ML23270B897

NRC Research Activities for Nuclear Digital Twins, John Matrachisia and Thomas G. Scarbrough, Us NRC, September 2023

ML23270B897
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Issue date:	09/27/2023
From:	Matrachisia J, Thomas Scarbrough NRC/NRR/DEX/EMIB
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NRC Research Activities for Nuclear Digital Twins John Matrachisia Thomas G. Scarbrough U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission September 2023

2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project was supported by multiple NRC offices including:

Nuclear Regulatory Research Doug Eskins Chris Ulmer Ramon Gascot Chris Nellis Bruce Lin Brian Cohn Nuclear Reactor Regulation Daniel Ju Tom Scarbrough Holly Cruz Kyle Song Greg Oberson Candace de Messieres Nachiketh Chandran Nuclear Security and Incident

Response

Al Tardiff Bern Stapleton Lou Cubellis Stacy Prasad Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Glenn Tuttle Jesse Carlson Jim Rubenstone

ML22192A046 Technical Letter Reports Future Focused Research Project ML23058A085 ML22235A643 ML21361A261 ML21160A074 ML21348A020 ML2108A132 Information Letters NRC Public Digital Twins Webpage 7

5 DIGITAL TWINS PROJECT Follow-on Report 3

DIGITAL TWINS: STATE OF TECHNOLOGY

• Increased interest and activity in digital twin technologies, both in the nuclear field and other industries

• Key digital twin enabling technologies

• Literature survey found many different definitions for a digital twin 4

DIGITAL TWIN SYSTEM 5

DIGITAL TWIN CHARACTERISTICS & CAPABILITIES 6

DIGITAL TWINS: CHALLENGES & GAPS Enabling Technology Key Challenge Advanced Sensors & Instrumentation (ASI) Building adequate ASI infrastructure Data and Information Management Developing user interfaces for data and information Data Analytics Implementing scalable, integrable data analytics AI/ML Establishing AI/ML trustworthiness and explainability Modeling and Simulation Constructing real-time, high-fidelity physics-based simulations Developing real-time, data-informed models Verifying and validating integrated models Regulatory Consideration Opportunity Information Reporting Data and report generation Operator Licensing Up-to-date and validated simulator model Component Performance Real-time condition-based monitoring and preventative maintenance Event Assessment Virtual environment event replay Safety Analysis Integrated modeling and simulation to support decision making 7

Meeting the requirements for environmental qualification, performance, reliability, and maintainability Ability of communication technology to evolve as scalable, agile, and modular Enabling the implementation of multimodal sensors Supporting edge computing and smart sensors Cyber Security Challenges inherent to ASI and CT Integration of ASI and CT with DT Supporting real-time integration of ASI and communication technology with a DT for state concurrence Ensuring adaptability of a DT to accommodate different technological advancements in ASI and CT Developing a DT for performance and reliability of advanced sensors ADVANCED SENSORS AND INSTRUMENTATION 8

Future Planned Activities Assessment of Standards -

Stakeholder Engagement Demonstration of Applications of Digital Twins Develop Regulatory Guidance Communication and Knowledge Management 9

Regulatory Aspects related to DT Technology

• The regulatory role of the NRC staff will be to review and approve any DT/ML/AI approaches used to meet the NRC regulations for the safe operation of nuclear power plants.

• NRC regulatory staff efforts are focused on preparing to make a reasonable assurance finding on the use of such technologies at nuclear power plants.

• Along those lines, the NRC staff can best focus our current efforts if we are able to obtain information via early engagement on the possible applications of these technologies.

• The more prepared the NRC staff are for a particular type or method of application, the more efficient and effective the NRC staff can be in terms of time and resources to reach our safety finding.

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Implementation of DT Technology

Background

• NRC specifies regulatory requirements for applicants and licensees of nuclear power plants to establish IST programs for pumps, valves, and dynamic restraints (snubbers) to provide reasonable assurance of operational readiness to perform their safety functions in nuclear power plants that use water in their cooling systems.

• ASME established provisions for IST programs for pumps, valves, and dynamic restraints that perform safety functions for water-cooled reactors in the ASME OM Code.

• NRC incorporates by reference ASME OM Code in 10 CFR 50.55a with applicable conditions for water-cooled nuclear power plants.

• Current US water-cooled nuclear power plants typically operate for 18 to 24 months before shutting down to perform refueling activities and to test components that cannot be tested during plant operation.

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Implementation of DT Technology Current Activities

• Some new and advanced designs of nuclear power plants vary significantly from current water-cooled reactors with less opportunities for testing components during plant operations or refueling outages.

• Condition monitoring rather than specific testing of components might be needed or proposed by new and advanced reactor applicants or licensees based on the reactor design or operations.

• ASME is preparing a new OM-2 Code for IST programs in new and advanced reactors for components that (1) generate, allow, throttle, or isolate fluid flow; (2) provide pressure relief; or (3) establish dynamic restraint to ensure the structural integrity of piping systems and their components.

• Scope of OM-2 Code is broader than pumps, valves, and dynamic restraints for ASME OM Code because new and advanced reactors might use different components than current water-cooled reactors.

• OM-2 Code allows condition monitoring of components that could include DT technology where justified by applicant or licensee and approved by NRC.

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Implementation of DT Technology Future Activities

• ASME is planning to issue new OM-2 Code in early 2024.

• NRC is preparing a Regulatory Guide to accept ASME OM-2 Code with applicable conditions.

• Applicants and licensees for new and advanced reactors may specify use of ASME OM-2 Code as accepted in the NRC regulatory guide for IST programs in their licensing applications.

• Applicants and licensees for new and advanced reactors may propose the use of DT technology as part of their IST condition monitoring programs for review and approval by the NRC.

• Licensees of current water-cooled nuclear power plants might request use of ASME OM-2 Code as part of their IST programs.

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Acronyms

• AI/ML: Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning

• ASI: Advanced Sensors & Instrumentation

• ASME: American Society of Mechanical Engineers

• CFR: Code of Federal Regulations

• CT: Communication Technology

• DT: Digital Twins

• IST: Inservice Testing

• NRC: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

• OM Code: Operation and Maintenance Code

• US: United States 14

THANK YOU NRC Digital Twins Public Page https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/power/digital-twins.html