7
8. L-3 MAPPS recently delivered a full scope simulator to ENGIE Electrabel for the Tihange 1 nuclear power plant located in Belgium.
Tihange 1 is a 962 MWe 3-loop Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) with twin turbines/generators. The existing training center was
expanded to house the new Tihange 1 full scope simulator developed by L-3 MAPPS in cooperation with Tractebel Engineering. The
new full scope simulator includes replica panels and desks of the main control room and high-fidelity models of the plant systems.
In this issue of simnews, we talk with ENGIE Electrabel’s Benjamin Matthysen, Long Term Operation project engineer and a project
team member who was instrumental in contributing to the successful completion of the project—on schedule and on budget. The
Tihange 1 full scope simulator was declared ready for training on 4 March 2016.
simnews: Please explain the status of the nuclear industry in Belgium.
B. Matthysen: ENGIE Electrabel operates seven pressurized
water nuclear reactors in Belgium, four at the Doel site and three
at the Tihange site. Doel is located along the Scheldt River, near
the port of Antwerp in northern Belgium, and Tihange is located
in central Belgium along the Meuse River, approximately 100
km from Brussels. In Belgium, electrical generation from nuclear
power accounts for 55% of the overall electricity consumption.
simnews: What were the driving factors for the development of
a Tihange 1-specific full scope simulator considering that the
Tihange 1 operating license will expire in 2025?
B. Matthysen: Between the seven nuclear units, Tihange 1 was
the only unit without a full scope simulator with a full high-fidelity
replica of the main control room. In the context of the Long Term
Operation (LTO) project to extend the life of Tihange 1 by ten
years, it was agreed with the Belgian nuclear safety regulator (the
Federal Agency for Nuclear Control) to develop a Tihange 1 unit-
specific full scope simulator.
simnews: Where were the Tihange 1
operators trained before the Tihange 1
full scope simulator was declared
ready for training?
B. Matthysen: The Tihange
1 operators were trained
on the Tihange 2 full
scope simulator with
selected systems
and controls
developed for
Tihange 1. This
particular
Tihange 2
simulator
configuration
was an
incomplete
reproduction
of Unit 1.
Considering the shortcomings related to the legacy modeling
of Tihange 1 systems, such as the operation of the secondary
systems, the simulation of some specific logic, the simulation
of the new SIP (plant computer system for instrumentation
and process) and the simulation of electrical failures, it was a
challenge for the operators to get familiar with and be efficiently
trained on the troubleshooting of those systems’ failures.
simnews: Briefly explain the various project stakeholders.
B. Matthysen: Our main partner to produce the simulator was
L-3 MAPPS for this contract, supported by local subcontractors
specified by ENGIE Electrabel.
The first subcontractor was Cofely Fabricom Industrie Sud which
was responsible for the high-fidelity replica of the main control
room hardware with 22 vertical panels and three desks for
controls, instrumentation, alarms, etc. The simulator main control
room was designed in Ans, Belgium. They were also responsible
for developing the Centre Opérationnel de Tranche (COT) located
adjacent to the main control room, designed for the monitoring
and management of accidents by the emergency response
organization. The COT includes a post-accident monitoring
console equipped with soft panels from L-3 MAPPS.
The second subcontractor was Macq Traffic & Automation, responsible
for the provision of a copy of the Tihange 1 TCI (stimulated plant
computer system) installed in the plant. The TCI is the data acquisition
system for digital and analog process signals. It also handles signals
processed by the SIP controllers. The deliverables included the
hardware (cabinets, industrial PCs, I/O modules, etc.) necessary for
the stimulation of the Tihange 1 TCI plant software application.
L-3 MAPPS was responsible for integrating an electrical grid model
named FAST, which includes main generators and transformers.
FAST was developed by Tractebel Engineering, ENGIE Electrabel’s
engineering consulting firm, also part of the ENGIE group.
simnews: What was the composition of your team for the new full
scope simulator? What was your specific role?
B. Matthysen: Our project team was composed of Tractebel
Engineering engineers who brought expertise in project
management, reactor core neutronics, electrical systems, etc. and
ENGIE Electrabel’s training instructors and experienced control
room supervisors (senior reactor operators) who brought their
expertise on the operation and response of the Tihange 1 unit.
Benjamin
Matthysen
customerprofile
8 | simnews | Issue 42
9. As a Tihange 1 engineer and a simulator training instructor, my
role on this project was to define the simulation scope for each
simulated plant system, to define the content and to organize the
different testing phases for project validation, and to facilitate
the exchange of information between L-3 MAPPS and ENGIE
Electrabel for efficient project execution.
simnews: What was the scope of the Tihange 1 simulator project?
B. Matthysen: The Tihange 1 simulator scope of simulation
includes the support of continuous plant operations in all unit
operating modes from full power conditions (mode 1), including
unlikely high power/overload conditions, to hot standby, hot
shutdown and cold shutdown. The plant operations can be
exercised in either direction, up or down. The simulation also
covers cold shutdown conditions with a vented or closed reactor
coolant system/reactor vessel, solid or drained to mid-loop,
and the filling and draining of the reactor pool. All the operating
procedures for normal, abnormal and emergency conditions
can be exercised. The scope of simulation covers most of
the operations/transients linked to the Tihange 1 electricity
production. This means that all responses related to the nuclear
island, conventional island and the BOP are in scope as long as
they directly or indirectly involve simulated plant systems.
simnews: Since you were highly involved with the project, what
do you believe were the biggest challenges and successes?
