Inspection of licensee - Maintenance programme and activities
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2013-01-01
An effective maintenance programme is critical to sustained safe and reliable operation of nuclear power plants. The Working Group on Inspection Practices (WGIP) concluded that when a licensee has an effective maintenance programme, the overall operating safety of the plant is improved and the protection of public health and safety enhanced. All Regulatory Bodies (RB) consider maintenance to be an important area for oversight. Although a variety of inspection practices are being used; RB are actively monitoring licensee performance. Specifically the following conclusions were reached and commendable practices identified: - Maintenance oversight by regulators appears to be in a stable continuous improvement state. Most regulators are executing inspection oversight based on an existing regulatory framework. - The performance of a licensee's maintenance programme is recognized as important part of maintaining nuclear safety. The result of the maintenance program assessment is included in the overall performance assessment of a license. - Maintenance inspection activities are recognized as an important part of the regulatory oversight process. Inspection activities are based on the safety significance and nature of work being performed by the licensee. - The effectiveness of the maintenance inspection activities is recognized to rely on properly qualified inspectors; who are adequately supported by specialists. Training and qualification of inspectors should be based on how the RB reviews and inspects licensee maintenance programmes. - Reporting requirements are identified to provide information on the licensees maintenance programme, and to help guide inspection activities. - Performance Indicators are recognized as a useful tool for helping focus regulatory activities. Basic PI are identified and tracked by the RB, and use of PI by the licensee is monitored. - Inspections are designed to confirm that the licensee is planning and scheduling maintenance with due
Plant inspection and maintenance technology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Miyahara, Masatoshi; Kanazawa, Masafumi
1995-01-01
The article reports on information systems and related tools that support routine inspection and preventive maintenance activities, which contribute to safer plant operation and increase plant operating duty. Tools include the Mitsubishi Electric Reliability and Availability Upgrade Program-Nuclear (MELRAP-N), which supports the general evolution of industry operating experiences, periodic component replacement management, management of discontinued and modified components, periodic inspection item management, and periodic inspection workplace management. The article also introduces a comprehensive preventive maintenance management system currently under development. (author)
Modelling inspection policies for building maintenance.
Christer, A H
1982-08-01
A method of assessing the potential of an inspection maintenance policy as opposed to an existing breakdown maintenance policy for a building complex is developed. The method is based upon information likely to be available and specific subjective assessments which could be made available. Estimates of the expected number of defects identified at an inspection and the consequential cost saving are presented as functions of the inspection frequency.
Inspection, maintenance, and repair of large pumps and piping systems using advanced robotic tools
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lewis, R.K.; Radigan, T.M.
1998-01-01
Operating and maintaining large pumps and piping systems can be an expensive proposition. Proper inspections and monitoring can reduce costs. This was difficult in the past, since detailed pump inspections could only be performed by disassembly and many portions of piping systems are buried or covered with insulation. Once these components were disassembled, a majority of the cost was already incurred. At that point, expensive part replacement usually took place whether it was needed or not. With the completion of the Pipe Walkertrademark/LIP System and the planned development of the Submersible Walkertrademark, this situation is due to change. The specifications for these inspection and maintenance robots will ensure that. Their ability to traverse both horizontal and vertical, forward and backward, make them unique tools. They will open the door for some innovative approaches to inspection and maintenance of large pumps and piping systems
78 FR 54861 - Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance; Driver-Vehicle Inspection Report
2013-09-06
... No. FMCSA-2012-0336] RIN 2126-AB46 Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance; Driver-Vehicle Inspection... Federal Register of August 7, 2013, regarding driver vehicle inspection reports. The corrections involve..., Vehicle and Roadside Operations Division, Office of Bus and Truck Standards and Operations, Federal Motor...
Risk-Informed Decisions Optimization in Inspection and Maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Robertas Alzbutas
2002-01-01
The Risk-Informed Approach (RIA) used to support decisions related to inspection and maintenance program is considered. The use of risk-informed methods can help focus the adequate in-service inspections and control on the more important locations of complex dynamic systems. The focus is set on the highest risk measured as conditional core damage frequency, which is produced by the frequencies of degradation and final failure at different locations combined with the conditional failure consequence probability. The probabilities of different degradation states per year and consequences are estimated quantitatively. The investigation of inspection and maintenance process is presented as the combination of deterministic and probabilistic analysis based on general risk-informed model, which includes the inspection and maintenance program features. Such RIA allows an optimization of inspection program while maintaining probabilistic and fundamental deterministic safety requirements. The failure statistics analysis is used as well as the evaluation of reliability of inspections. The assumptions regarding the effectiveness of the inspection methods are based on a classification of the accessibility of the welds during the inspection and on the different techniques used for inspection. The probability of defect detection is assumed to depend on the parameters either through logarithmic or logit transformation. As example the modeling of the pipe systems inspection process is analyzed. The means to reduce a number of inspection sites and the cumulative radiation exposure to the NPP inspection personnel with a reduction of overall risk is presented together with used and developed software. The developed software can perform and administrate all the risk evaluations and ensure the possibilities to compare different options and perform sensitivity analysis. The approaches to define an acceptable level of risk are discussed. These approaches with appropriate software in
Performance-based inspection and maintenance strategies
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Vesely, W.E.
1995-01-01
Performance-based inspection and maintenance strategies utilize measures of equipment performance to help guide inspection and maintenance activities. A relevant measure of performance for safety system components is component unavailability. The component unavailability can also be input into a plant risk model such as a Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) to determine the associated plant risk performance. Based on the present and projected unavailability performance, or the present and projected risk performance, the effectiveness of current maintenance activities can be evaluated and this information can be used to plan future maintenance activities. A significant amount of information other than downtimes or failure times is collected or can be collected when an inspection or maintenance is conducted which can be used to estimate the component unavailability. This information generally involves observations on the condition or state of the component or component piecepart. The information can be detailed such as the amount of corrosion buildup or can be general such as the general state of the component described as ' high degradation', ' moderate degradation', or ' low degradation'. Much of the information collected in maintenance logs is qualitative and fuzzy. As part of an NRC Research program on performance-based engineering modeling, approaches have been developed to apply Fuzzy Set Theory to information collected on the state of the component to determine the implied component or component piecepart unavailability. Demonstrations of the applications of Fuzzy Set Theory are presented utilizing information from plant maintenance logs. The demonstrations show the power of Fuzzy Set Theory in translating engineering information to reliability and risk implications
A remote telepresence robotic system for inspection and maintenance of a nuclear power plant
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Crane, C.D. III; Tulenko, J.S.
1993-01-01
Progress in reported in the areas of environmental hardening; database/world modeling; man-machine interface; development of the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor (ALMR) maintenance inspection robot design; and Articulated Transporter/Manipulator System (ATMS) development
Conceptual design of in-service inspection and maintenance for KALIMER
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ju, Y. S.; Kim, S. H.; Koo, K. H.; You, B.
1999-01-01
In-service inspection and maintenance are very important for the safety and availability of nuclear power plants. The conceptual requirements of in-service inspection and maintenance should be reflected in the earlier design process for the verification of the plant operability and reliability. In this paper the fundamental approaches of the inspection and maintenance for KALIMER are established to ensure the structural integrity and operability for KALIMER. The general strategy and methodology of maintenance and inspection for the reactor system and components are proposed and described for satisfying the intents of the Section XI, Division 3, of ASME code and considering the design characteristics of KALIMER
Some advanced concepts of mobile robotics for plant inspection and maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Halme, A.
1994-01-01
The paper introduces two concepts in robotics the feasibility of which are presently being studied for plant inspection/maintenance purposes. One of them is a walking machine platform which utilizes walking on discrete set of points making it possible to feed energy trough legs and/or grip on fixing points when needing strong support or climbing on walls. The other is a robot society concept in which the work is distributed among the member robots of the society. The society has an inner communication system trough which information is spread between the members. The control system of the society takes care of the task coordination and communication between the society and the user. As a special feature energy distribution within the society is considered. The concept is suggested for inspection and cleaning type of work in process equipment area and also inside processes in some cases. (author)
40 CFR 52.1159 - Enhanced Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance.
2010-07-01
... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Enhanced Motor Vehicle Inspection and... Enhanced Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance. (a) Revisions submitted by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection on October 20, 2000, to the motor vehicle inspection and maintenance...
Optimal Inspection and Maintenance Strategies for Structural Systems
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Sommer, A. M.
The aim of this thesis is to give an overview of conventional and optimal reliability-based inspection and maintenance strategies and to examine for specific structures how the cost can be reduced and/or the safety can be improved by using optimal reliability-based inspection strategies....... For structures with several almost similar components it is suggested that individual inspection strategies should be determined for each component or a group of components based on the reliability of the actual component. The benefit of this procedure is assessed in connection with the structures considered....... Furthermore, in relation to the calculations performed the intention is to modify an existing program for determination of optimal inspection strategies. The main purpose of inspection and maintenance of structural systems is to prevent or delay damage or deterioration to protect people, environment...
Advanced Inspection and Repair Welding Techniques for SCC Countermeasures
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Takagi, T.; Nishimoto, K.; Uchimoto, T.
2012-01-01
Feasibility studies of advanced inspection and repair welding techniques were conducted in the framework of the Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency of Japan (NISA) project on the enhancement of ageing management and maintenance of NPPs. In this paper, features of NDE methods investigated in the projects, main results of research activities and prospect of nickel based alloy weld inspection are discussed. We also make a review for the integrity and reliability evaluation techniques for repair welding of ageing plants which were intensively investigated in view of regulatory criteria, in NISA project. (author)
Preliminary conceptual design of inspection and maintenance for KALIMER reactor system
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Joo, Young Sang; Kim, Seok Hun; Yoo, Bong
2000-08-01
In-service inspection and maintenance are very important for improving the safety and availability of nuclear power plants. The conceptual requirements of in-service inspection and maintenance should be reflected in the earlier design process for the verification of the plant operability and reliability. In this report the fundamental approaches of the inspection and maintenance for KALIMER are established to ensure the structural integrity and operability for KALIMER. The general strategy and methodology of maintenance and inspection for the reactor system and components are proposed and described for satisfying the intents of the section XI, division 3, of ASME code and considering the design characteristics of KALIMER.
Multi-Canister overpack inservice inspection and maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
SMITH, K.E.
1998-01-01
The factors to be considered in establishing inservice inspection and maintenance requirements for the Multi-Canister Overpack (MCO) include evaluating the likelihood of degradation to the MCO pressure boundary due to erosion and corrosion, reviewing commercial practice for NRC licensed spent nuclear fuel storage systems, and examining the individual MCO components for maintenance needs. Reviews of the potential for MCO erosion and corrosion conclude that neither will pose a threat to the MCO pressure boundary. Consistent with commercial practice for spent fuel storage systems, the MCO closure weld will be helium leak tested prior to placement in interim storage. Beyond the CSB facility related monitoring plans (radiological monitoring, emissions monitoring, vault cooling data, etc.), no inservice inspection or maintenance of the MCO is required during interim storage
Advanced Approach of Reactor Pressure Vessel In-service Inspection
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Matokovic, A.; Picek, E.; Pajnic, M.
2006-01-01
The most important task of every utility operating a nuclear power plant is the continuously keeping of the desired safety and reliability level. This is achieved by the performance of numerous inspections of the components, equipment and system of the nuclear power plant in operation and in particular during the scheduled maintenance periods at re-fueling time. Periodic non-destructive in-service inspections provide most relevant criteria of the integrity of primary circuit pressure components. The task is to reliably detect defects and realistically size and characterize them. One of most important and the most extensive examination is a reactor pressure vessel in-service inspection. That inspection demand high standards of technology and quality and continual innovation in the field of non-destructive testing (NDT) advanced technology as well as regarding reactor pressure vessel tool and control systems. A remote underwater contact ultrasonic technique is employed for the examination of the defined sections (reactor welds), whence eddy current method is applied for clad surface examinations. Visual inspection is used for examination of the vessel inner surface. The movement of probes and data positioning are assured by using new reactor pressure vessel tool concept that is fully integrated with NDT systems. The successful performance is attributed thorough pre-outage planning, training and successful performance demonstration qualification of chosen NDT techniques on the specimens with artificial and/or real defects. Furthermore, use of advanced approach of inspection through implementation the state of the art examination equipment significantly reduced the inspection time, radiation exposure to examination personnel, shortening nuclear power plant outage and cutting the total inspection costs. The advanced approach as presented in this paper offer more flexibility of application (non-destructive tests, local grinding action as well as taking of boat samples
Risk-informed optimisation of railway tracks inspection and maintenance procedures
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Podofillini, Luca; Zio, Enrico; Vatn, Jorn
2006-01-01
Nowadays, efforts are being made by the railway industry for the application of reliability-based and risk-informed approaches to maintenance optimisation of railway infrastructures, with the aim of reducing the operation and maintenance expenditures while still assuring high safety standards. In particular, in this paper, we address the use of ultrasonic inspection cars and develop a methodology for the determination of an optimal strategy for their use. A model is developed to calculate the risks and costs associated with an inspection strategy, giving credit to the realistic issues of the rail failure process and including the actual inspection and maintenance procedures followed by the railway company. A multi-objective optimisation viewpoint is adopted in an effort to optimise inspection and maintenance procedures with respect to both economical and safety-related aspects. More precisely, the objective functions here considered are such to drive the search towards solutions characterized by low expenditures and low derailment probability. The optimisation is performed by means of a genetic algorithm. The work has been carried out within a study of the Norwegian National Rail Administration (Jernbaneverket)
An overview of the recent advances in delay-time-based maintenance modelling
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wang, Wenbin
2012-01-01
Industrial plant maintenance is an area which has enormous potential to be improved. It is also an area attracted significant attention from mathematical modellers because of the random phenomenon of plant failures. This paper reviews the recent advances in delay-time-based maintenance modelling, which is one of the mathematical techniques for optimising inspection planning and related problems. The delay-time is a concept that divides a plant failure process into two stages: from new until the point of an identifiable defect, and then from this point to failure. The first stage is called the normal working stage and the second stage is called the failure delay-time stage. If the distributions of the two stages can be quantified, the relationship between the number of failures and the inspection interval can be readily established. This can then be used for optimizing the inspection interval and other related decision variables. In this review, we pay particular attention to new methodological developments and industrial applications of the delay-time-based models over the last few decades. The use of the delay-time concept and modeling techniques in other areas rather than in maintenance is also reviewed. Future research directions are also highlighted. - Highlights: ► Reviewed the recent advances in delay-time-based maintenance models and applications. ► Compared the delay-time-based models with other models. ► Focused on methodologies and applications. ► Pointed out future research directions.
