Seismic Qualification of Safety-Related Electrical Equipment in Nuclear Power Plant

Abstract

Nuclear power plants are critical facility with safety being major concern. Equipment installed in nuclear power plant should have absolute reliability and guaranteed operation under extreme environmental conditions. Earthquake is one of the devastating natural environmental condition. Nuclear power plant equipment and structures should perform its safety related function during and/or after an earthquake. Motor control centres, Distribution boards, Power cum motor control centres, LT panels are part of safety related equipment in nuclear power plant, normal functioning of these panels during and/or after earthquake is highly essential for safe power plant operation. Designing of equipment for seismic dynamic loading and validating design by shake table testing will ensure safe functioning of nuclear power plant in the event of earthquake. Based on geographical location of nuclear power plant seismic loading details are estimated, site specific and floor specific earthquake loads are used for design. Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) is equipped with state-of-the-art tri-axial shake table facility for simulating true earthquake vibration. Seismic qualification methods, codal provisions and seismic qualification of Power cum Motor Control Centre (PMCC) Panel used in nuclear power plant by shake table method is discussed in this paper.