B. Matthysen: The biggest challenge was to gather all the
plant data and documents into a coherent data package for L-3
MAPPS to use for the design and development of the simulator
in a relatively short amount of time, in order to meet the project
schedule which was driven by the commitment to the regulator for
the full scope simulator to be ready for training in early 2016.
The biggest success is the close collaboration and the
professionalism of the various stakeholders including L-3 MAPPS,
to achieve the ultimate goal of having the simulator ready in 27
months.
simnews: How were the Orchid® tools received by the instructors
and engineers in your organization?
B. Matthysen: The Orchid® tools are very appreciated by the
instructors and engineers involved with the project. Orchid®
Modeling Environment was used extensively for the validation and
the improvement of the simulator all along the project. Although
it is a modeling tool, I believe Orchid® Modeling Environment
was the most liked by the team. It contains an unbelievable
quantity of information. It is also very easy to navigate seamlessly
between the modeling schematics from hydraulic systems to
electrical systems or SIP controls. Orchid® Instructor Station is
also very user-friendly and intuitive and contains a lot of nice and
interesting features (e.g., scenario manager, variable monitoring,
etc.). The entire main control room was replicated very realistically
on interactive soft panels that were used in combination with
Orchid® Modeling Environment for the simulator validation during
pre-factory acceptance testing at L-3 MAPPS in Montreal, Canada.
simnews: In what ways do you think the Tihange 1 full scope
simulator will improve the performance of the operators with the
ultimate goal of protecting the health and safety of the public?
B. Matthysen: The new simulator will improve training especially
on the specifics related to the Tihange 1 secondary systems
such as condensate and main feedwater, main steam, etc. (two
trains and two turbines). This, in turn, will reduce the number
of unplanned plant shutdowns related to the operation of these
systems. Scenarios involving loss of electrical power and loss of
SIP microprocessors are now supported and produce a realistic
response. The new Tihange 1 simulator also allows for much
improved simulation responses in mid-loop cold shutdown
conditions.
simnews: Since you had the chance to spend quite a bit of time
in Montreal to support factory acceptance testing at L-3 MAPPS,
please share with our readers what you think of the city?
B. Matthysen: Montreal is a lively and cosmopolitan city with
numerous great places to eat and visit. Personally, after a busy
work day, I think there is nothing like a stroll along the Old Port of
Montreal or the Lachine Canal. I also enjoyed outdoor concerts at
Parc Jean-Drapeau.
source:Hullie
customerprofile
June 2016 | simnews | 9
10. There are several reasons to challenge this rather simplistic,
even patronizing, and pessimistic assumption. The first is
that there is actually not much evidence that pronuclear
people know more than antinuclear people. Secondly, just
because a considerable proportion of the public may have
a ‘mistaken’ view of the health effects of radiation, in the
sense that their perceptions do not accord with the best
available scientific evidence, this does not mean that these
views are ‘irrational’, i.e. without a cause. Indeed, one can
argue that it is irrational to assume
that people make their minds up
randomly on such issues.
In fact the public seems
stoically, if not obstinately,
comfortable about radiation
exposure – in air travel,
medical contexts, high
radon areas and so on.
Nor does a simple ‘natural/
manmade’ distinction explain
the observation: there have been
many examples of radioactive
material from medical and other
sources that have been released
into human environments,
with many tens of deaths
since the Second World War.2
As far as can be determined,
these incidents, despite their
severity, did not cause significant or
long-lasting radiophobia. In Budapest in
late 2011 there was a brief public scare
over the detection of iodine-131 in airborne
samples, with fears that it might have come from
the Paks nuclear plant or another further afield. After
investigation, however, it was found that the material had been
released over ten weeks from the Institute of Isotopes. At this
there seems to have been a collective sigh of relief – it was
not the dangerous (nuclear power) type of radioactive stuff but
the nice kind, connected in some way with medicine.3
There
is something about the way radiation is communicated in
the nuclear power context which is causing fears that would
otherwise be absent.
Let’s start from the tenet that the public is rational and the
industry irrational and see where it gets us, considering just
three of the industry’s messages.
"Radioactive waste is not very dangerous – about as
hazardous as petrol or paint-stripper – and we are going to
bury it 800 meters underground if somebody will let us."
The industry’s irrational belief over many years has seemed
to be that people will be reassured by this. Actually, the
rational response for the public is more like, “this is the most
dangerous stuff mankind has ever produced (we don’t bury
anything else 800 meters
underground), so we should
be scared. And what’s more,
these jokers must think
we are idiots if they expect
us to believe it is not very
dangerous, so we won’t
believe them ever again.”
"We have spent a
fortune on a monitoring
system that can pick
up radioactivity many
thousands of times below
danger levels."