Risk-based inspection and maintenance systems for steam turbines
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fujiyama, Kazunari; Nagai, Satoshi; Akikuni, Yasunari; Fujiwara, Toshihiro; Furuya, Kenichiro; Matsumoto, Shigeru; Takagi, Kentaro; Kawabata, Taro
2004-01-01
The risk-based maintenance (RBM) system has been developed for steam turbine plants coupled with the quick inspection systems. The RBM system utilizes the field failure and inspection database accumulated over 30 years. The failure modes are determined for each component of steam turbines and the failure scenarios are described as event trees. The probability of failure is expressed in the form of unreliability functions of operation hours or start-up cycles through the cumulative hazard function method. The posterior unreliability is derived from the field data analysis according to the inspection information. Quick inspection can be conducted using air-cooled borescope and heat resistant ultrasonic sensors even if the turbine is not cooled down sufficiently. Another inspection information comes from degradation and damage measurement. The probabilistic life assessment using structural analysis and statistical material properties, the latter is estimated from hardness measurement, replica observation and embrittlement measurement. The risk function is calculated as the sum product of unreliability functions and expected monetary loss as the consequence of failure along event trees. The optimum maintenance plan is determined among simulated scenarios described through component breakdown trees, life cycle event trees and risk functions. Those methods are effective for total condition assessment and economical maintenance for operating plants
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nielsen, Jannie Sønderkær; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
2018-01-01
This paper presents a computational framework for risk-based planning of inspections and repairs for deteriorating components. Two distinct types of decision rules are used to model decisions: simple decision rules that depend on constants or observed variables (e.g. inspection outcome...... expecte d life-cycle costs. For advanced decision rules, simulations are performed to estimate the expected costs, and dBNs are used within the simulations for decision-making. Information from inspections and condition monitoring are included if available. An example in the paper demonstrates...... the framework and the implemented strategies and decision rules, including various types of condition-based maintenance. The strategies using advanced decision rules lead to reduced costs compared to the simple decision rules when condition monitoring is applied, and the value of condition monitoring...
Advanced maintenance research programs
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Marston, T.U.; Gelhaus, F.; Burke, R.
1985-01-01
The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with an idea of the advanced maintenance research program at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). A brief description of the maintenance-related activities is provided as a foundation for the advanced maintenance research projects. The projects can be divided into maintenance planning, preventive maintenance program development and implementation, predictive (or conditional) maintenance, and innovative maintenance techniques. The projects include hardware and software development, human factors considerations, and technology promotion and implementation. The advanced concepts include: the incorporation of artificial intelligence into outage planning; turbine and pump maintenance; rotating equipment monitoring and diagnostics with the aid of expert systems; and the development of mobile robots for nuclear power plant maintenance
PROMSYS, Plant Equipment Maintenance and Inspection Scheduling
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Morgan, D.L.; Srite, B.E.
1986-01-01
1 - Description of problem or function: PROMSYS is a computer system designed to automate the scheduling of routine maintenance and inspection of plant equipment. This 'programmed maintenance' provides the detailed planning and accomplishment of lubrication, inspection, and similar repetitive maintenance activities which can be scheduled at specified predetermined intervals throughout the year. The equipment items included are the typical pumps, blowers, motors, compressors, automotive equipment, refrigeration units, filtering systems, machine shop equipment, cranes, elevators, motor-generator sets, and electrical switchgear found throughout industry, as well as cell ventilation, shielding, containment, and material handling equipment unique to nuclear research and development facilities. Four related programs are used to produce sorted schedule lists, delinquent work lists, and optional master lists. Five additional programs are used to create and maintain records of all scheduled and unscheduled maintenance history. 2 - Method of solution: Service specifications and frequency are established and stored. The computer program reviews schedules weekly and prints, on schedule cards, instructions for service that is due the following week. The basic output from the computer program comes in two forms: programmed-maintenance schedule cards and programmed-maintenance data sheets. The data sheets can be issued in numerical building, route, and location number sequence as equipment lists, grouped for work assigned to a particular foreman as the foreman's equipment list, or grouped by work charged to a particular work order as the work-order list. Data sheets grouped by equipment classification are called the equipment classification list
Monitoring well inspection and maintenance plan Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (revised)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1996-09-01
Inspection and maintenance of groundwater monitoring wells is a primary element of the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP). This document is the revised groundwater monitoring well inspection and maintenance plan for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The plan provides a systematic program for: (1) inspecting the physical condition of monitoring wells at the Y-12 Plant and (2) identifying maintenance needs that will extend the life of each well and ensure that representative groundwater quality samples and hydrologic data are collected from the wells. Original documentation for the Y-12 Plant GWPP monitoring well inspection and maintenance program was provided in HSW, Inc. 1991a. The original revision of the plan specified that only a Monitoring Well Inspection/Maintenance Summary need be updated and reissued each year. Rapid growth of the monitoring well network and changing regulatory requirements have resulted in constant changes to the status of wells (active or inactive) listed on the Monitoring Well Inspection/Maintenance Summary. As a result, a new mechanism to track the status of monitoring wells has been developed and the plan revised to formalize the new business practices. These changes are detailed in Sections 2.4 and 2.5
Preliminary inspection of secondary cooling system piping for maintenance plan in JMTR
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hanakawa, Hiroki; Hanawa, Yoshio; Izumo, Hironobu; Fukasaku, Akitomi; Nagao, Yoshiharu; Miyazawa, Masataka; Niimi, Motoji
2008-01-01
The JMTR is under the refurbishment and will start on FY 2011. The JMTR will operate for about 20 years from 2011. Before this JMTR operation, preliminary inspection of secondary cooling system piping was carried out in order to make a maintenance plan. As the results of this inspection, it was confirmed that the corrosion was reached by piping ingot, or decrease of piping thickness could hardly be observed. Therefore, it was confirmed that the strength or the functionality of the piping had been maintained by usual operation and maintenance. According to the results of this inspection, the basic date for maintenances are confirmed and it is clear to be able to make the maintenances plan in future. (author)
Maintenance optimization under non-constant probabilities of imperfect inspections
Driessen, J.P.C.; Peng, H.; van Houtum, G.J.J.A.N.
2017-01-01
In this research, we study a single-component system that is characterized by three distinct deterioration states, cf. the Delay Time Model: normal, defective, and failed. The system is inspected periodically, and preventive system maintenance is done after a given number of inspections. The
Regulatory requirements related to risk-based inspection and maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Schroeder, H.C.; Kauer, R.
2003-01-01
By asking the question why new inspection and maintenance strategies have to be developed one can often be made aware that there is always a continue demand for cost reduction and optimisation. In this framework, general trends involving staff reduction, outsourcing, benchmarking etc. can often be observed nearly everywhere. Since inspection and maintenance are amongst the few cost factors, which could be actively influenced in the short term, and in combination with the recent regulatory fundamental changes (e.g. PED) yielding to considerably greater responsibilities for the operator of a plant, also the demand for documentation and comprehensibility of measures will increase. (orig.)
Conceptual design and assessment of in-service inspection and maintenance of KALIMER
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Joo, Young Sang; Kim, Seok Hun; Kim, Jong Bum; Lee, Jae Han [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)
2002-05-01
In the conceptual design stage of KALIMER, the philosophy and methodology of in-service inspection (ISI) and maintenance for the reactor system and components are proposed and described. The ISI and maintenance should be carried out throughout plant life to ensure the structural integrity and safety of KALIMER. The conceptual design of ISI and maintenance are performed for considering the design characteristics of KALIMER and the intents of the ASME XI Division 3. This report describes and summarizes the requirements and available methods of ISI and maintenance. The visual inspection and continuous monitoring play a great role in the in-service inspection of KALIMER. The major structures of KALIMER reactor system are designed for maintenance free operation for the plant life time and the maintenance philosophy is to replace major components rather than repair them. The assessment of the ISI accessibility and maintainability is performed and reviewed each major component. The postulated failure defects for each component are estimated and evaluated for KALIMER safety and reliability. 8 refs., 16 figs., 13 tabs. (Author)
Managing aging in nuclear power plants: Insights from NRC's Maintenance Team Inspection reports
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fresco, A.; Subudhi, M.
1992-01-01
A plant's maintenance program is the principal vehicle through which age-related degradation is managed. From 1988 to 1991, the NRC evaluated the maintenance program of every nuclear power plant in the United States. Forty-four out of a total of sixty-seven of the reports issued on these in-depth team inspections have been reviewed for insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the programs as related to the need to understand and manage the effects of aging on nuclear plant structures, systems, and components (SSCs). Relevant information has been extracted from these inspection reports sorted into several categories; including Specific Aging Insights, Preventive Maintenance, Predictive Maintenance and Condition Monitoring, Post Maintenance Testing, Failure Trending, Root Cause Analysis and Usage of Probabilistic Risk Assessment in the Maintenance Process. Specific examples of inspection and monitoring techniques successfully used by utilities to detect degradation due to aging have been identified
Development of inspection and maintenance program for reactor and reactivity control units in HANARO
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cho, Yeong-Garp
1998-01-01
This paper summarizes the overall program for inspection and maintenance of reactor structure and Reactivity Control Units (RCU) of HANARO during lifetime. The long-term plan for in-service inspection is introduced in the viewpoint of the structural integrity of reactor and RCU, and the operability of RCU mechanism. This program includes the list of components to be inspected, the schedule of inspection and maintenance, and the development of special tools and test rig that are required for the remote inspection and maintenance of reactor and RCU components. Preliminary results of the evaluation on the lifetime of RCU components are summarized based on the operation history since the installation of reactor. A test rig will be designed and constructed for the purposes of verifying the prolonged lifetime of RCU components being used, the performance of special tools, and the rehearsal of maintenance work as well. (author)
Inspection, evaluation and maintenance guidelines for reactor vessel internals in JAPAN
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sakashita, Akihiro; Goto, Tomoya; Hirano, Shinro; Dozaki, Koji
2010-01-01
Inspection and Evaluation Guidelines for reactor internals has been taken into the Rules on Fitness-for–Service for Nuclear Power Plants of The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers. It is a base of the maintenance plan of each Nuclear Power Plant. A plant maintenance methodology will have more importance to maintain the plant safety and stable plant operation. This paper introduces the systematization of the maintenance such as repair, replacement, preventive maintenance in these guidelines. Maintenance methodologies are classified follows. Repair: methodology to reinforce degraded parts by some methods or prevent progress of degradation of without replacement of the existing structure when the degradation of structure is actualized. Replacement: methodology to replace the existing structure with new one when the degradation of structure is actualized. Preventive maintenance : methodology to mitigate the damaged condition. When the maintenance methodologies are implemented in the actual plant, we have to consider the feedback of the inspection program and plant life management. (author)
Activities for turbine maintenance: planning, implementation and evaluation of inspection results
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Azcue, J.; Sanchez, M. A.; Alvaro, M.
2014-01-01
The article will cover the most significant aspects of how Tecnatom carry out the turbine maintenance work, both from the point of view of the inspection itself as the pre-and post tasks associated. Thus, the issues that will be part of the article are the Manual Inspection Service (MISI) and the inspection database, ISI WEB. These tools are essential for planning field work and serve as a guide to run later turbine inspections in different plants. Following this introduction the inspection teams and the techniques used by Tecnatom will be described. finally, the article will contain a small mention about management studies of life and integrity analysis of the turbine that can be performed, as well as involvement in its safe operation that is derived from them. Ultimately, the intention is to provide a comprehensive approach to the issue in question, the turbine maintenance work, so that the reader can get an ideal of the whole process. (Author)
Valve leakage inspection testing and maintenance process
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Aikin, J.A.; Reinwald, J.W.; Kittmer, C.A.
1991-01-01
In valve maintenance, packing rings that prevent leakage along the valve stem must periodically be replaced, either during routine maintenance or to correct a leak or valve malfunction. Tools and procedures currently in use for valve packing removal and inspection are generally of limited value due to various access and application problems. A process has been developed by AECL Research that addresses these problems. The process, using incompressible fluid pressure, quickly and efficiently confirms the integrity of the valve backseat, extracts hard-to-remove valve packing sets, and verifies the leak tightness of the repacked valve
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
McMaster, B.W.
