Apros® – Advanced process simulation software for nuclear and thermal power plants
Apros® enables the modelling and simulation of complex power plant configurations, from solving engineering issues to the dynamic testing of digital instrumentation and control systems. In a single software tool we successfully combine high accuracy with high simulation speed making Apros® an excellent choice for a variety of use cases from engineering and safety analysis to full-scope training simulators.
This is how we support our customers with plant safety and process simulations issues
- Apros® software licenses and training
- Apros® modelling and consultation services
- Generic simulation models for NPPs and conventional plants
- Engineering analyses to support projects and design work
- Deterministic safety analyses
- Operator Training Simulators
Our Apros® references
We provide Apros software licenses and training to get you started with your modelling projects. We provide both general Apros training, as well as customized trainings on specific topics.
We provide expertise support to help progress your projects. We can provide you support either on as-needed basis, or we can provide the full simulation projects scope to you by delivering fully developed plant simulation model and/or analysis reports to you.
We have used Apros in numerous projects to our own power plants e.g. to in following topics:
- find out technical specification for new equipment (such as new pumps or heat exchangers)
- verify and test the new I&C design in modernization projects
- to speed up commissioning phase of our plants
Should you need help in developing the digital twin of your power plant, we are ready to help you.
Dynamic simulation is a great tool in complex engineering projects, such as equipment modernization, process modification, I&C renewal, or commissioning tests. Many system changes are very complex and finding out all the outcomes of design changes is a challenging task, to which dynamic simulation provides an excellent tool. With the help of early design verification, testing and virtual commissioning, a lot of delays and problems in the actual commissioning phase can be avoided.
Dynamic simulation provides value to engineers as a tool and as a systematic process to carry out the following tasks:
- Development of control strategies
- Analysis of the system operation
- “What-if experiments” that are not possible in the real plant.
- Transients, such as load or grade changes, but also disturbances, malfunctions and accidents.
- Verification of design
- Integrated verification of the process and automation design, and verification of equipment dimensioning.
- Testing of control system
- Connecting the actual DCS (Distributed Control System) to the process simulator and testing the functionality of the system.
- Finding proper control parameters (pretuning of controllers)
- This leads to a significantly shorter factory acceptance testing and commissioning time of the automation and earlier start of production.
During power plant operations, unpredicted states and conditions occur. To ensure plant safety and continued efficient operation, it is important to quickly identify the reason for the observed deviations from the expected plant state. Dynamic simulation is an invaluable tool in these problem solving tasks. It provides a way to:
- Identify the reason for the deviation
- Assess the severity of the issue and potential impacts on safety and efficiency
- Plan a solution to the issue
At Fortum, we have encountered similar challenges in our own plants and projects, and by successfully using Apros to overcome them, we have recognized the great value of using Apros in both small and large engineering projects. We see that dynamic simulation provides very much value in all stages in a plant life-cycle. Thus, the maximum benefits of dynamic simulation are achieved when dynamic simulation is an integral part of the engineering workflow.
Apros® newsletter
We provide deterministic safety analysis support with Apros® software based on our long experience in the nuclear industry.
Apros is a modern and user-friendly software for developing and maintaining the analysis models. Intuitive graphical user interface together with wide programming tools enable fast and efficient model development, analysis calculation and result export to reporting purposes. Model modifications are easy to do without separate input deck preparations. Switching between different power plant states (full power, part load, hot shutdown etc.) can be easily done with the help of initial conditions, which can be saved at any point of the simulation. Model documentation can be easily integrated in the model by Wikidocs, embedding documents into the model, or by adding URL links to plant documentation location.
Apros is continuously developed and validated, as we use it extensively to calculate Loviisa NPP deterministic safety analysis. We invest and put our effort to continuous development and thus a new major Apros release is published and validated at least once a year with improvements to the efficiency, accuracy and applicability. Apros is extensively validated with separate effect and integral tests.
Besides Fortum, Forsmark Kraftgrupp AB has also used Apros to calculate official safety analysis in Sweden. Also Westinghouse Electric Sweden has carried out QA audit to Apros software quality system during 2023-2024 and Apros software has been accepted to be used for deterministic analysis and engineering use in their projects.
Please contact us if you are interested in Apros licenses, training or modelling and analysis support regarding deterministic safety analyses.
We provide generic power plant simulation models as a starting point for customer own modelling projects. The access to ready-made large-scope model greatly speeds up own model development and getting familiar with Apros simulation software features.
We have following generic power plant models available for sale:
- Generic Pressurized Water Reactor
- Generic Small Modular Reactor
- Generic VVER-440
- Generic Gas Turbine
The generic simulation models provide good information and examples about various power plants systems (e.g. turbine island, heat exchangers, operational I&C systems etc.) and how they can be modelled in Apros. This significantly speeds up the model development and also provides good learning tool for new power plant engineers and energy specialist of the power plant dynamics.
Apros has been successfully used in many training simulator projects to model plant processes and automation. Apros simulation software successfully combines high accuracy with high simulation speed. This makes Apros an excellent choice for full-scope training simulators.
Apros software includes many features that make the building of training simulators easy:
- Fast and easy model building
- Comprehensive component library (process, automation, electrical etc.)
- Accurate and fast calculation for all plant states (full power, transients, shutdown)
- Whole plant modelled in one simulation model
- For nuclear applications, also containment, 3D neutronics and radioactivity transport models
We have used Apros to when implement the new operator training simulator at Loviisa NPP. The operator training simulator. The Apros model consists of more than 50 different process systems. It is the core of the full-scale replica training simulator and its scope enables simulating normal operation, anticipated operational occurrences and design basis accidents. Processes, automation and electrical systems are all modelled using the same graphical user interface. It also contains severe accident module for operator training purposes.