Industry’s irrational belief
– people will be reassured
by this. Public’s rational
response – this simply
cannot be true. Either the
industry has willfully wasted
a vast amount of my money,
so shouldn’t be trusted, or
it is lying about the dangers
involved. Surely nobody would spend a fortune on detecting
something that can do no harm.
"Safety is the top priority."
Industry’s irrational belief – people will be reassured by this.
Public’s rational response – wow, this really must be dangerous.
And if safety really is more important than generating electricity
or low prices, for example, then why not just stop doing it?
There is a glaring paradox at the heart of perceptions about the riskiness of various methods of generating electricity. On
the one hand, nuclear power has proved probably the safest of the major ways of producing power.1
Yet, on the other hand,
nuclear power is regarded by a considerable proportion of the public as so dangerous that it should not be used at all. The
response of the nuclear industry to the public’s perceptions is a mixture of anger, despair and incomprehension. The public
is ‘irrationally’ afraid of radiation.
viewpoint
10 | simnews | Issue 42
11. Malcolm Grimston is a British
advocate of nuclear power and
a scientific author. He has been
featured extensively on British
television and radio in the context
of nuclear power. Malcolm is
based at the Centre for Energy
Policy and Technology at Imperial
College London.
Malcolm’s latest book “The
Paralysis in Energy Decision
Making: European Energy Policy
in Crisis” was released in May
2016 (Whittles Publishing). The
book explores the reasons for the paralysis in decision-
making in the energy field in the UK and in Western Europe
and suggests ways to tackle the barriers.
1
http://ec.europa.eu/research/energy/pdf/kina_en.pdf, European Commission (2005), ExternE, externalities of energy – methodology 2005 update, EUR 21951, Brussels.
2
Nénot J. C. (1993), Les surexpositions accidentelles, CEA, Paris.
3
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/17/us-europe-radiation-iaea-idUSTRE7AG1F820111117, "Hungary isotope lab likely radioactive source: IAEA," Reuters, 17 November 2011.
4
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tandf/bher/2004/00000010/00000006/art00013, Tanooka H and Sobue T (2004), "Cancer mortality studies in Misasa, a radon
hot spring in Japan: a summary up to 2003," Human and Ecological Risk Assessment, 10 (6) 1189–94.
The reality of an accident like Fukushima is that in physical
terms it was a middle-ranking incident of the kind that
happens perhaps a dozen times in the world every year.
But how could people be expected to believe this after they
were forced from their homes and not allowed back for five
years? In effect, by stressing safety so much the industry
and its supporters have inevitably created the impression
that a major release of radioactivity would be in a different
league from any other major accident – the frequently-
mouthed mantra after Fukushima that "we must never let
this happen again" is something peculiar, if not unique, to
nuclear accidents that one did not hear, for example, after the
oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, an immeasurably more serious
environmental insult. Fukushima was a human disaster, but
that was because of the obsession with reducing small doses
of radiation exposure at the expense of profoundly disrupting
normal life and peace of mind.
At the Japan Atomic Industry Forum Conference in April
2014 one of the speakers bemoaned the fact that people
in Japan do not know that natural and man-made radiation
are the same thing. It was obvious to speaker and audience
alike that correcting this misconception would put the public
mind at rest over the hazards associated with the exclusion
zone and by implication smooth the way to reopening
Japan’s idle nuclear plants. However, considerable parts of
the 20-km exclusion zone around the plant exhibited very
low levels of contamination, if any, yet tens of thousands of
people have been prevented from going home for five years
since the accident. By contrast, areas of Japan such as the
radon-emitting health spa at Misasa remained free from
pressure for evacuation. In such places the background
dose comfortably exceeds the total dose (background
plus contamination) in almost the entire exclusion zone.4
So the intelligent non-specialist in Japan was faced with a
conundrum. The most rational conclusion to draw would
be that natural and man-made radiation must be different.
(To put it another way, practically speaking man-made and
natural radiation are obviously dramatically different. A dose
of the one would result in my being forcibly excluded from
my home and having my entire life disrupted and destroyed;
the same dose of the other would result in no such hell being
visited upon me.) If these intelligent non-specialists could be
persuaded that this was not the case and that natural and
man-made radiation are equivalent, this would not free them
for having to find a way of understanding the actions of the
authorities. They would be left with two other possibilities:
systematic lying by the authorities as to the levels of radiation
in the exclusion zone; or a cruel and unnecessary destruction
of the entire way of life of the exiled residents, by forcing
them away from their homes for such a long period and for
no significant health benefit. It is anyone’s guess which they
would choose – probably the one about the authorities lying
about levels of contamination rather than the other, which is
closest to the truth. But whichever it is, it is not immediately
obvious that the overall effect would be an easing of public
concerns. Far from being irrational, it would seem more likely
that the public is employing its logical faculties in an attempt
to find a credible rationalization for what the authorities have
actually done.
The conclusion is actually quite simple, though very hard to
address. Counterproductive attempts to allay public fears by
treating radiation as more dangerous than it clearly is have
served both to stoke up further fears and thereby exacerbate
the stress-related health effects of a major accident, and to
pile further costs onto nuclear energy, making it less able to
contribute to global energy goals. Reversing this path will not
be an easy step to take. But if the most dangerous nuclear
power station is the one we don’t build (because of the health
consequences of the alternatives) then a start has to be made.