1996-07-01
This document is a compendium of results of the 1995 Monitor Well Inspection and Maintenance Program at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant. This report documents the work relating to well inspections and maintenance requests. Inspections are implemented in order to better assess the condition and maintenance needs of wells that are actively being monitored. Currently this approach calls for inspecting all wells on a routine (annual or triennial) basis which are: (1) in an active sampling program; (2) included in a hydrologic study; or (3) not in service, but not scheduled for plugging and abandonment. Routine inspections help to ensure that representative groundwater samples and hydrologic data are being collected, and contribute to the effective longevity of each well. This report formally presents well inspection and maintenance activities that were conducted at the Y-12 Plant from August through December 1995
Advanced inspection technology for non intrusive inspection (NII) program
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zamir Mohamed Daud
2003-01-01
In the current economic environment, plants and facilities are under pressure to introduced cost saving as well as profit maximising measures. Among the many changes in the way things are run is a move towards Risk Based Inspection (RBI), with an emphasis on longer operating periods between shutdowns as well as to utilise components to their maximum capability. Underpinning and RBI program requires good data from an effective online inspections program, which would not require the shutdown of critical components. One methodology of online inspection is known as Non Intrusive Inspection (NII), an inspection philosophy with the objective of replacing internal inspection of a vessel by doing Non Destructive Testing (NDT) and inspections externally. To this end, a variety of advanced NDT techniques are needed to provide accurate online measurements. (Author)
Evaluation of NRC maintenance team inspection reports for managing aging
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fresco, A.; Gunther, W.
1991-01-01
A nuclear power plant's maintenance program is the principal vehicle through which age-related degradation is managed. Over the past two years, the NRC [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] has evaluated the maintenance program of every nuclear power plant in the U.S. The reports issued on these in-depth team inspections have been reviewed to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the programs as related to the need to understand and manage the effects of aging on nuclear power plant systems, structures, and components. Selected results of this review are presented in this paper, including examples of inspection and monitoring techniques successfully used by utilities to detect degradation due to aging. Attributes of plant maintenance programs where the NRC inspectors felt that improvement was needed to properly address the aging issue are also discussed. 6 refs., 1 tab
A joint spare part and maintenance inspection optimisation model using the Delay-Time concept
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wang Wenbin
2011-01-01
Spare parts and maintenance are closely related logistics activities where maintenance generates the need for spare parts. When preventive maintenance is present, it may need more spare parts at one time because of the planned preventive maintenance activities. This paper considers the joint optimisation of three decision variables, e.g., the ordering quantity, ordering interval and inspection interval. The model is constructed using the well-known Delay-Time concept where the failure process is divided into a two-stage process. The objective function is the long run expected cost per unit time in terms of the three decision variables to be optimised. Here we use a block-based inspection policy where all components are inspected at the same time regardless of the ages of the components. This creates a situation that the time to failure since the immediate previous inspection is random and has to be modelled by a distribution. This time is called the forward time and a limiting but closed form of such distribution is obtained. We develop an algorithm for the optimal solution of the decision process using a combination of analytical and enumeration approaches. The model is demonstrated by a numerical example. - Highlights: → Joint optimisation of maintenance and spare part inventory. → The use of the Delay-Time concept. → Block-based inspection. → Fixed order interval but variable order quantity.
Examples of in-service inspections and typical maintenance schedule for low-power research reactors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Boeck, H.
1997-01-01
In-service inspection methods for low-power research reactors are described which have been developed during the past 37 years of the operation of the TRIGA reactor Vienna. Special tools have been developed during this period and their application for maintenance and in-serve inspection is discussed. Two practical in-service inspections at a TRIGA reactor and at a MTR reactor are presented. Further a typical maintenance plan for a TRIGA reactor is listed in the annex. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
McMaster, B.W.; Jones, S.B.; Sitzler, J.L.
1995-06-01
This document is a compendium of results of the calendar year 1994 Monitor Well Inspection and Maintenance Program at the Department of Energy Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This report documents the work relating to well inspections and maintenance requests. Inspections are implemented in order to better assess the condition and maintenance needs of wells that are actively being monitored. Currently this approach calls for inspecting all wells on a routine (annual or triennial) basis which are: (1) in an active sampling program; (2) included in a hydrologic study; or (3) not in service, but not scheduled for plugging and abandonment. Routine inspections help to ensure that representative groundwater samples and hydrologic data are being collected, and contribute to the life expectancy of each well. This report formally presents well inspection and maintenance activities that were conducted at the Y-12 Plant during 1994. All inspections were conducted between April and December
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
McMaster, B.W. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Jones, S.B.; Sitzler, J.L. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
1995-06-01
This document is a compendium of results of the calendar year 1994 Monitor Well Inspection and Maintenance Program at the Department of Energy Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This report documents the work relating to well inspections and maintenance requests. Inspections are implemented in order to better assess the condition and maintenance needs of wells that are actively being monitored. Currently this approach calls for inspecting all wells on a routine (annual or triennial) basis which are: (1) in an active sampling program; (2) included in a hydrologic study; or (3) not in service, but not scheduled for plugging and abandonment. Routine inspections help to ensure that representative groundwater samples and hydrologic data are being collected, and contribute to the life expectancy of each well. This report formally presents well inspection and maintenance activities that were conducted at the Y-12 Plant during 1994. All inspections were conducted between April and December.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Matsumoto, K.; Sanoh, J.; Uhara, Y.; Takeshima, K.; Tani, M.; O'Shima, E.
2001-01-01
In 1985, the Japanese national project named 'In-Operation Inspection Technology Development (IOI)' was initiated, as a part of the activities for advancing the LWR(light water reactor)technology in Japan. This project developed the techniques for in-operation monitoring and detecting of early anomalies of nuclear power equipment such as rotating machines, valves and piping. Further, the estimation systems for diagnosing and predicting a degradation rate of these items of equipment were constructed. Based on these results, a new maintenance management technology was constructed. This paper describes the outline of the new maintenance management concept. (authors)
Assessment of the Automotive Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair Industry
1981-02-01
The study describes the current status of the Inspection/Maintenance/Repair Industry in the U.S., the impact of technological changes and legislation, and related approaches used in Germany and Sweden. Based on these findings suggestions are provided...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
KELLY, D.J.
2000-01-01
The Nuclear Packaging, Inc. (NuPac), PAS-1 cask is required to undergo annual maintenance and inspections to retain certification in accordance with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Certificate of Compliance USA/9184B(U) (Appendix A). The packaging configuration being tested and maintained is the NuPac PAS-1 cask for Payload B. The intent of the maintenance and inspections is to ensure the packaging remains in unimpaired physical condition. Two casks, serial numbers 2162-026 and 2162-027, were maintained, inspected, and tested at the 306E Development, Fabrication, and Test Laboratory, located at the Hanford Site's 300 Area. Waste Management Federal Services, Inc. (WMFS), a subsidiary of GTS Duratek, was in charge of the maintenance and testing. Cogema Engineering Corporation (Cogema) directed the operations in the test facility. The maintenance, testing, and inspections were conducted successfully with both PAS-1 casks. The work conducted on the overpacks included weighing, gasket replacement, and plastic pipe plug and foam inspections. The work conducted on the secondary containment vessel (SCV) consisted of visual inspection of the vessel and threaded parts (i.e., fasteners), visual inspection of sealing surfaces, replacement of O-ring seals, and a helium leak test. The work conducted on the primary containment vessel (PCV) consisted of visual inspection of the vessel and threaded parts (i.e., fasteners), visual inspection of sealing surfaces, replacement of O-ring seals, dimensional inspection of the vessel bottom, a helium leak test, and dye penetrant inspection of the welds. The vermiculite material used in the cask rack assembly was replaced
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wang, Wenbin; Zhao, Fei; Peng, Rui
2014-01-01
Inspection is always an important preventive maintenance (PM) activity and can have different depths and cover all or part of plant systems. This paper introduces a two-level inspection policy model for a single component plant system based on a three-stage failure process. Such a failure process divides the system′s life into three stages: good, minor defective and severe defective stages. The first level of inspection, the minor inspection, can only identify the minor defective stage with a certain probability, but can always reveal the severe defective stage. The major inspection can however identify both defective stages perfectly. Once the system is found to be in the minor defective stage, a shortened inspection interval is adopted. If however the system is found to be in the severe defective stage, we may delay the maintenance action if the time to the next planned PM window is less than a threshold level, but otherwise, replace immediately. This corresponds to the well adopted maintenance policy in practice such as periodic inspections with planned PMs. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the proposed model by comparing with other models. - Highlights: • The system′s deterioration goes through a three-stage process, namely, normal, minor defective and severe defective. • Two levels of inspections are proposed, e.g., minor and major inspections. • Once the minor defective stage is found, instead of taking a maintenance action, a shortened inspection interval is recommended. • When the severe defective stage is found, we delay the maintenance according to the threshold to the next PM. • The decision variables are the inspection intervals and the threshold to PM
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
2011-01-01
Reliability-based cost-optimal planning of inspection, maintenance and operation has many applications. In this paper applications for planning of inspections for oil & gas jacket structures and of operation and maintenance of offshore wind turbines are described and illustrated by examples....
Managing aging in nuclear power plants: Insights from NRC maintenance team inspection reports
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Fresco, A.; Subudhi, M.; Gunther, W.; Grove, E.; Taylor, J. [Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
1993-12-01
A plant`s maintenance program is the principal vehicle through which age-related degradation is managed. From 1988 to 1991, the NRC evaluated the maintenance program of every nuclear power plant in the United States. Forty-four out of a total of 67 of the reports issued on these in-depth team inspections were reviewed for insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the programs as related to the need to understand and manage the effects of aging on nuclear plant systems, structures, and components. Relevant information was extracted from these inspection reports and sorted into several categories, including Specific Aging Insights, Preventive Maintenance, Predictive Maintenance and Condition Monitoring, Post Maintenance Testing, Failure Trending, Root Cause Analysis and Usage of Probabilistic Risk Assessment in the Maintenance Process. Specific examples of inspection and monitoring techniques successfully used by utilities to detect degradation due to aging have been identified. The information also was sorted according to systems and components, including: Auxiliary Feedwater, Main Feedwater, High Pressure Injection for both BWRs and PWRs, Service Water, Instrument Air, and Emergency Diesel Generator Air Start Systems, and Emergency Diesel Generators Air Start Systems, emergency diesel generators, electrical components such as switchgear, breakers, relays, and motor control centers, motor operated valves and check valves. This information was compared to insights gained from the Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) Program. Attributes of plant maintenance programs where the NRC inspectors felt that improvement was needed to properly address the aging issue also are discussed.
Status on system inspection and preventive maintenance of HANARO
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kim, Young-Ki; Cho, Yeong-Garp; Kwag, Byung-Ho
1999-01-01
The HANARO is a 30 MW open pool type multi-purpose research reactor with forced light water coolant/moderator flows and heavy water annular reflector. The relatively small reactor core uses a low enriched fuel and is designed to maximize the power density, thus providing the required neutron flux for various research activities. It is mainly used for radioisotope production, nuclear material testing and neutron physics experiments. The initial criticality was achieved February 1995. Considering the importance of their functionality from the safety point of view, some components and equipment are categorized into a nuclear safety grade. There are three different inspection activities for the various reactor systems and components - a Surveillance Inspection(SI) for the safety grades and a Periodic Inspection (PI) for the non-safety grades and In-Service Inspection (ISI) for the ASME Sec.III components. All of the SIs are specified and required by the safety analysis report. The SI also differs from the PI in such a point that all kinds of activities for the SIs should be accompanied by an appropriate quality assurance, while for the PIs it is not necessarily mandatory. In addition, the inspection results for the SIs should go through an examination from regulatory body every two years and specific functions of the critical components or systems are demonstrated under the witness by the governmental inspector. The ISI is required and carried out as per international codes and standards as well as Korean atomic energy regulations. There are 54 SIs, 25 PIs and 4 ISIs for the HANARO. This paper concentrates on the managing strategy and its practices for the SIs and ISIs of the safety-related components, currently being done at HANARO. Most parts of the inspections fall into a group for the periodic performance testing and/or equipment calibration. Some mechanical inspections like a torque measurement are grouped into a preventive maintenance. Lastly the ASME Sec
Design and construction of an in-pipe robot for inspection and maintenance
Sibai, Fadi N.
2012-12-01
Inspection and maintenance of aging pipelines is crucial to the reliable and continued distribution of hydrocarbons. In this paper, we describe the design and construction of a robotic platform for inspection and minor maintenance of pipelines. The 7.5 kg robotic platform was demonstrated to move straight inside 12″ to 16″ diameter pipes in a forward or backward direction, and either horizontally or vertically. The experimental robotic platform has three sets of two wheels, and three driving motors. The equations governing the mechanical frame\\'s component sizes are presented and the robotic frame component dimensions derived. The paper also discusses the construction and testing of the robot. Future work includes adding sensors, controls for turning, a microcontroller board, and a robotic arm for performing maintenance tasks. © 2012 IEEE.
