Safety and operational issues in off-grid SMRs in remote locations and their potential solutions

小型模块反应堆(SMR)的一个潜在应用是远程离网部署。由于地点偏远，在现场派驻足够数量的业务和支助人员并不总是可行的。还提出了几个SMR设计，用于低等级安装，这可能会对人工检查/信息收集造成额外的困难和技术挑战。远程位置还使SMR容易受到潜在对手的攻击，例如网络攻击和破坏。因此，偏远地区的SMR将需要可靠的通信渠道，以确保当地和远程遥测的放射性材料的安全和保障。核设施的安全和运行依赖于从测量重要物理参数的大量传感器收集的信息。这些数据被转发到控制中心和/或应急响应团队以供采取行动。在有限空间内或到偏远地点的数据传输将需要高度可靠的通信系统。在这种情况下，它可以在现场覆盖多个压力和屏蔽边界，或者在各种地理条件下覆盖遥远的距离。对于部署在偏远地区的离网SMR，仍有许多未知因素需要专门调查。拟议的项目首先调查不同类型离网SMR的一般性问题，并确定远程监测和操作的具体需求，特别侧重于这些工厂中放射性材料的安全和保障。然后，项目的第二部分是设计和原型一种新型的多信道通信系统，专门用于偏远地区的离网SMR。拟议项目所产生的知识将为国家核安全委员会提供一份全面的问题清单，这些问题涉及对现场工作人员有限的偏远地区离网SMR的监管，以及借助先进的通信和信息技术加强业务安全和防止核扩散的潜在解决方案。

One of the potential applications of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) is for remote off-grid deployment. Due to the remote locations, it is not always feasible to station a sufficient number of operating and supporting staff on-site. A few SMR designs were also proposed for below-grade installation, which may cause additional difficulties and technical challenges for manual inspection/information-gathering. The remote locations also render an SMR vulnerable to potential adversaries, e.g., cyber-attacks and sabotage. Therefore, SMRs in remote locations will require reliable communication channels for safety and safeguarding radioactive materials, both locally on-site and through long-distance telemetry. The safety and operation of a nuclear installation rely on information collected from a large number of sensors measuring vital physical parameters. This data is forwarded to control centers and/or emergency response teams for action. Data transmission within a confined space or to remote locations will require highly reliable communication systems. In this case, it can cover multiple pressure and shielding boundaries on-site or a vast distance with a variety of geographical conditions. There are still many unknowns to be investigated specifically for off-grid SMRs deployed in remote locations. The proposed project first investigates issues generic to different types of off-grid SMRs, and identifies specific needs for remote monitoring and operation, with a specific focus on the safety and safeguarding of radioactive materials in these plants. Then, the second part of the project is to design and prototype a novel multichannel communication system specifically for off-grid SMRs in remote locations. The knowledge generated from the proposed project will provide the CNSC with a comprehensive list of questions relevant to regulation for off-grid SMRs in remote locations with limited on-site staffing, and potential solutions to enhance operational safety and safeguard against nuclear proliferation with the help of advanced communication and information technologies.