Abandoning the counterproductive Linear No-Threshold model
of radiation harm would be a good beginning.
viewpoint
June 2016 | simnews | 11
12. We have 2 good pics (already modified)
that supported the news release. Others
from ceremony also available (can make
small album). Can add pics of station or
simulator of needed.
EDF Energy’s Jim 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.”
“We have consistently achieved excellent results at
Sizewell B, Hartlepool, Heysham 1 and Hinkley Point
B, and are so happy to have had this opportunity to
upgrade the Sizewell B simulator,” said L-3’s Michael
Chatlani. “Sizewell B has always been a special site to
L-3 MAPPS as it gave us our first significant entry into
the U.K.’s power generation sector and fueled years of
further in-country successes.”
“L-3 has been especially fortunate to enjoy an
outstanding working relationship with our colleagues
at Sizewell B over the last 15 years – the phenomenal
teamwork between our two companies has resulted in
another world-class simulator solution at Sizewell B,”
he added.
The previous UNIX operating system-based simulator
was replaced with new PC/Windows-based computers
running L-3’s trailblazing Orchid® simulation
environment. The reactor core model was upgraded
with 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. The
simulator’s containment model was also upgraded in
Orchid® Modeling Environment. The enhanced simulator
is equipped with new cameras and microphones to
record training sessions using Orchid® Multimedia
Manager, which is fully synchronized with Orchid®
Instructor Station. 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.
L-3 MAPPS participated in the official opening of EDF Energy’s upgraded Sizewell B plant training simulator on 21
January 2016 in Suffolk, U.K. The ceremony was attended by numerous EDF Energy representatives, including Jim
Crawford*, Sizewell B station director. L-3 MAPPS’ team was led by Michael Chatlani, vice president of marketing
& sales.
specialreport
14 | simnews | Issue 42
13. Other deliverables included 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, heat exchangers,
etc. To enhance systems training for plant technicians,
L-3 MAPPS also delivered a series of System Knowledge
Modules – smaller-scale simulations focused on specific
areas of the plant.
EDF Energy is one of the U.K.’s largest energy
companies and its largest producer of low-carbon
electricity. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the EDF
Group, one of Europe’s largest energy groups. EDF
Energy generates approximately one-fifth of the U.K.’s
electricity and employs around 15,000 people. Sizewell
B is currently the only Pressurized Water Reactor in the
United Kingdom and is located on the Suffolk coast,
northeast of London. Sizewell B went into commercial
operation in February 1995 and is expected to be in
operation until 2035.
* Effective 1 March 2016, Jim Crawford was appointed project
development director for Sizewell C. Sizewell C is a proposed
new nuclear power station that would be built to the north of
Sizewell B on the Suffolk coast. It would have two reactors,
known as UK EPRs, capable of generating enough electricity
to supply around five million homes. The project would create
5,600 jobs during peak construction and 900 jobs during
operation. EDF Energy has completed the first stage of
consultation on the project.
From left to right: Jon Heley, Gavin Lancaster, Julie Greenwood, Kevin Caton, Santosh Sajnani, Andy Hill (EDF Energy), Michael Chatlani (L-3 MAPPS),
Nick Alexander, Nigel Bowerman, Stephen Killilea (EDF Energy), Suzanna Guerriero (L-3 MAPPS), Ian Lowe, Simon Goldsmith, Nick Biddiscombe,
Mike Parkes (EDF Energy) and Bernard Gagnon (L-3 MAPPS).
specialreport
June 2016 | simnews | 15
Jim Crawford (Sizewell B Station Director, EDF Energy) (left) accepts
plaque from Michael Chatlani (Vice President, Marketing & Sales,
L-3 MAPPS) (right)
Sizewell B has always been a special
site to L-3 MAPPS as it gave us our first
significant entry into the U.K.’s power
generation sector and fueled years of
further in-country successes.
14. As a global company, L-3 MAPPS is faced with the challenge
of adhering to many different customer data security
requirements. Different countries/customers have different
intellectual property (IP) protection requirements which address
local government regulations, industry standards and best
practices. L-3 MAPPS is also required to adhere to Canadian
export (Controlled Goods) laws as well as L-3 corporate policies.
In this context, L-3 MAPPS has implemented processes and
systems to ensure that our customers’ data is protected.
Physical access to L-3 MAPPS is controlled via swipe card
access. Our facilities are monitored by onsite security
personnel 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our test site
environment (where our simulators and control systems are
tested) has a secondary swipe card access system for projects
with higher security classification and camera surveillance.
The information technology (IT) server
room and telecommunications
closets are also protected
by swipe card access and
controlled keys to limit the
access.
L-3 MAPPS’ divisional local area network (LAN) is embedded
within the L-3 corporate wide area network (WAN). L-3 deploys
a comprehensive array of systems to both corporate and
divisional levels to protect ourselves from internet threats. IT
systems are monitored and alert in real time for virus infection,
unusual administrative account activity, environmental issues
and system failures.
