Fortum's Apros simulation tool used for Forsmark nuclear power plant

Forsmark Kraftgrupp AB (FKA), a Swedish nuclear power producer, has extensively used Fortum's Apros® simulation tool for analyzing the operations of its nuclear power plant.

The company began using the Apros software in 2004 when the power uprate project for the F2 reactor commenced. The goal was to increase the reactor's power level from 900 MWe to 1118 MWe. This project involved significant component replacements and modifications in the reactor, as well as other process and automation systems. Due to the complex changes, precise compatibility analyses were necessary to ensure the functionality of the entire plant.

Forsmark selected Apros for its capability to accurately simulate the complete water-steam cycle and its associated systems, including the reactor, turbines, and automation. Fortum developed an "as-built" model of Forsmark 2 in 2008, which was validated against plant measurements. In 2009, the model was updated to reflect the increased power level and was used to analyze the plant's behavior under various scenarios.

Beyond the power uprate project, FKA has also employed Apros for operational planning, including the analysis of the spent fuel pool and the pressure protection of the moisture separator reheater at Forsmark 3, as well as for containment safety analyses at Forsmark 2. The software aids in evaluating residual heat removal and system configurations during abnormal situations.

Magnus Adolfsson, Nuclear Safety Engineer at FKA, highlights the advantages of the Apros software for conducting detailed process and automation analyses, stating that it helps in understanding complex events and supports decision-making through rapid and accurate results.