Design and construction of an in-pipe robot for inspection and maintenance
Sibai, Fadi N.; Sayegh, Amer Ahmed; Al-Taie, Ihsan
2012-01-01
Inspection and maintenance of aging pipelines is crucial to the reliable and continued distribution of hydrocarbons. In this paper, we describe the design and construction of a robotic platform for inspection and minor maintenance of pipelines. The 7.5 kg robotic platform was demonstrated to move straight inside 12″ to 16″ diameter pipes in a forward or backward direction, and either horizontally or vertically. The experimental robotic platform has three sets of two wheels, and three driving motors. The equations governing the mechanical frame's component sizes are presented and the robotic frame component dimensions derived. The paper also discusses the construction and testing of the robot. Future work includes adding sensors, controls for turning, a microcontroller board, and a robotic arm for performing maintenance tasks. © 2012 IEEE.
A condition-based maintenance policy with non-periodic inspections for a two-unit series system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Castanier, B.; Grall, A.; Berenguer, C.
2005-01-01
This paper considers a condition-based maintenance policy for a two-unit deteriorating system. Each unit is subject to gradual deterioration and is monitored by sequential non-periodic inspections. It can be maintained by good as new preventive or corrective replacements. Every inspection or replacement entails a set-up cost and a component-specific unit cost but if actions on the two components are combined, the set-up cost is charged only once. A parametric maintenance decision framework is proposed to coordinate inspection/replacement of the two components and minimize the long-run maintenance cost of the system. A stochastic model is developed on the basis of the semi-regenerative properties of the maintained system state and the associated cost model is used to assess and optimize the performance of the maintenance model. Numerical experiments emphasize the interest of a control of the operation groupings
Advance High Temperature Inspection Capabilities for Small Modular Reactors: Part 1 - Ultrasonics
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bond, Leonard J. [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States); Bowler, John R. [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)
2017-08-30
The project objective was to investigate the development non-destructive evaluation techniques for advanced small modular reactors (aSMR), where the research sought to provide key enabling inspection technologies needed to support the design and maintenance of reactor component performance. The project tasks for the development of inspection techniques to be applied to small modular reactor are being addressed through two related activities. The first is focused on high temperature ultrasonic transducers development (this report Part 1) and the second is focused on an advanced eddy current inspection capability (Part 2). For both inspection techniques the primary aim is to develop in-service inspection techniques that can be carried out under standby condition in a fast reactor at a temperature of approximately 250°C in the presence of liquid sodium. The piezoelectric material and the bonding between layers have been recognized as key factors fundamental for development of robust ultrasonic transducers. Dielectric constant characterization of bismuth scantanate-lead titanate ((1-x)BiScO3-xPbTiO3) (BS-PT) has shown a high Curie temperature in excess of 450°C , suitable for hot stand-by inspection in liquid metal reactors. High temperature pulse-echo contact measurements have been performed with BS-PT bonded to 12.5 mm thick 1018-low carbon steel plate from 20C up to 260 C. High temperature air-backed immersion transducers have been developed with BS-PT, high temperature epoxy and quarter wavlength nickel plate, needed for wetting ability in liquid sodium. Ultrasonic immersion measurements have been performed in water up to 92C and in silicone oil up to 140C. Physics based models have been validated with room temperature experimental data with benchmark artifical defects.
Optimisation of maintenance and inspection work in nuclear power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Meyer, V.
1996-01-01
The long-term planning and comparative evaluation of inspection and maintenance intervals as well as results of electric components and machinery have to be intensified in order to shorten maintenance shut-down periods, e.g. of the Grohnde reactor station, thus improving the availability of the plant and the specific electricity generation cost. Economically efficient maintenance has to be based on an efficient organisational structure. Outsourcing of less plant-specific work and tasks offers the possibility for in-house personnel to concentrate on their core competences. All the measures discussed contribute to improving the economic efficiency of the nuclear power plants. (orig./DG) [de
Survey on maintenance skills required for nuclear power plant periodic inspections
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hamasaki, Kenichi
2008-01-01
In this study, we conducted a trend survey regarding the problem of passing on senior workers' skills and knowledge to young employees in industries in general, and an interview survey of skilled workers engaged in maintenance work during periodic inspections at a nuclear power plant. These surveys aimed to obtain useful information for maintaining and improving the quality of future maintenance work during nuclear power plant periodic inspections. The trend survey of industries found that the 'Year 2007 Problem (difficulties associated with the start of mass retirements of baby-boomers)' was often takenup in various fields and that many companies were concerned about losing their accumulated skills and know-how. To ensure that skills are smoothly passed on to the younger generation, companies have taken various measures, such as development of plans for passing on skills and knowledge, introduction of the Meister system and implementation of workshops by skilled workers. The interview survey of skilled workers engaged in maintenance work of mechanical equipment during periodic inspections at Nuclear Power Plant A found that various skills were required in maintenance work. Regarding perceived differences between skilled and unskilled maintenance workers, many respondents believed that the largest difference was in terms of time taken to carry out specific procedures. Some maintenance companies have increasingly fewer skilled workers than before or face aging of skilled personnel. As future concerns, respondents cited the loss of skills that have been acquired through experience in construction and in handling of troubles and failures. Differences were observed among companies in the degree to which skills have been passed on to the younger generation. As a reason why skills are not successfully passed on, respondents cited communication problems due to age differences between senior and young workers and other problems that were also observed in other industries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Quang, A. Tran; Chares, R.
2012-01-01
With the long term operation of nuclear power plants, decisions to replace or repair should be optimized from an economical, human resource and safety point of view. In that frame, the operation requires a continuous inspection and testing of systems in order to detect degradations and failures at an early stage. Nevertheless, in spite of the fact that such assiduous vigilance ensures safety, it is not optimized in terms of man power and maintenance costs. Preventive strategies show the same types of drawbacks. On top of that, these maintenance procedures rely on process measurements which accuracy, availability and reliability cannot always be ensured. The present paper introduces a new approach to the maintenance management of ageing installations and suggests a method that overcomes the actual drawbacks. The Reconciliation and Validation of data (DVR) is an advanced and innovative technology that relies on process data statistics, thermodynamic and on-site process knowledge. Benefits of real-time applications are also presented. (author)
Advanced inspection and repair techniques for primary side components
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Elm, Ralph
1998-01-01
The availability of nuclear power plant mainly depends on the components of the Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS) such as reactor pressure vessel, core internals and steam generators. The last decade has been characterized by intensive inspection and repair work on PWR steam generators. In the future, it can be expected, that the inspection of the reactor pressure vessel and the inspection and repair of its internals, in both PWR and BWR will be one of the challenges for the nuclear community. Due to this challenge, new, advanced inspection and repair techniques for the vital primary side components have been developed and applied, taking into account such issues as: use of reliable and fast inspection methods, repair of affected components instead of costly replacement, reduction of outage time compared to conventional methods, minimized radiation exposure, acceptable costs. This paper reflects on advanced inspection and repair techniques such as: Baffle Former Bolt inspection and replacement, Barrel Former Bolt inspection and replacement, Mechanized UT and visual inspection of reactor pressure vessels, Steam Generator repair by advanced sleeving technology. The techniques described have been successfully applied in nuclear power plants and improved the operation performance of the components and the NPP. (author). 6 figs
Wafer plane inspection for advanced reticle defects
Nagpal, Rajesh; Ghadiali, Firoz; Kim, Jun; Huang, Tracy; Pang, Song
2008-05-01
Readiness of new mask defect inspection technology is one of the key enablers for insertion & transition of the next generation technology from development into production. High volume production in mask shops and wafer fabs demands a reticle inspection system with superior sensitivity complemented by a low false defect rate to ensure fast turnaround of reticle repair and defect disposition (W. Chou et al 2007). Wafer Plane Inspection (WPI) is a novel approach to mask defect inspection, complementing the high resolution inspection capabilities of the TeraScanHR defect inspection system. WPI is accomplished by using the high resolution mask images to construct a physical mask model (D. Pettibone et al 1999). This mask model is then used to create the mask image in the wafer aerial plane. A threshold model is applied to enhance the inspectability of printing defects. WPI can eliminate the mask restrictions imposed on OPC solutions by inspection tool limitations in the past. Historically, minimum image restrictions were required to avoid nuisance inspection stops and/or subsequent loss of sensitivity to defects. WPI has the potential to eliminate these limitations by moving the mask defect inspections to the wafer plane. This paper outlines Wafer Plane Inspection technology, and explores the application of this technology to advanced reticle inspection. A total of twelve representative critical layers were inspected using WPI die-to-die mode. The results from scanning these advanced reticles have shown that applying WPI with a pixel size of 90nm (WPI P90) captures all the defects of interest (DOI) with low false defect detection rates. In validating CD predictions, the delta CDs from WPI are compared against Aerial Imaging Measurement System (AIMS), where a good correlation is established between WPI and AIMSTM.
Maintenance, surveillance and in-service inspection in nuclear power plants. Safety guide
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2002-01-01
Effective maintenance, surveillance and in-service inspection (MS and I) are essential for the safe operation of a nuclear power plant. The objective of this Safety Guide is to provide recommendations and guidance for MS and I activities to ensure that SSCs important to safety are available to perform their functions in accordance with the assumptions and intent of the design. This Safety Guide covers the organizational and procedural aspects of MS and I. However, it does not give detailed technical advice in relation to particular items of plant equipment, nor does it cover inspections made for and/or by the regulatory body. This Safety Guide provides recommendations and guidance for preventive and remedial measures, including testing, surveillance and in-service inspection, that are necessary to ensure that all plant structures, systems and components (SSCs) important to safety are capable of performing as intended. This Safety Guide covers measures for fulfilling the organizational and administrative requirements for: establishing and implementing schedules for preventive and predictive maintenance, repairing defective plant items, selecting and training personnel, providing related facilities and equipment, procuring stores and spare parts, and generating, collecting and retaining maintenance records for establishing and implementing an adequate feedback system for information on maintenance. MS and I should be subject to quality assurance in relation to all aspects important to safety. Quality assurance has been dealt with in detail in other IAEA safety standards and is covered here only in specific instances, for emphasis. In Section 2, a concept of MS and I is presented and the interrelationship between maintenance, surveillance and inspection is discussed. Section 3 concerns the functions and responsibilities of different organizations involved in MS and I activities. Section 4 provides recommendations and guidance on such organizational aspects as
Maintenance, surveillance and in-service inspection in nuclear power plants. Safety guide
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2005-01-01
Effective maintenance, surveillance and in-service inspection (MS and I) are essential for the safe operation of a nuclear power plant. The objective of this Safety Guide is to provide recommendations and guidance for MS and I activities to ensure that SSCs important to safety are available to perform their functions in accordance with the assumptions and intent of the design. This Safety Guide covers the organizational and procedural aspects of MS and I. However, it does not give detailed technical advice in relation to particular items of plant equipment, nor does it cover inspections made for and/or by the regulatory body. This Safety Guide provides recommendations and guidance for preventive and remedial measures, including testing, surveillance and in-service inspection, that are necessary to ensure that all plant structures, systems and components (SSCs) important to safety are capable of performing as intended. This Safety Guide covers measures for fulfilling the organizational and administrative requirements for: establishing and implementing schedules for preventive and predictive maintenance, repairing defective plant items, selecting and training personnel, providing related facilities and equipment, procuring stores and spare parts, and generating, collecting and retaining maintenance records for establishing and implementing an adequate feedback system for information on maintenance. MS and I should be subject to quality assurance in relation to all aspects important to safety. Quality assurance has been dealt with in detail in other IAEA safety standards and is covered here only in specific instances, for emphasis. In Section 2, a concept of MS and I is presented and the interrelationship between maintenance, surveillance and inspection is discussed. Section 3 concerns the functions and responsibilities of different organizations involved in MS and I activities. Section 4 provides recommendations and guidance on such organizational aspects as
Emerging nondestructive inspection methods for aging aircraft
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Beattie, A; Dahlke, L; Gieske, J [and others
1994-01-01
This report identifies and describes emerging nondestructive inspection (NDI) methods that can potentially be used to inspect commercial transport and commuter aircraft for structural damage. The nine categories of emerging NDI techniques are: acoustic emission, x-ray computed tomography, backscatter radiation, reverse geometry x-ray, advanced electromagnetics, including magnetooptic imaging and advanced eddy current techniques, coherent optics, advanced ultrasonics, advanced visual, and infrared thermography. The physical principles, generalized performance characteristics, and typical applications associated with each method are described. In addition, aircraft inspection applications are discussed along with the associated technical considerations. Finally, the status of each technique is presented, with a discussion on when it may be available for use in actual aircraft maintenance programs. It should be noted that this is a companion document to DOT/FAA/CT-91/5, Current Nondestructive Inspection Methods for Aging Aircraft.