Our IT department tests and deploys monthly critical security
patches to all systems in a timely manner. L-3 has also
implemented additional systems to provide employees a
secure separate environment to browse the internet. All
laptops’ hard disk drives are encrypted and require two-factor
authentication (TFA) to boot, and all computers are configured
to block non-L-3 standard USB mass storage devices.
As part of our employee hiring process, L-3 MAPPS performs
a background security check on all potential new employees
before they are hired. During the initial employee integration
process, the newly hired employee receives a formal
presentation on our company and IT security policies from the
L-3 MAPPS security officer. Annually, all L-3 MAPPS employees
are required to take online business conduct and ethics
compliance refresher training and to complete a training
module on data protection every three years. These processes
are subject to audit by both internal L-3 auditors and external
auditors to ensure objectivity.
At the beginning of every project, L-3 MAPPS performs an
internal review board meeting with representation from various
departments to determine the security classification of the
project data. After the security level of the data is determined,
employee access to the data is formally requested and
approved by the security officer based on security clearance
and need to know. The IT department creates the project
documentation portal and sets the access controls using a
custom security template designed for the security level of the
project data.
L-3 MAPPS has developed a standard project documentation
portal based on the Microsoft SharePoint platform for
our customers and employees to collaborate and share
information. This central repository stores the customer
As the world becomes more and more interconnected via the internet, small and large companies are being targeted by
hackers for their company proprietary data and personally identifiable information. Data breaches are frequently occurring and
power facilities are not immune to these attacks. In recent years, the Natanz Nuclear Facility, KHNP and Ukraine’s power grid
were all victims of a cyber-attack where either a breach of company intellectual property or a service interruption occurred.
The U.S. NRC has mandated stricter and more comprehensive cyber security controls on plant systems as well as on training
simulator systems. These additional security requirements make it more difficult to accommodate a global workforce using
modern collaboration tools to maintain and develop a simulator via the internet. L-3 MAPPS recognizes that information
sharing and information security are opposing forces and continues to improve our systems and processes to protect our
customers’ proprietary information while at the same time providing a secure collaborative environment.
specialreport
16 | simnews | Issue 42
15. companynews
The app provides various resources like L-3’s Code of
Ethics and Business Conduct and awareness tools for
easy access, anywhere, anytime. The L-3 Ethics App is
available for download to Apple and Android devices.
One of the most important factors in L-3’s long-term
success that we take pride in, is the way L-3 employees
conduct themselves with suppliers, customers, co-
workers and competitors, as well as in the communities
where they work.
Our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct provides
our employees with different guidelines on how to
conduct themselves, and applies to everyone at L-3
Communications, regardless of position and level of
responsibility, as well as to those who act on behalf of L-3
Communications.
L-3 Communications continues to maintain its reputation
as a company with an outstanding work force, high
ethical standards and superior technology and service.
Download the L-3 Ethics App!
Integrity, Excellence,
Accountability and
Respect. These are
L-3’s core values. To
propagate these values,
L-3 recently launched
the L-3 Ethics App. With
the use of the mobile
app, L-3 employees and
partners can instantly
access the information
they need in order to
assist them with their
daily work activities and
decision-making.
furnished information (CFI) used to build and test the
simulation software. The portal also holds all delivered
documentation and transmittal notices. We have also
integrated our Change Request (CR) and Failure Report (FR)
systems into the portal to provide a “one-stop shop” for all
project related information. External access to the project
portal is limited to L-3 MAPPS employees and the customer.
Remote access to the project portal is controlled via TFA.
To document receipt and to control CFI, L-3 MAPPS has
implemented a formal process to receive and verify all received
documentation for content and security classification. After
verification with engineering subject matter experts, the
document administrator uploads the documents into the
restricted/unrestricted folders and applies the appropriate
document-specific designated information (i.e., metadata).
Receipt log reports are generated and stored in the project portal.
As we can see, simulator security has evolved tremendously
in recent years. Previously a standalone or static simulator
was considered a safer alternative to having the simulator
connected to the company LAN. Operating systems were
not updated and antivirus software was discouraged due to
concerns about interference with simulator performance. What
has become apparent is that even if a system is standalone,
it can be infected with malware from an infected USB mass
storage device. From our experience, these standalone systems
tend to have poor IT management. Most simulator support
groups lack the IT expertise and resources to manage their
simulator network following industry best practices (e.g.,
National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Protecting
Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Information
Systems and Organizations (Draft Special Publication 800-
171 or ISO/IEC 27001 Information technology — Security
techniques — Information security management systems). By
involving IT in the day-to-day management of the simulator
network, they can focus on their core responsibility of simulator
development, maintenance and management.
At L-3 MAPPS, we believe that simulator systems need
consistent IT management. IT governance is no longer
a hindrance, it is a necessity to ensure a safe, optimally
performing computing environment. Company IT departments
have established systems management tools and processes for
account management, malware protection, disaster recovery,
monitoring and reporting. IT security is constantly evolving
due to the “adversary” constantly changing tactics. We feel
our perimeter protection from the internet is solid, but we are
continuing to be proactive in this area. Several projects are
underway to further tighten internal controls.
