Commercial Grade Dedication

To use software for nuclear safety related analysis, the software must be either purchased from a 10CFR50 Appendix B supplier, or it must be commercially dedicated. Commercial software to be used for safety related applications is considered a basic component, and as such must undergo a Commercial Grade Dedication (CGD).
ASME NQA-1 provides guidance on verifying software for safety related use. EPRI Report 1025243 provides guidance on performing a CGD for software.
More about Commercial Grade Dedication

Applied Flow Technology sells Fathom (incompressible flow), Arrow (compressible flow) and Impulse (transient flow), which are commercial flow software packages for the analysis of piping systems. AFT provides these packages with several optional add on modules to expand the functionality of the program. Fathom, Arrow and Impulse are provided as commercial grade packages.

The current V&V package available for Fathom is Version 12, Release 2023.04.27
The current V&V package available for Arrow is Version 6, Release 2016.01.08
The current V&V package available for Impulse is Version 6, Release 2016.11.17

Quality Assurance

Archon Engineering, PC has developed Verification and Validation packages for Fathom, Arrow and Impulse (including their applicable Goal Seek and Control (GSC) and Extended Time Simulation (XTS) modules). These packages were developed under Archon's 10CFR50 Appendix B, and ASME NQA-1, 1994 QA program. Thus, Archon is able to provide these packages via a Nuclear Safety Related Purchase Order to nuclear clients. These packages provide verification of the software as well as "Safety Classification", "Failure Modes and Effects Analysis", and a determination of the "Critical Characteristics". Thus, the package becomes an integral part of the end user's CGD process.

Pricing

The initial fees will entitle the customer to updates to the V&V package for one year (Archon will typically update the V&V package approximately twice a year to the latest version at that time). The initial fees are:

Fathom (Basic Module): $24,000
Fathom GSC Module (optional): $3,000

Fathom XTS Module (optional): $3,000

Arrow (Basic Module): $30,000

Arrow GSC Module (optional): $3,600

Impulse: $36,000

A subscription is available to maintain upgrades beyond the first year. The cost for the subscriptions are:

Fathom (Basic Module): $7,200
Fathom GSC Module (optional): $600

Fathom XTS Module (optional): $600

Arrow (Basic Module): $9,000

Arrow GSC Module (optional): $600

Impulse: $10,800

The V&V package is considered proprietary and may only be copied and distributed for the user's internal use at a single site. For use at additional sites, V&V package is available at a 50% discount of the above prices.

Fathom V&V Package Details

The V&V report will as a minimum verify the following:

The following Fathom Database files are accurate for pipe sizes (diameters, thickness) and pipe roughness:

Steel – ANSI.dat
Stainless Steel – ANSI.dat
Stainless Tubing – AFT Customary.dat
PVC – ASTM.dat
Ductile Iron – ANSI.dat
Copper Tubing – ASTM.dat
Copper Pipe – ASTM.dat
PVDF – AFT Customary.dat
HDPE – AFT Customary.dat

Fathom's database file Fathom10.dat is accurate for the following items:

Steam and Water properties (density, viscosity, vapor pressure)
Fitting loss data

That flow, and pressures are accurately calculated using Fathom's pipe and junction features. Each junction type will be checked against manual calculations for the different user options provided by Fathom.
Heat Transfer (Fluid and pipe wall temperatures, heat rate, heat flux, etc.) are accurately calculated from user supplied thermo-physical data (i.e. thermal conductivity of pipe and insulation data, etc.)
The Goal Seek and Control (GSC) module will be evaluated to determine that it produces correct and accurate results for the different Goal and Variable options Fathom provides (optional for GSC module only)

The Extended Time Simulation (XTS) module will be evaluated to determine it produces correct and accurate results for the time triggering scenarios that Fathom provides (optional for XTS module only)

The V&V document will also include a summary of all errors or limitations of the software identified as a result of the V&V.

Arrow V&V Package Details

Arrow's database file (Arrow5.dat dated 7/23/14) is accurate for the following items:

Steam, Ammonia, CO2, Air, H2, N2, O2 and He properties
Fitting loss data

Pipe Material databases are accurate for the following items:

Pipe sizes (diameters, thickness)
Pipe roughness

Flow and pressures are accurately calculated using Arrow's pipe and junction features. Each junction type will be checked against manual calculations for the different user options provided by Arrow.
Heat Transfer (Fluid and pipe wall temperatures, heat rate, heat flux, etc.) are accurately calculated from user supplied thermo-physical data (i.e. thermal conductivity of pipe and insulation data, etc.)

The Goal Seek and Control (GSC) module will be evaluated to determine that it produces correct and accurate results for the different Goal and Variable options Arrow provides (optional for GSC module only)

This report will also include a summary of all bugs, errors, or limitations of the software identified as a result of the Verification process.

Impulse V&V Package Details

The V&V report will as a minimum verify the following:

The following Pipe Material databases are accurate for Pipe sizes (diameters, thickness), Pipe roughness, Modulus of Elasticity:

Impulse's database file is accurate for the following items:

Water properties (density, viscosity, vapor pressure, Bulk Modulus)
User fluid database function
Fitting loss data

Flow and pressures are accurately calculated using Impulse's pipe and junction features. Various junction types will be checked against manual calculations for the different user options provided by Impulse.

This report will also include a summary of all bugs, errors or limitations of the software identified as a result of the Verification process.

Contact Archon at info@ArchonEngineering.com to obtain a more specific range of use for the packages you are interested in.

Nuclear V&V