A MAINTENANCE STRATEGY MODEL FOR STATIC EQUIPMENT USING INSPECTION METHODOLOGIES AND RISK MANAGEMENT
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
J.K. Visser
2012-01-01
Full Text Available
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mechanical equipment used on process plants can be categorised into two main types, namely static and rotating equipment. A brief survey at a number of chemical process plants indicated that a number of maintenance strategies exist and are used for rotating equipment. However, some of these strategies are not directly applicable to static equipment, although the risk-based inspection (RBI methodology has been developed for pressure vessels. A generalised risk-based maintenance strategy for all types of static equipment does not currently exist. This paper describes the development of an optimised model of inspection methodologies, maintenance strategies, and risk management principles that are generically applicable for static equipment. It enables maintenance managers and engineers to select an applicable maintenance strategy and inspection methodology, based on the operational and business risks posed by the individual pieces of equipment.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Meganiese toerusting wat op prosesaanlegte gebruik word kan in twee kategorieë verdeel word, naamlik statiese en roterende toerusting. 'n Bondige ondersoek by 'n aantal chemiese prosesaanlegte het aangedui dat 'n aantal strategieë vir instandhouding van roterende toerusting gebruik word, terwyl die risikogebaseerde inspeksiemetodologie wel vir drukvate gebruik word. 'n Algemene risikogebaseerde instandhoudingstrategie vir alle tipes statiese toerusting is egter nie tans beskikbaar nie. Hierdie artikel beskryf die ontwikkeling van 'n geoptimeerde model van inspeksiemetodologieë, instandhoudingstrategieë, en risikobestuursbeginsels wat algemeen gebruik kan word vir statiese toerusting. Dit stel die instandhouding-bestuurders en -ingenieurs in staat om 'n instandhoudingstrategie en inspeksie-metodologie te kies, gebaseer op die operasionele en besigheidsrisiko's van die individuele toerusting.
1998-03-01
Ten years ago the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Aviation Medicine embarked on a research and development program dedicated to human factors in aviation maintenance and inspection. Since 1989 FAA has invested over $12M in maintenance...
2010-10-01
... section. (v) Stainless steel flexible connectors with damaged reinforcement braid. (vi) Internal self... program for cargo tanks transporting liquefied compressed gases. 180.416 Section 180.416 Transportation... PACKAGINGS Qualification and Maintenance of Cargo Tanks § 180.416 Discharge system inspection and maintenance...
1990-11-01
The Federal Aviation Administration sponsored a 2-day meeting in December 1989 as part of a continuing program to address issues of human factors and personnel performance in aviation maintenance and inspection. This meeting focused on issues of "inf...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Van Binnebeek, J.J.; Aubrey, Richard; Grandame, Melvyn; Aro, Ilari; Balloffet, Yves; Klonk, Hartmut; Manzella, Pietro; Koizumi, Hiroyoshi; Bouvrie, E.C. des; Forsberg, Staffan; Lang, Hans-Guenter; Mehew, Robert; Warren, Thomas; Woodhouse, Paul; Gallo, Robert M.; Campbell, Rob; )
1997-01-01
The NEA Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA) believes that an essential factor in ensuring the safety of nuclear installations is the continuing exchange and analysis of technical information and data. To facilitate this exchange the Committee has established Working Groups and Groups of Experts in specialised topics. CNRA believes that safety inspections are a major element in the regulatory authority's efforts to ensure the safe operation of nuclear facilities. Considering the importance of these issues, the Committee has established a special Working Group on Inspection Practices (WGIP). The purpose of WGIP, is to facilitate the exchange of information and experience related to regulatory safety inspections between CNRA Member countries. This was the 3. international workshop held by the WGIP on regulatory inspection activities. The focus of this workshop was on 3 main topics; Inspection Planning, Plant Maintenance and Assessment of Safety. This document presents the proceedings from the workshop, including: workshop programme, results and conclusions, papers and presentations and the list of participants. The main purpose of the Workshop is to provide a forum of exchange of information on the regulatory inspection activities
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Van Binnebeek, J. J. [AIB-Vincotte Nuclear - AVN, Avenue du Roi, 157, B-1060 Brussels (Belgium); Aubrey, Richard; Grandame, Melvyn [Atomic Energy Control Board - AECB, P.O. Box 1046, Station B, 280 Slater Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5S9 (Canada); Aro, Ilari [Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety - STUK, P.O. Box 14, FIN-00881 Helsinki (Finland); Balloffet, Yves [DRIRE Rhone Alpes, 146, rue Pierre Corneille, 69426 Lyon CEDEX 03 (France); Klonk, Hartmut [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz - BfS, Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Postbox 10 01 49, 38201 Salzgitter 1 (Germany); Manzella, Pietro [A.N.P.A., Via V. Brancati, 48, 1-00144 Roma EUR (Italy); Koizumi, Hiroyoshi [Tech. Stan. Dept. - JAPEIC, Shin-Toranomon Bldg., 1-5-11, Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107 (Japan); Bouvrie, E.C. des [Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, Nuclear Safety Dept. KFD, P.O. Box 90804, 2509 LV The Hague (Netherlands); Forsberg, Staffan [Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate - SKI, Klarabergsviadukten 90, S-10658 Stockholm (Sweden); Lang, Hans-Guenter [Section Plant Coordination and Inspection, Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate - HSK, CH-5232 Villigen-HSK (Switzerland); Mehew, Robert; Warren, Thomas; Woodhouse, Paul [Health and Safety Executive - NII, St. Peter' s House, Balliol Road, Bootle, Merseyside L20 3LZ (United Kingdom); Gallo, Robert M. [Special Inspection Branch, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission - US NRC, Mail Stop 0-9A1, Washington, DC 20555 (United States); Campbell, Rob [International Atomic Energy Agency - IAEA, P.O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna (International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA))
1997-07-01
The NEA Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA) believes that an essential factor in ensuring the safety of nuclear installations is the continuing exchange and analysis of technical information and data. To facilitate this exchange the Committee has established Working Groups and Groups of Experts in specialised topics. CNRA believes that safety inspections are a major element in the regulatory authority's efforts to ensure the safe operation of nuclear facilities. Considering the importance of these issues, the Committee has established a special Working Group on Inspection Practices (WGIP). The purpose of WGIP, is to facilitate the exchange of information and experience related to regulatory safety inspections between CNRA Member countries. This was the 3. international workshop held by the WGIP on regulatory inspection activities. The focus of this workshop was on 3 main topics; Inspection Planning, Plant Maintenance and Assessment of Safety. This document presents the proceedings from the workshop, including: workshop programme, results and conclusions, papers and presentations and the list of participants. The main purpose of the Workshop is to provide a forum of exchange of information on the regulatory inspection activities.
CASTOR - Advanced System for VVER Steam Generator Inspection
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mateljak, Petar
2014-01-01
From the safety point of view, steam generator is a very important component of a nuclear power plant. Only a thin tube wall prevents leakage of radioactive material from the primary side into the environment. Therefore, it is very important to perform inspections in order to detect pipe damage and apply appropriate corrective actions during outage. Application of the nondestructive examination (NDE) technique, that can locate degradation and measure its size and orientation, is an integral part of nuclear power plant maintenance. The steam generator inspection system is consisted of remotely controlled manipulator, testing instrument and software for data acquisition and analysis. Recently, the inspection systems have evolved to a much higher level of automation, efficiency and reliability resulting in a lower cost and shorter outage time. Electronic components have become smaller and deal with more complex algorithms. These systems are very fast, precise, reliable and easy to handle. The whole inspection, from the planning, examination, data analysis and final report, is now a highly automated process, which makes inspection much easier and more reliable. This paper presents the new generation of INETEC's VVER steam generator inspection system as ultimate solution for steam generator inspection and repair. (author)
Vision Based Autonomous Robotic Control for Advanced Inspection and Repair
Wehner, Walter S.
2014-01-01
The advanced inspection system is an autonomous control and analysis system that improves the inspection and remediation operations for ground and surface systems. It uses optical imaging technology with intelligent computer vision algorithms to analyze physical features of the real-world environment to make decisions and learn from experience. The advanced inspection system plans to control a robotic manipulator arm, an unmanned ground vehicle and cameras remotely, automatically and autonomously. There are many computer vision, image processing and machine learning techniques available as open source for using vision as a sensory feedback in decision-making and autonomous robotic movement. My responsibilities for the advanced inspection system are to create a software architecture that integrates and provides a framework for all the different subsystem components; identify open-source algorithms and techniques; and integrate robot hardware.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Villas Boas, Ademar Jose; Biesemeyer, Marco Aurelio R.
2000-01-01
Each local Natural Gas Distribution Company in Brazil has its own working procedures for operations of inspection and maintenance on equipment and accessories connected to the gas network. Some of these Companies developed a better elaborated and documented way of working routines, while others only work based on their operators experience. The objective of this work is to create a standard procedure for operations of inspection and maintenance of Pressure Reducing Stations and Metering Stations, mainly the ones concerned to safety aspects. This work has no intention of exhausting all aspects related to this subject but to become the first step to standardize these types of operations among Natural Gas Distribution Companies. (author)
Experience in testing and inspection and maintenance of material handling equipments
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sharma, M.L.
2009-01-01
All the Industries, Power Projects/Stations, Organizations engaged in the field of process of manufacturing, power generation, transportation, design, layout, manufacturing, and supply have to utilize material handling equipment, machinery tools tackles, lifting gears for performing their tasks/activities. The major role of the material handling equipments play an important role and a component of 40% of the total activities of the system/process to achieve targeted output with the reliability and quality is performed by material handling equipment and machineries. The material handling equipment shall have to be chosen/selected to suit the process requirement at times to be specifically designed inspected and tested to meet the specific requirement. These equipment/machineries/lifting gears have to undergo for the periodical inspection and testing to qualify for further use in a specified period. All those equipment and machinery to be used for material handling if not found satisfactory during inspection and testing or otherwise also shall be dismantled/stripped to the extent of inspection requirement of the components/sub components and maintenance repair shall have to be done to make them worthy for reuse after testing and inspection duly witnessed by competent authority
A wall-crawling robot for reactor vessel inspection in advanced reactors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Spelt, P.F.; Crane, C.; Feng, L.; Abidi, M.; Tosunoglu, S.
1994-01-01
A consortium of four universities and the Center for Engineering Systems Advanced Research of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory has designed a prototype wall-crawling robot to perform weld inspection in advanced nuclear reactors. Design efforts for the reactor vessel inspection robot (RVIR) concentrated on the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor because it presents the most demanding environment in which such a robot must operate. The RVIR consists of a chassis containing two sets of suction cups that can alternately grasp the side of the vessel being inspected, providing both locomotion and steering functions. Sensors include three CCD cameras and a weld inspection device based on new shear-wave technology. The restrictions of the inspection environment presented major challenges to the team. These challenges were met in the prototype, which has been tested in a non-radiation, room-temperature mockup of the robot work environment and shown to perform as expected. (author)
A wall-crawling robot for reactor vessel inspection in advanced reactors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Spelt, P.F.; Crane, C.; Feng, L.; Abidi, M.; Tosunoglu, S.
1994-01-01
A consortium of four universities and the Center for Engineering Systems Advanced Research of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory has designed a prototype wall-crawling robot to perform weld inspection in advanced nuclear reactors. Design efforts for the reactor vessel inspection robot (RVIR) concentrated on the Advanced Liquid Metal Reactor because it presents the most demanding environment in which such a robot must operate. The RVIR consists of a chassis containing two sets of suction cups that can alternately grasp the side of the vessel being inspected, providing both locomotion and steering functions. Sensors include three CCD cameras and a weld inspection device based on new shear-wave technology. The restrictions of the inspection environment presented major challenges to the team. These challenges were met in the prototype, which has been tested in a non-radiation, room-temperature mockup of the robot work environment and shown to perform as expected
A maintenance support system with document handling capability
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fukumoto, A.; Tsumura, K.; Fujii, M.; Tai, I.; Makimo, M.; Watanabe, T.
1990-01-01
An operation and maintenance support system, called 'Advanced Man-Machine System for Nuclear Power Plants' (MMS-NPP) is under development with the support of the Japanese Government. Taking full advantage of Artificial Intelligence technology, the system aims to enhance the capability of already developed 'Computerized Operator Support System (COSS)' and gives wider and more advanced support for operation and maintenance. With a brief overview of MMS-NPP, this paper describes a support system for plant patrol and equipment inspection. The system gives guidance for plant patrol and for equipment inspection and provides easy access to plant drawings and documents. A unique knowledge acquisition method, utilizing image processing technology, was proposed in building the system
World-wide developments in motor vehicle inspection/maintenance (I/M) programs
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Klausmeier, R. [Consulting Inc., Austin, TX (United States); Kishan, S. [Radian Corporation, Austin, TX (United States)
1995-12-31
Motor vehicles contribute much to urban air pollution. As a result, most governments have enacted emission standards that significantly lower pollutant emission levels from new motor vehicles. For example, vehicles built in the United States emit 95 % fewer pollutants than uncontrolled vehicles when they are new. However, studies indicate that proper maintenance is needed to obtain the full benefit of vehicle emission controls. Furthermore, there is evidence that a significant percentage of the vehicle fleet is not properly maintained. This has led to the creation of motor vehicle Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) Programs. I/M programs inspect vehicles for indications that they are emitting excessive quantities of pollutants. Vehicles that fail the inspection must be repaired in order to comply with program requirements. The first I/M programs were implemented in the United States in the early 1970s. With substantial urging from the federal government, most of the U.S. states with severe air pollution problems have implemented I/M programs. Recently, with the passage of the U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, many states have been required to significantly upgrade the performance and coverage of their I/M programs. I/M programs also have been implemented in Europe and recently in Asia. This presentation reviews developments in I/M programs for light-duty gasoline powered vehicles. Developments in I/M programs for diesel powered vehicles are briefly described. (author)
World-wide developments in motor vehicle inspection/maintenance (I/M) programs
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Klausmeier, R [Consulting Inc., Austin, TX (United States); Kishan, S [Radian Corporation, Austin, TX (United States)
1996-12-31
Motor vehicles contribute much to urban air pollution. As a result, most governments have enacted emission standards that significantly lower pollutant emission levels from new motor vehicles. For example, vehicles built in the United States emit 95 % fewer pollutants than uncontrolled vehicles when they are new. However, studies indicate that proper maintenance is needed to obtain the full benefit of vehicle emission controls. Furthermore, there is evidence that a significant percentage of the vehicle fleet is not properly maintained. This has led to the creation of motor vehicle Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) Programs. I/M programs inspect vehicles for indications that they are emitting excessive quantities of pollutants. Vehicles that fail the inspection must be repaired in order to comply with program requirements. The first I/M programs were implemented in the United States in the early 1970s. With substantial urging from the federal government, most of the U.S. states with severe air pollution problems have implemented I/M programs. Recently, with the passage of the U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, many states have been required to significantly upgrade the performance and coverage of their I/M programs. I/M programs also have been implemented in Europe and recently in Asia. This presentation reviews developments in I/M programs for light-duty gasoline powered vehicles. Developments in I/M programs for diesel powered vehicles are briefly described. (author)
Development of a maintenance manipulator for TFTR
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Holloway, C.