In summary, cybersecurity threats are real and occurring
every day. Power generating facilities are being targeted –
including the training systems which hold sensitive information
that needs to be protected. Old methods of protecting the
simulator network are ineffective. In order to effectively protect
simulators, they need to be managed at the same level as
other IT systems. Companies need to leverage their existing
IT security expertise and infrastructure within the training
simulator environment.
June 2016 | simnews | 17
16. Orchid® Simulation Hub
Instructor Controls Restore launched from Orchid® Simulation Hub
technicaldevelopments
18 | simnews | Issue 42
Orchid® Network Loader allows the creation of sequences
which invoke one or multiple services. The sequences can be
executed from anywhere on the network and Orchid® Network
Loader dispatches the execution of services to the appropriate
computer on the simulation network. This flexibility allows
users to load all the distributed elements of a simulation from
a single machine, with the click of a button. Regardless of the
programs that must be loaded for the simulation, Orchid®
Network Loader dispatches the execution of the proper services
(load and unload commands) across the network, including the
plant simulation on the simulator server, the instructor station
programs on several workstations, and any other programs for
stimulated devices and peripheral systems.
The Orchid® Simulation Hub was recently added to Orchid®
Network Loader in order to provide quick and easy access
to simple simulator actions. The Simulation Hub is therefore
always accessible from anywhere on the simulation network
and allows access to all instructor-related Orchid® tools
installed on the network machines.
With the Simulation Hub there is no need to open the Orchid®
Instructor Station window among all other open windows
when a simple restore or run function needs to be executed.
The Instructor Controls pane at the top of the Simulation Hub
provides quick access to important Orchid® Instructor Station
functions, such as Run, Freeze, Restore, Restore Last and Run
Scenario.
The user will first select which simulation server to perform
an action on. Then, when clicking on the desired action, the
Simulation Hub will list all possible actions available, such as
all of the initial conditions that can be restored, the scenarios
that can be executed, etc.
The Simulation Hub also contains a Core Viewer button that
rapidly provides the Core Viewer. The Core Viewer offers
2-D and 3-D views of the different parameters of interest
inside the core model. The Core Viewer runs in a browser
and connects to the Orchid® Core Builder server running on
the selected simulation machine. The Core Viewer is also
Orchid® Network Loader is L-3 MAPPS’ tool for detecting and controlling simulation software over the simulator network.
Orchid® Network Loader provides a collaborative virtual network where components (i.e., computers) can communicate with
each other for better control of the simulation environment. Orchid® Network Loader uses a service-oriented architecture
(SOA), where each component provides software services to other components over the network. Orchid® Network Loader
allows users the flexibility to define their own services, empowering them to utilize the SOA to its fullest. Most recently, the
Orchid® Simulation Hub has been added to Orchid® Network Loader.
17. designed to support the viewing of third-party reactor core
models if need be.
The Miscellaneous Tools section at the bottom of the Simulation
Hub provides access to a steam tables properties calculator
and to the native Windows calculator.
Orchid® Network Loader provides users with the flexibility to
have maximum control of the simulation with a simple user
interface. The addition of the Simulation Hub to Orchid®
Network Loader is aimed at further simplifying day-to-day
simulator management operations for both instructors and
maintenance personnel.
technicaldevelopments
June 2016 | simnews | 19
Core Viewer launched from Orchid® Simulation Hub
Steam Tables Calculator
L-3 MAPPS was featured in the latest issue (volume 5,
issue 2) of Power Insider – Asia’s Leading Power Report,
published by SKS Global. A comprehensive three-page
interview was conducted with our Michael Chatlani, vice
president, marketing & sales.
In the interview, Michael outlines how L-3 MAPPS became
a world leader in nuclear power plant simulation, the
important role that L-3 MAPPS’ customers have played and
continue to play in the evolution of its technologies and also
talks about the introduction of new technologies aimed at
supporting the training of new nuclear workforce candidates.
He also addressed common misconceptions about the use
of simulation in the nuclear power arena.
When asked by the editorial staff of simnews his thoughts
on the interview published in Power Insider, Michael said: “It
is always an honor to speak on behalf of L-3 MAPPS and to
get the word out about our innovative simulation products.
I particularly enjoyed this interview because of the smart
questions from the editor and the opportunity to talk about
the business in an all-encompassing way.”
L-3 MAPPS in
Power Insider
magazine
18. SIMULATION SERVER
MALFUNCTIONS
REMOTE MALFUNCTIONS
SYNCHRONIZED
NETWORK
SWITCH
ORCHID®
COMMUNICATIONS EXCHANGE
INTERFACE
COMPUTER
ORCHID®
COMMUNICATIONS EXCHANGE
CLIENT COMPUTER
TOUCH
SCREEN
ORCHID®
COMMUNICATIONS EXCHANGE
INSTRUCTOR COMPUTER
TOUCH
SCREEN
In an actual ship or power plant, operators have access to
diverse communication systems such as telephones, public-
address systems and touch-capable communication panels to
be able to communicate with other areas of the ship or plant.
In a simulated control room, operators must likewise have
access to the same communication systems. However, since
the remote location being called is not always simulated,
instructors in the instructor booth must “role play” the remote
site operators. When this occurs, the operator using the
communication systems must have the impression that he/she
is dealing with an actual remote system operator. This includes
dialing the correct number of the remote operator and hearing
the appropriate background noises when the communication
occurs. Orchid® Communications Exchange provides the
backbone architecture to provide these capabilities.
Orchid® Communications Exchange has the following features:
• Allows control room operators to make voice calls
to outside-the-control-room locations. The calls are
automatically forwarded to the instructor.
• Allows the instructor to see which area (telephone
number) is being called, and answer as if the call was
being answered from that location.
• The system automatically superimposes a background
noise if the simulation conditions are in a state which
would cause the called location to be noisy. For example,
if the operator calls the turbine room and the turbine is
running, the operator will hear a turbine noise during the
call.
• Supports various real-life communication modes: one-to-
one calls, conference calls, broadcasting, transfer of call,
hold, etc.
• Supports public address and broadcast speakers for
general notifications.
• Supports instructor-initiated failures such as dropped
lines and communication failures.
For most projects, Orchid® Communications Exchange will
require some customization to replicate the exact look and feel
of the real communications system. For example, L-3 MAPPS
is able to modify an actual plant phone to add simulation
capabilities such as processing the dial keys, volume control,
off/on-hook, etc. Orchid® Communications Exchange is based
on and compatible with the other Orchid® tools.
While customization may be required to interface to plant-
specific equipment, Orchid® Communications Exchange
does this entirely with COTS hardware: Windows PCs for
call management and sound recording/playing, off-the-
shelf amplifiers and adapters for earpiece and microphone
interfacing, and L-3 MAPPS’ compact I/O solution for
pushbutton, keypad, and visual indicators interfacing.
To simulate the communications system used on board the
Royal Navy’s Astute class attack submarine, L-3 MAPPS
recently deployed Orchid® Communications Exchange on the
maneuvering room trainer used to train crew. The solution
provided interfaces with various types of equipment such as
telephones, microphones, speakers, etc. A touchscreen with
a replica of the actual system screen used on the submarine
was developed to fully replicate the same environment that the
submariners have when in actual missions.
Orchid® Communications Exchange is a low-cost
communications system fully controlled by the Orchid®
simulation environment that reproduces the look and feel
of the actual control room communications system and
uses COTS hardware and software components to reduce
maintenance costs.
*Fantastic! What is Unicode?
L-3 MAPPS is pleased to introduce Orchid® Communications Exchange, a software platform to simulate communications systems for
applications within control room training simulators. The software platform is fully configurable to simulate any communication system
and runs on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware.
20 | simnews | Issue 42
technicaldevelopments
19. Out and About
Since the last issue of simnews was published, L-3 MAPPS has been out
and about at various conferences and tradeshows demonstrating
its extensive Power Systems and Simulation know-how and
technologies. A round-up of the most recent events follows.
PowerPlantSim 2016
L-3 MAPPS was in San
Antonio, Texas on 1-3
February 2016 for the
annual PowerPlantSim
conference, the one
US event that is
focused on power
plant simulation and
backed by Utility
Simulator Users Group
(USUG). In addition
to showcasing L-3
MAPPS’ cutting-edge
nuclear power plant simulation solutions, we delivered a
record seven presentations, namely:
• Configuration Management in the Graphical Modeling
Context
• Exploiting Technology for Better Early Nuclear Workers
Training
• PWR Severe Accident
Simulator for Japan
• Protecting IT Assets:
Simulator Security in a
Changing World
• Replacing the St. Lucie
Simulator I/O System
• Replacing the
Susquehanna Full Scope Simulator
• Tihange 1 Full Scope Simulator: Status Update
PowerPlantSim 2017 will take place in San Diego, California on
16-19 January 2017. We hope to see you there!
2016 CNA Conference & Trade Show
On 24-26 February 2016, L-3 MAPPS
was in Ottawa at the Canadian Nuclear
Association's 2016 Conference and
Trade Show, showcasing its leadership
in nuclear power plant simulation and
CANDU plant controls. L-3 MAPPS has
served the Canadian nuclear industry
since 1973 and is poised to support
the Core of Canada's Low-Carbon
Future for the next 40 years.
2016 Istanbul Nuclear Power Plants
Summit
L-3 MAPPS participated at the
2016 International Nuclear
Power Plants Summit (INPPS) in
Istanbul, Turkey on 8-9 March
2016. On the second day of the
event, Michael Chatlani, vice
president, marketing & sales,
delivered a keynote speech
on "Making Nuclear Learning
Better." L-3 MAPPS is pleased
to continue
supporting
development
activities in
this emerging
nuclear power
generation
market.
2nd Middle East Nuclear Training and
Simulation Forum
L-3 MAPPS participated in NRG Events’ 2nd Middle East
Nuclear Training and Simulation Forum in Abu Dhabi, United
Arab Emirates on 14-15 March 2016. We delivered three
presentations at the Forum as follows:
• A Global Presence: Latest Large-Scale NPP Simulators by
L-3 MAPPS
• Enhancing the Crew Evaluation and Training Experience
on Your Full Scope Simulator
• Exploiting Technology for Better Early Nuclear Workers
Learning
Our Michael Chatlani,
vice president,
marketing & sales,
chaired an interesting
panel discussion on
employing simulation
technology in colleges
and universities.