1986-01-01
The maintenance manipulator is a device permanently connected to the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) vacuum vessel and is located in close proximity to the tokamak. It is used for the inspection and maintenance of in-vessel components whilst the machine remains under vacuum. The total system comprises a vacuum vessel ante-chamber that houses the manipulator, an articulated boom and carriage that transports and positions a dexterous end-effector, and end-effector that supports maintenance tooling, and an inspection system. Because of the maintenance manipulator's operating environment, there are many challenging engineering features, i.e., temperatures up to 150 0 C, changing magnetic fields in space and time that act on the manipulator whilst it is at rest, neutron neutron fluxes of up to 10/sup 11/cm/sup -2/s/sup -1/, and, last but not least, UHV conditions. This paper describes the development of the vacuum system, the maintenance manipulator, and inspective devices. It includes the methods employed to overcome the engineering difficulties and the application of information gained from other advanced technology programs, such as space and nuclear fission
Advanced remote handling for future applications: The advanced integrated maintenance system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Herndon, J.N.; Kring, C.T.; Rowe, J.C.
1986-01-01
The Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been developing advanced techniques for remote maintenance of future US fuel reprocessing plants. The developed technology has a wide spectrum of application for other hazardous environments. These efforts are based on the application of teleoperated, force-reflecting servomanipulators for dexterous remote handling with television viewing for large-volume hazardous applications. These developments fully address the nonrepetitive nature of remote maintenance in the unstructured environments encountered in fuel reprocessing. This paper covers the primary emphasis in the present program; the design, fabrication, installation, and operation of a prototype remote handling system for reprocessing applications, the Advanced Integrated Maintenance System
Reliability Assessment and Reliability-Based Inspection and Maintenance of Offshore Wind Turbines
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ramirez, José Rangel
actions are the most relevant and effective means of control of deterioration. The risk-based inspection planning methodology, based on Bayesian decision theory, represents an important tool to identify the suitable strategy to inspect and control the deterioration in structures such as offshore wind...... performance during the life cycle. The deterioration processes, such as fatigue and corrosion, are typically affecting offshore structural systems. This damage decreases the system performance and increases the risk of failure, thus not fulfilling the established safety criteria. Inspection and maintenance...... to their offshore location, no pollution risks and low human risks since they are unmanned. This allows the allocation of lower reliability level compared to e.g. oil & gas installations. With the incursion to water depths between 20 and 50 meters, the use of jacket and tripod structures represents a feasible...
Homogenization of independent inspection criteria of Quality Assurance in the maintenance activities
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gomez Cardinanos, R.
2012-01-01
Among the official documents governing the operation of Spanish nuclear power plants is the Quality Manual and Quality Assurance. This manual gives a formal answer to the requirements of the regulations and the Nuclear Safety Council. To monitor the compliance of its requirements, the plants are controlled by independent organizations. Since 2007, in nuclear Sta. Maria de Garona is developed a project to improve the performance of the QA inspectors during maintenance activities. Results of the project have been edited data sheets on specific activities of maintenance. The project aims to incorporate sheets that help QA inspectors in their daily inspection.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lee, Sung Uk; Jung, Kyung Min; Seo, Young Chil; Choi, Byung Seon; Moon, Jei Kwon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)
2014-10-15
For nuclear facility decommissioning, there are many different electrical manipulators to remotely dismantle a nuclear facility. Various manipulators will be necessary for inspection, maintenance and decommission. Only one manipulator cannot response to many required tasks. Therefore, several manipulators are necessary, depending on the payload capacity, their number of axes and their dexterity. Each manipulator was developed for a specific task. The actuators used at manipulator are varied and many companies sell actuators depending on power, torque and speed. However, the commercial product is not standardized. Therefore, the development of the manipulator is time consuming and expensive. The essential item of the manipulators is the actuator module. If actuator module is standardized, it is easier to develop manipulator. In this paper, we developed two electrical actuator modules to standardize the actuator module and easily develop a manipulator using the proposed actuator modules. The electrical actuator module has a motor, gear and rotary sensor, and is also waterproof. The electrically driven manipulator being used in the proposed actuator modules will be shown. Two modularized electrical actuator modules were developed for inspection, maintenance and decommission. Using the two developed actuator modules, the manipulator inspecting the welding area of reactor vessel is easily developed. Various modularized electrical actuator modules will be developed in terms of size and power.
2012-08-01
The following document is the summary of results from a survey that was conducted to evaluate : the state-of-the-practice for sediment basin design, construction, maintenance, and inspection : procedures by State Highway Agencies (SHAs) across the na...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
None
2013-06-01
This document is the triennial report for the Well Inspection and Maintenance Program of the Y- 12 Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP), at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12). This report formally documents well inspection events conducted on active and inactive wells at Y-12 during calendar years (CY) 2007 through 2009; it documents well maintenance and plugging and abandonment activities completed since the last triennial inspection event (CY 2006); and provides summary tables of well inspection events, well maintenance events, and well plugging and abandonment events during the reference time period.
Condition-Based Maintenance Strategy for Production Systems Generating Environmental Damage
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
L. Tlili
2015-01-01
Full Text Available We consider production systems which generate damage to environment as they get older and degrade. The system is submitted to inspections to assess the generated environmental damage. The inspections can be periodic or nonperiodic. In case an inspection reveals that the environmental degradation level has exceeded the critical level U, the system is considered in an advanced deterioration state and will have generated significant environmental damage. A corrective maintenance action is then performed to renew the system and clean the environment and a penalty has to be paid. In order to prevent such an undesirable situation, a lower threshold level L is considered to trigger a preventive maintenance action to bring back the system to a state as good as new at a lower cost and without paying the penalty. Two inspection policies are considered (periodic and nonperiodic. For each one of them, a mathematical model and a numerical procedure are developed to determine simultaneously the preventive maintenance (PM threshold L∗ and the inspection sequence which minimize the average long-run cost per time unit. Numerical calculations are performed to illustrate the proposed maintenance policies and highlight their main characteristics with respect to relevant input parameters.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Xiong, J.J.; Shenoi, R.A.
2009-01-01
This paper outlines a new durability model to assess the first inspection and maintenance period for structures. Practical scatter factor formulae are presented to determine the safe fatigue crack initiation and propagation lives from the results of a single full-scale test of a complete structure. New theoretical solutions are proposed to determine the s a -s m -N surfaces of fatigue crack initiation and propagation. Prediction techniques are then developed to establish the relationship equation between safe fatigue crack initiation and propagation lives with a specific reliability level using a two-stage fatigue damage cumulative rule. A new durability model incorporating safe life and damage tolerance design approaches is derived to assess the first inspection and maintenance period. Finally, the proposed models are applied to assess the first inspection and maintenance period of a fastening structure at the root of helicopter blade.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
None
2013-09-01
This document is the triennial report for the Well Inspection and Maintenance Program of the Y- 12 Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP), at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12). This report formally documents well inspections completed by the GWPP on active and inactive wells at Y-12 during calendar years (CY) 2010 through 2012. In addition, this report also documents well inspections performed under the Y-12 Water Resources Restoration Program, which is administered by URS|CH2M Oak Ridge (UCOR). This report documents well maintenance activities completed since the last triennial inspection event (CY 2009); and provides summary tables of well inspections and well maintenance activities during the reference time period.
Managing aging in nuclear power plants: Insights from NRC's maintenance team inspection reports
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fresco, A.; Subudhi, M.
1994-01-01
Age-related degradation is managed through the maintenance program of a nuclear plant. From 1988 to 1991, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) evaluated the maintenance program of every nuclear power plant in the United States. The authors reviewed 44 out of a total of 67 of the reports issued by the NRC on these in-depth team inspections. The reports were reviewed for insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the programs as related to the need to understand and manage the effects of aging on nuclear plant structures, systems, and components. The authors' conclusions are presented. 6 refs
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Xiong, J.J. [Aircraft Department, Beihang University, Beijing 100083 (China); Shenoi, R.A. [School of Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom)], E-mail: r.a.shenoi@ship.soton.ac.uk
2009-08-15
This paper outlines a new durability model to assess the first inspection and maintenance period for structures. Practical scatter factor formulae are presented to determine the safe fatigue crack initiation and propagation lives from the results of a single full-scale test of a complete structure. New theoretical solutions are proposed to determine the s{sub a}-s{sub m}-N surfaces of fatigue crack initiation and propagation. Prediction techniques are then developed to establish the relationship equation between safe fatigue crack initiation and propagation lives with a specific reliability level using a two-stage fatigue damage cumulative rule. A new durability model incorporating safe life and damage tolerance design approaches is derived to assess the first inspection and maintenance period. Finally, the proposed models are applied to assess the first inspection and maintenance period of a fastening structure at the root of helicopter blade.
Lazakis, Iraklis; Dikis, Konstantinos; Michala, Anna Lito; Theotokatos, Gerasimos
2016-01-01
Structural and machinery failures in the day-to-day ship operations may lead to major accidents, endangering crew and\\ud passengers onboard, posing a threat to the environment, damaging the ship itself and having a great impact in terms of business\\ud losses. In this respect, this paper presents the INCASS (Inspection Capabilities for Enhanced Ship Safety) project which aims\\ud bringing an innovative solution to the ship inspection regime through the introduction of enhanced inspection of shi...
Analysis of human-in-the-loop tele-operated maintenance inspection tasks using VR
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Boessenkool, H.; Abbink, D.A.; Heemskerk, C.J.M.; Steinbuch, M.; Baar, M.R. de; Wildenbeest, J.G.W.; Ronden, D.; Koning, J.F.
2013-01-01
Highlights: ► Execution of tele-operated inspection tasks for ITER maintenance was analyzed. ► Human factors experiments using Virtual Reality showed to be a valuable approach. ► A large variation in time performance and number of collisions was found. ► Results indicate significant room for improvement for teleoperated free space tasks. ► A promising solution is haptic shared control: assist operator with guiding forces. -- Abstract: One of the challenges in future fusion plants such as ITER is the remote maintenance of the plant. Foreseen human-in-the-loop tele-operation is characterized by limited visual and haptic feedback from the environment, which results in degraded task performance and increased operator workload. For improved tele-operated task performance it is required to get insight in the expected tasks and problems during maintenance at ITER. By means of an exploratory human factor experiment, this paper analyses problems and bottlenecks during the execution of foreseen tele-operated maintenance at ITER, identifying most promising areas of improvement. The focus of this paper is on free space (sub)tasks where contact with the environment needs to be avoided. A group of 5 subjects was asked to carry-out an ITER related free space task (visual inspection), using a six degree of freedom master device connected to a simulated hot cell environment. The results show large variation in time performance between subjects and an increasing number of collisions for more difficult tasks, indicating room for improvement for free space (sub)tasks. The results will be used in future research on the haptic guidance strategies in the ITER Remote Handling framework
Analysis of human-in-the-loop tele-operated maintenance inspection tasks using VR
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Boessenkool, H., E-mail: h.boessenkool@differ.nl [FOM Institute DIFFER (Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research), Association EURATOM-FOM, Partner in the Trilateral Euregio Cluster, PO Box 1207, 3430 BE Nieuwegein (Netherlands); Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dynamics and Control Group, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands); Abbink, D.A. [Delft University of Technology, Faculty of 3mE, BioMechanical Engineering Department, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft (Netherlands); Heemskerk, C.J.M. [Heemskerk Innovative Technology B.V., Jonckerweg 12, 2201 DZ Noordwijk (Netherlands); Steinbuch, M. [Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dynamics and Control Group, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands); Baar, M.R. de [FOM Institute DIFFER (Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research), Association EURATOM-FOM, Partner in the Trilateral Euregio Cluster, PO Box 1207, 3430 BE Nieuwegein (Netherlands); Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dynamics and Control Group, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands); Wildenbeest, J.G.W. [Delft University of Technology, Faculty of 3mE, BioMechanical Engineering Department, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft (Netherlands); Heemskerk Innovative Technology B.V., Jonckerweg 12, 2201 DZ Noordwijk (Netherlands); Ronden, D. [FOM Institute DIFFER (Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research), Association EURATOM-FOM, Partner in the Trilateral Euregio Cluster, PO Box 1207, 3430 BE Nieuwegein (Netherlands); Koning, J.F. [Heemskerk Innovative Technology B.V., Jonckerweg 12, 2201 DZ Noordwijk (Netherlands)
2013-10-15
Highlights: ► Execution of tele-operated inspection tasks for ITER maintenance was analyzed. ► Human factors experiments using Virtual Reality showed to be a valuable approach. ► A large variation in time performance and number of collisions was found. ► Results indicate significant room for improvement for teleoperated free space tasks. ► A promising solution is haptic shared control: assist operator with guiding forces. -- Abstract: One of the challenges in future fusion plants such as ITER is the remote maintenance of the plant. Foreseen human-in-the-loop tele-operation is characterized by limited visual and haptic feedback from the environment, which results in degraded task performance and increased operator workload. For improved tele-operated task performance it is required to get insight in the expected tasks and problems during maintenance at ITER. By means of an exploratory human factor experiment, this paper analyses problems and bottlenecks during the execution of foreseen tele-operated maintenance at ITER, identifying most promising areas of improvement. The focus of this paper is on free space (sub)tasks where contact with the environment needs to be avoided. A group of 5 subjects was asked to carry-out an ITER related free space task (visual inspection), using a six degree of freedom master device connected to a simulated hot cell environment. The results show large variation in time performance between subjects and an increasing number of collisions for more difficult tasks, indicating room for improvement for free space (sub)tasks. The results will be used in future research on the haptic guidance strategies in the ITER Remote Handling framework.
2010-01-01
.... 34.31 Section 34.31 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION LICENSES FOR INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY AND RADIATION SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHIC OPERATIONS Equipment § 34.31 Inspection and... maintenance program must include procedures to assure that Type B packages are shipped and maintained in...
33 CFR 401.79 - Advance notice of arrival, vessels requiring inspection.
2010-07-01
..., vessels requiring inspection. 401.79 Section 401.79 Navigation and Navigable Waters SAINT LAWRENCE SEAWAY... Reports § 401.79 Advance notice of arrival, vessels requiring inspection. Every vessel shall provide at... reinspection of the ship is required. [70 FR 12973, Mar. 17, 2005] ...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
None
2012-03-01
This report summarizes the 2011 annual inspection, sampling, measurement, and maintenance activities performed at the Salmon, Mississippi, Site (Salmon site1). The draft Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Plan for the Salmon Site, Lamar County, Mississippi (DOE 2007) specifies the submittal of an annual report of site activities with the results of sample analyses. The Salmon site consists of 1,470 acres. The site is located in Lamar County, Mississippi, approximately 10 miles west of Purvis, Mississippi, and about 21 miles southwest of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Potential application of nuclear remote-handling technology to underwater inspection and maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Eccleston, M.J.
1990-01-01
Examples are given of remote handling equipment developed within the nuclear industry and employing telemanipulative or telerobotic principles. In telerobotics the nuclear industry has been following a trend towards increased levels of autonomy, delegating operator control to a computer, for example, in resolved rate manipulator tip control, teach-and-repeat control and collision avoidance. Illustrations are presented of remote-handling techniques from the nuclear industry which may be carried over into undersea remote inspection, maintenance and repair systems. (author)
Prospects of inspection and maintenance of two-wheelers in India.
Das, S; Schmoyer, R; Harrison, G; Hausker, K
2001-10-01
Two-wheeler vehicles in Delhi, India--roughly 70% of the total vehicle fleet--are responsible for a significant portion of the city's vehicle emissions and petroleum consumption. An inspection and maintenance (I/M) program that ensures vehicle emission control systems are well maintained can complement other emission reduction strategies. This paper presents the initial findings of extensive data collected on vehicle characteristics and emissions for two-wheeler vehicles operating in Delhi in a series of I/M camps conducted by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers and various partners in late 1999. The analysis shows idle HC and CO emissions [measured in terms of parts per million (ppm) and volume % (vol %), respectively] in a slow declining trend with subsequent model years, reflecting tighter emission standards and more advanced emission technologies. The I/M benefits--3 vol % and 39% reduction in idle and mass CO, respectively; 40 vol % and 22% reduction in idle and mass HC, respectively; and a 10-20% increase in fuel efficiency--were higher than those reported in the literature. Although these benefits are substantial, any implementation strategy needs to consider cost-effectiveness. In the present study, only 10% of vehicles--contributing 22% of the total vehicle emissions--failed the idle CO standard. Fleet emissions data variability necessitates a large sample size to develop a baseline for the vehicle fleet, but a smaller, scientifically designed sample and better data collection quality could periodically track the benefits at future camps.
Advancement of safeguards inspection technology for CANDU nuclear power plants
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lee, Jae Sung; Park, W S; Cha, H R; Ham, Y S; Lee, Y G; Kim, K P; Hong, Y D
1999-04-01
The objectives of this project are to develop both inspection technology and safeguards instruments, related to CANDU safeguards inspection, through international cooperation, so that those outcomes are to be applied in field inspections of national safeguards. Furthermore, those could contribute to the improvement of verification correctness of IAEA inspections. Considering the level of national inspection technology, it looked not possible to perform national inspections without the joint use of containment and surveillance equipment conjunction with the IAEA. In this connection, basic studies for the successful implementation of national inspections was performed, optimal structure of safeguards inspection was attained, and advancement of safeguards inspection technology was forwarded. The successful implementation of this project contributed to both the improvement of inspection technology on CANDU reactors and the implementation of national inspection to be performed according to the legal framework. In addition, it would be an opportunity to improve the ability of negotiating in equal shares in relation to the IAEA on the occasion of discussing or negotiating the safeguards issues concerned. Now that the national safeguards technology for CANDU reactors was developed, the safeguards criteria, procedure and instruments as to the other item facilities and fabrication facilities should be developed for the perfection of national inspections. It would be desirable that the recommendations proposed and concreted in this study, so as to both cope with the strengthened international safeguards and detect the undeclared nuclear activities, could be applied to national safeguards scheme. (author)
Aging management and preventive maintenance for nuclear power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bessho, Toichi; Sagawa, Wataru; Oyamada, Osamu; Uchida, Shunsuke
1995-01-01
It is expected that nuclear power generation will bear main electric power supply for long term. For this purpose, by applying proper preventive maintenance to the nuclear power plants in operation, the maintenance of high reliability and the rate of plant operation is extremely important. Especially it has been strongly demanded to execute efficiently the periodic inspection which is carried out every year to shorten its period and increase the rate of operation, and to maintain the reliability by the proper maintenance for the aged plants with long operation years. As to efficient and short periodic inspection, the preparation is advanced by the guidance of electric power companies aiming at realizing it in nearest fiscal year, and further, effort is exerted for the development of technology in long term to optimize periodic inspection. For securing the reliability of aged plants, it is important to do proper inspection and diagnosis and to take the countermeasures by repair and replacement, based on the grasp of secular change mechanism and the evaluation of life of machinery, equipment and materials. In particular, effort is exerted for the development of maintenance technology for reactor pressure vessels and in-core equipment which are hard to access. The confirmation of the function of remote operation equipment and the establishment of execution condition are carried out by uisng the full scale mock-up of BWR plant. The problems in maintenance service and the activities and results of reliability improvement are reported. (K.I.)
Flexible maintenance system (FMS). Background, concept, and results of technical development
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yoshikawa, Hidekazu; Watanabe, Osami; Takizawa, Yoji; Ohga, Yukiharu; Ohi, Tadashi
2006-01-01
Maintenance works of nuclear power plants have been involved with various people and organizations. Thus human errors are apt to be made. Since 2000, the project on development of flexible maintenance system (FMS) has been conducted for five years in order to make maintenance works more rational and reduce human errors probability. Background, concept and results of technical development to upgrade maintenance works and training are reviewed. Advanced technology such as optical viewing equipments, laser holography inspection systems and neural networks shall be applied to maintenance works. (T. Tanaka)
Present state of condition based maintenance (CBM) and its future problem
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hashimoto, Satoshi; Nogami, Takeki; Sugiyama, Naoki
2008-01-01
New inspection system of the nuclear power plant will be introduced from 2008. In this feature, eleven experts from electric utilities, venders and academia described their views or activities about Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) with a new inspection system attracting attention. These are titled as 'Electric utilities view on CBM and its technology', Deployment results of developed CBM technologies', 'Valve diagnostic analysis support system with wireless technology applied', 'Portable vibration checker', 'Tribology diagnosis with no overhaul', 'Infrared thermograph diagnosis', 'Pipewall thinning inspection and management' and, in addition, the US trend and also the development trend of the CBM advancement technology in the vender and university. CBM technology will be introduced step-by-step and contribute to establish reliability based maintenance. (T. Tanaka)
Remote-automation of nuclear power plant equipment inspection and maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sasaki, Masayoshi; Kawamura, Hironobu; Nakano, Yoshiyuki; Izumi, Shigeru.
1984-01-01
The remotely operated automation of the checkup and maintenance of nuclear power generation facilities has largely contributed to the rise of capacity ratio of plants due to the shortening of regular inspection period and to the reduction of radiation exposure dose during working, the labor saving in working and so on. In this paper, the new technologies adopted in an automatic fuel exchanger, a remotely operated automatic CRD exchanger, a new type channel handling machine, pressure-withstanding main steam line plugs and so on for No.2 plant in the Fukushima No.2 Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc., are reported. Besides, the state of development of new remotely operated automatic machines for nuclear power use, such as CRD disassembling and cleaning device, volume reduction equipment for spent fuel channel boxes and control rods, multi-functional robots for use under high radiation and so on is described. Also the trend of development of latest robot technology which will be put in practical use in near future is outlined, such as a running manipulator for checkup and inspection, a variable form crawler vehicle and a five-leg movable manipulator. (Kako, I.)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Vallance, C.; Goulet, B.; Black, S.
2008-01-01
The increasing age of the nuclear and non-nuclear power generating facilities requires extended inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) activities to prolong the operation of these facilities past their original design life. Commercial divers are often utilized to perform critical work at nuclear power plants, fuel reprocessing plants, waste storage facilities, and research institutions. These various tasks include inspection, welding, mechanical modifications and repairs, coating applications, and work associated with plant decommissioning. Programs may take place in areas such as the reactor vessel, equipment pool, spent fuel pool, and suppression chamber using manned intervention and remotely operated vehicles. Some of these tasks can also be conducted using remotely operated vehicles (ROV's). Although specialist robots are not uncommon to the nuclear industry, the use of free-swimming vehicle's and remote systems for the inspection of underwater assets has increased due to improvements of the supporting technologies and information requirements needed to extend the life of these facilities. This paper will provide an overview of the procedures and equipment necessary to perform unique work tasks using manned and unmanned techniques. (author)
Remote-automated inspection and maintenance of nuclear power plant equipment
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Sasaki, Masayoshi; Nakano, Yoshiyuki
1984-12-01
Employing remote-control inspection and maintenance equipment in nuclear power plants increases the plant availability by decreasing the annual shutdown time (outage), as well as radiation exposure and man-power. This paper presents an outline of the latest designs for an automatic refueling machine, a control rod drive handling machine, a fuel preparation machine, and a main steam line plug, which were supplied to the Fukushima Dai-Ni No. 2 Plant of the Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (Fukushima 2-2). Also, the up-to-date developments of other new automatic machines, such as a CRD disassembly and cleaning system, spent fuel channel box volume reduction equipment, and robotics for nuclear plant use are presented.
Application and study of advanced network technology in large container inspection system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Li Zheng; Kang Kejun; Gao Wenhuan; Wang Jingjin
1996-01-01
Large Container Inspection System (LCIS) based on radiation imaging technology is a powerful tool for the customs to check the contents inside a large container without opening it. An image distributed network system is composed of center manager station, image acquisition station, environment control station, inspection processing station, check-in station, check-out station, database station by using advanced network technology. Mass data, such as container image data, container general information, manifest scanning data, commands and status, must be on-line transferred between different stations. Advanced network technology and software programming technique are presented
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2011-01-01
This report summarizes the annual inspection, sampling, measurement, and maintenance activities performed at the Salmon, Mississippi, Site in calendar year 2010. The draft Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Plan for the Salmon Site, Lamar County Mississippi (DOE 2007) specifies the submittal of an annual report of site activities with the results of sample analyses. The Salmon, MS, Site is a federally owned site located in Lamar County, MS, approximately 12 miles west of Purvis, MS, and about 21 miles southwest of Hattiesburg, MS (Figure 1). The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), a successor agency to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), is responsible for the long-term surveillance and maintenance of the 1,470-acre site. DOE's Office of Legacy Management (LM) is the operating agent for the surface and subsurface real estate.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Akeroyd, J.K.; Plante, S.
2000-01-01
A review of the secondary side maintenance activities recently completed during the Gentilly 2 Annual Spring 2000 Maintenance Outage. Activities included: 1) Tubesheet intertube waterlance cleaning and visual inspection, 2) First tube support plate, in-bundle visual inspection of the hot leg, and 3) Upper bundle tube support plate visual inspection. A description of the waterlancing and inspection equipment and setup in the RB at Gentilly 2 is provided. Several innovative techniques were successfully employed and yielded savings in critical path duration, labour and personnel radiation dose. These included accessing the SG tubesheet region through one handhole only and sludge removal utilizing the SG blowdown system. Plant personnel judged tubesheet sludge removal successful. Before and after results of the cleaning process along with samples of the visual inspection results are provided. Inspection of the first support plate, which was a repeat of an inspection done in 1997, was conducted along with an in-bundle inspection of the upper tube supports. Results are presented along with a discussion of the implications for future steam generator maintenance. (author)
Application of corrosion screening tools for riser inspection
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zamir Mohamed Daud; Vijayan, S.