Panelists included
experts from Abu
Dhabi Polytechnic
(UAE), EDF Energy
Campus (UK), King
Abdulaziz University (Saudi Arabia)
and University of Sharjah (UAE).
infoexchange
June 2016 | simnews | 21
20. 6-7 June 2016 Event New Nuclear International Conference
Location Warsaw, Poland
Organizer(s) Goodnight Consulting
Participate www.newnuclearinternational.com
28-30 June 2016 Event World Nuclear Exhibition
Location Paris (Le Bourget), France
Organizer(s) Reed Expositions
Participate www.world-nuclear-exhibition.com
14-17 August 2016 Event Utility Working Conference and Vendor
Technology Expo
Location Amelia Island, Florida, USA
Organizer(s) American Nuclear Society (ANS)
Participate www.uwc.ans.org
28 September 2016 Event OCI/SNC-Lavalin Suppliers Day
Location Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Organizer(s) Organization of Canadian Nuclear
Industries (OCI)
Participate www.oci-aic.org
3-4 October 2016 Event 2016 Owners Circle™ Conference
Location Lyon, France
Organizer(s) L-3 MAPPS
Participate By invitation: for L-3 MAPPS product
owners/users
5-7 October 2016 Event 2016 European Nuclear Power Plant
Simulation Forum
Location Lyon, France
Organizer(s) NRG Events
Participate www.nrg-events.com
9-13 October 2016 Event ENC 2016
Location Warsaw, Poland
Organizer(s) European Nuclear Society
Participate www.euronuclear.org/events/enc/
enc2016/index.htm
20-21 October 2016 Event India Nuclear Energy 2016
Location Mumbai, India
Organizer(s) UBM India Pvt. Ltd.
Participate www.ubmindia.in/indianuclearenergy/
home
7-11 November 2016 Event Third International Conference on Nuclear
Knowledge Management
Location Vienna, Austria
Organizer(s) International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Participate www-pub.iaea.org/iaeameetings/50805/
Third-International-Conference-on-
Nuclear-Knowledge-Management-
Challenges-and-Approaches
The following are upcoming conferences,exhibitions and seminars where you canexpect to meet with L-3 MAPPS PowerSystems and Simulation.
The following are upcoming conferences,exhibitions and seminars where you canexpect to meet with L-3 MAPPS PowerSystems and Simulation.
OCI Trade Mission to China
On 4-10 April
2016, L-3 MAPPS
joined several
other Canadian
companies for
a nuclear trade
mission in Beijing,
China. The mission
was organized by
the Organization
for Canadian
Nuclear Industries
(OCI) and largely
revolved around
two events: Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference
(PBNC) 2016 and Nuclear Industry China (NIC) Exhibition
2016. L-3 MAPPS is proud that the delegation was joined
by Parliamentary Secretary for Natural Resources, Ms. Kim
Rudd, who delivered an effective keynote address at the PBNC
opening ceremony.
NESTet 2016
The European Nuclear Society’s conference on nuclear
education and training, NESTet, took place on 22-26
May 2016 in Berlin, Germany. L-3 MAPPS was happy to
be on hand and presented “Sizewell B Simulator Project:
Benefiting from the Latest Technology.”
OCI/OPG Suppliers Day 2016
L-3 MAPPS participated in the Organization for Canadian
Nuclear Industries' Ontario Power Generation (OPG)
Suppliers Day on 25 May 2016 in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. L-3
MAPPS is currently developing replacement trip computers
for OPG’s Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. See the full
story in the New Business section of this issue of simnews.
4th China Nuclear Training and
Simulation Forum
L-3 MAPPS was
pleased to lead
the way with a
strong presence
at NRG Events’
latest China
Nuclear Training
and Simulation
Forum, which
took place on
25-27 May
2016 in Beijing.
Our Michael Chatlani (vice president, marketing & sales)
served as the forum’s chairman and Vincent Gagnon (sales
manager) moderated two panel discussions. L-3 MAPPS
has served the Chinese nuclear power plant simulation
market for almost 20 years and is pleased to develop new
successes in the market going forward.
infoexchange
22 | simnews | Issue 42
22. Learning Simulators: Enhancing Nuclear Plant Learning
As the world’s preeminent supplier of full scope operator training simulators, L-3 MAPPS introduces Learning Simulators
to bridge the gap between early nuclear worker training and operator training. This innovative new software environment
leverages our detailed and accurate plant models. But instead of focusing on the procedural aspects of operating your
plant, Learning Simulators provide a fully interactive and visual environment designed to facilitate true understanding of your
plant’s behavior.
For more information on L-3 MAPPS’ Learning Simulators, visit L-3com.com/MAPPS or send us a request for a white
paper at power.mapps@L-3com.com.
MAPPS L-3com.com
ENHANCED LEARNING
FOR NUCLEAR PLANT UNDERSTANDING
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