2003-01-01
As offshore facilities approach the end of their design life, owners would like to assess the condition and integrity of plant and equipment. Detailed inspection, including non-destructive testing (NDT), are implemented and results are utilised for predictive maintenance and estimating useful remaining life. Except for risk based inspection, the extent of surface coverage required would be more compared to inspection of pre-determined spots. Risers, for example, usually have several layers of coating that prevent use of conventional techniques for inspection of corrosion. Complete coverage requires access (including removal coatings and insulation). Inspection utilising the conventional NDT tools can be very slow and expensive. However, recent advances have forwarded the use of specialised NDT techniques that were developed for inspection of corrosion under insulation (CUI). This paper details two screening inspection tools, LIXI Profiler and RTD-INCOTEST that have been applied to inspection of risers. LIXI Profiler is based on attenuation of penetrating radiation by materials, and RTD-INCOTEST is based on decay of pulsed eddy current in materials. (Author)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
None
2011-03-01
This report summarizes the annual inspection, sampling, measurement, and maintenance activities performed at the Salmon, Mississippi, Site in calendar year 2010. The draft Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Plan for the Salmon Site, Lamar County Mississippi (DOE 2007) specifies the submittal of an annual report of site activities with the results of sample analyses. The Salmon, MS, Site is a federally owned site located in Lamar County, MS, approximately 12 miles west of Purvis, MS, and about 21 miles southwest of Hattiesburg, MS (Figure 1). The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), a successor agency to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), is responsible for the long-term surveillance and maintenance of the 1,470-acre site. DOE's Office of Legacy Management (LM) is the operating agent for the surface and subsurface real estate.
Maintenance analysis method and operational feedback: a comprehensive maintenance management
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mathieu Riou; Victor Planchon
2006-01-01
Full text of publication follows: Current periodic inspections program carried out on the COGEMA LOGISTICS casks is required by regulations and approved by the competent Authority. Thus, Safety and casks conformity to the according certificate of approval are guaranteed. Nonetheless, based on experience it appeared that some maintenance operations did not seem relevant or were redundant. Then, it was decided to rethink completely our maintenance program to reach the following objectives: - Set up the 'a minima' required inspection operations required to guarantee Safety and conformity to the certificate of approval, - Optimize criteria and periodicities of inspections taking into account: operational feedback, routine inspections carried out for each transport, regulations, environmental impact (ALARA, waste reduction,...), cost-effectiveness (reduction of cask's immobilization period,...). - Set up a maintenance program in Safety Analysis Reports that: stands alone (no need to check the specification or the certificate of approval to have the complete list of inspections mandatory to guarantee Safety), gives objectives instead of means of controls. This approach needs then to be re-evaluated by the competent Authority. Study's scope has been limited to the TN TM 12 cask family which is intensely used. COGEMA LOGISTICS has a high operational feedback on these casks. After Authority agreement, and in accordance with its requirements, study will then be extended to the other casks belonging to the COGEMA LOGISTICS cask fleet. Actually, the term 'maintenance' is linked to 'Base maintenance' and 'Main maintenance' and implicitly means that the cask is immobilized for a given period. To emphasize the modifications, the term 'maintenance' is no longer used and is substituted by 'periodic upkeep'. By changing the name, COGEMA LOGISTICS wants to emphasize that: some operations can for instance be realized while the cask is unloaded, periodicities are thought in terms of
A probabilistic maintenance model for diesel engines
Pathirana, Shan; Abeygunawardane, Saranga Kumudu
2018-02-01
In this paper, a probabilistic maintenance model is developed for inspection based preventive maintenance of diesel engines based on the practical model concepts discussed in the literature. Developed model is solved using real data obtained from inspection and maintenance histories of diesel engines and experts' views. Reliability indices and costs were calculated for the present maintenance policy of diesel engines. A sensitivity analysis is conducted to observe the effect of inspection based preventive maintenance on the life cycle cost of diesel engines.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
None
2010-10-01
This report summarizes the annual inspection, sampling, and maintenance activities performed on and near the Salmon, Mississippi, Site in calendar year 2009. The draft Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Plan for the Salmon Site, Lamar County, Mississippi (DOE 2007) specifies the submittal of an annual report of site activities and the results of sample analyses. This report complies with the annual report requirement. The Salmon, MS, Site is located in Lamar County, MS, approximately 12 miles west of Purvis, MS, and about 21 miles southwest of Hattiesburg, MS The site encompasses 1,470 acres and is not open to the general public. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), a successor agency to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), is responsible for the long-term surveillance and maintenance of the site. The DOE Office of Legacy Management (LM) was assigned responsibility for the site effective October 1, 2006
Plant maintenance and advanced reactors, 2006
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Agnihotri, Newal (ed.)
2006-09-15
The focus of the September-October issue is on plant maintenance and advanced reactors. Major articles/reports in this issue include: Advanced plants to meet rising expectations, by John Cleveland, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna; A flexible and economic small reactor, by Mario D. Carelli and Bojan Petrovic, Westinghouse Electric Company; A simple and passively safe reactor, by Yury N. Kuznetsov, Research and Development Institute of Power Engineering (NIKIET), Russia; Gas-cooled reactors, by Jeffrey S. Merrifield, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; ISI project managment in the PRC, by Chen Chanbing, RINPO, China; and, Fort Calhoun refurbishment, by Sudesh Cambhir, Omaha Public Power District.
Proceedings of '85 International conference on advanced robotics
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1985-01-01
In these proceedings on advanced robotics four contributions are recorded devoted to the application of robotics in remote handling equipment for interior maintenance and inspection of nuclear power plants. refs.; figs.; tabs.
Recent advances in automated ultrasonic inspection of Magnox power stations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wooldridge, A.B.
2006-01-01
Magnox Electric operates a number of Magnox nuclear power stations, some of which have presented difficult inspection challenges. This paper will describe recent advances in automated ultrasonic techniques which have enabled additional, fully effective and qualified inspections to be introduced. The examples chosen involve phased array inspection of fillet welds and the introduction of 3D data display and analysis using NDT Workbench. Ultrasonic phased arrays have been optimised for inspection of fillet welded structures where physical access for the operator is very awkward and the surfaces available for probe scanning are very restricted. In addition to controlling the beam direction and focus depth, the systems have also optimised the depth of field by varying the number of phased array elements fired at a given time. These phased array inspections are substantially superior in quality, reliability and speed compared with that achievable by conventional manual inspection. Analysis of automated ultrasonic data can be very time-consuming if defects are complex. NDT Workbench significantly improves data analysis for complex geometries and defects primarily because of the 3D data displays of multiple beams and automated logging of measurements. This system has been used in 2005 for data analysis of complex defects where sizing accuracy was particularly important. Both these inspection procedures have been formally qualified using the ENIQ (European Network for Inspection Qualification) Methodology. Such qualification was achieved more easily because of the rigorous in house training programmes established in each case and because the Technical Justifications referred to evidence from previous related qualifications whenever appropriate. The timely achievement of inspection qualification demonstrates that the new systems have reached sufficient maturity to be used with confidence for high quality inspections. (orig.)
Samaras, Z.; Zachariadis, T.; Joumard, R.; Vernet, I.; Hassel, D.; Weber, F.-J.; Rijkeboer, R.C.
1998-01-01
This paper presents the first results of a project aimed at evaluation of a number of short tests that can be alternatively used for Inspection and Maintenance of in-use cars emissions performance. For this purpose, a large number of in-use cars from four European countries was tested according to a
In-service inspection techniques
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Backfisch, W.; Zipser, R.R.
1980-01-01
The owner of a nuclear power plant (NPP) is obligated and interested to maintain - by regular maintenance and in-service inspections - the operational safety and availability of the plant for the subsequent operating period in a condition, as is specified as the basis of the erection and the last operational permits. In-service inspections are performed to verify the operational safety, and maintenance work is performed to guarantee the availability. Below, the typical in-service inspections of a light-water reactor NPP (operated on a pressurized-water reactor or on a boiling-water reactor) are described with details and examples of typical inspections, especially of recurrent performance tests of the systems. (orig./RW)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nasimi, E.; Gabbar, H.A.
2011-01-01
Shutdown System 1 (SDS1) is a preferred method for a quick shutdown of nuclear fission process in CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium) reactor units. Failure of a routine SDS1 safety test during Fall 2009 outage resulted in the need to develop and execute a new methodology for Shutoff Rod inspection and re-evaluate the known degradation mechanisms and failure modes. This paper describes the development of this methodology and the obtained results. It also proposes several alternative solutions for the future performance analysis and maintenance/inspection optimization for SDS1 Shutoff Rods based on the Bruce Power Unit-3 Shutoff Rod 5 case study. (author)
Inspection maintenance and planning of shutdown in thermal electric generating plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dezordi, W.L.; Correa, D.A.; Kina, M.
1984-01-01
The schedule shutdown of an industrial plant and, more specifically, of an electrical generating station, is becoming increasingly important. The major parameters to be taken into account for the planning of such a shutdown are basically of economic-financial nature such as costs of the related services (materials, equipment, manpower, etc), loss of revenue caused by the station's shutdown as well as by the station availability, and other requirements expected from it by the Load Dispatch and consumers. Improving the equipment's performances and the station's availability are the fundamental objectives to be strived for. The authors present in this paper, in an abridged form, the planning tools used for thermal electric generating plants shutdowns for inspections, maintenance and design changes implementation. (Author) [pt
Darlington Station outage - a maintenance perspective
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Plourde, J.; Marczak, J.; Stone, M.; Myers, R.; Sutton, K.
1997-01-01
Ontario Hydro's Darlington Nuclear Generating Station (4x881MW(e)net) has carried out its first station outage since full commercial operation. The outage presented challenges to the organization in terms of outage planning, support, management, and safe execution within the constraints of schedule, budget and resources. This paper will focus on the success of the outage maintenance program, identifying the major work programs - a vacuum structure and containment outage, an emergency service water system outage, an emergency coolant injection system outage, intake channel inspections, low pressure service water inspections, and significant outage maintenance work on each of the four reactor units. Planning for the outage was initiated early in anticipation of this important milestone in the station's life. Detailed safety reviews - nuclear, radiation, and conventional - were conducted in support of the planned maintenance program. System lineup and work protection were provided by the Station Operator work group. Work protection permitry was initiated well in advance of the outage. Station maintenance staff resources were bolstered in support of the outage to ensure program execution could be maintained within the schedule. Training programs were in place to ensure that expectations were clear and that high standards would be maintained. Materials management issues in support of maintenance activities were given high priority to ensure no delays to the planned work. Station management review and monitoring in preparation for and during the outage ensured that staff priorities remained focused. Lessons learned from the outage execution are being formalized in maintenance procedures and outage management procedures, and shared with the nuclear community. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tang, M.X.; Dharmavasan, S.; Peers, S.M.C.
1994-01-01
The structural integrity of fixed offshore platforms is ensured by periodic inspections. In the past, decisions made as to when, where and how to inspect have been made by engineers using rules-of-thumb and general planning heuristics. It is now hoped that more rational inspection and maintenance scheduling may be carried out by applying recently developed techniques based on structural reliability methods. However, one of the problems associated with a theoretical approach is that it is not always possible to incorporate all the constraints that are present in a practical situation. These constraints modify the decisions made for analysis data input and the interpretation of the analysis results. Knowledge based systems provide a mean of encapsulating several different forms of information and knowledge within a computer system and hence can overcome this problem. In this paper, a prototype system being developed for integrating reliability based analysis with other constraints for inspection scheduling will be described. In addition, the scheduling model and the algorithms to carry out the scheduling will be explained. Furthermore, implementation details are also given
A proactive condition-based maintenance strategy with both perfect and imperfect maintenance actions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Do, Phuc; Voisin, Alexandre; Levrat, Eric; Iung, Benoit
2015-01-01
This paper deals with a proactive condition-based maintenance (CBM) considering both perfect and imperfect maintenance actions for a deteriorating system. Perfect maintenance actions restore completely the system to the ‘as good as new’ state. Their related cost are however often high. The first objective of the paper is to investigate the impacts of imperfect maintenance actions. In fact, both positive and negative impacts are considered. Positive impact means that the imperfect maintenance cost is usually low. Negative impact implies that (i) the imperfect maintenance restores a system to a state between good-as-new and bad-as-old and (ii) each imperfect preventive action may accelerate the speed of the system's deterioration process. The second objective of the paper is to propose an adaptive maintenance policy which can help to select optimally maintenance actions (perfect or imperfect actions), if needed, at each inspection time. Moreover, the time interval between two successive inspection points is determined according to a remaining useful life (RUL) based-inspection policy. To illustrate the use of the proposed maintenance policy, a numerical example finally is introduced. - Highlights: • A new imperfect maintenance model for deterioration system is proposed. • Both positive and negative impacts of an imperfect maintenance action are investigated. • An adaptive condition-based maintenance policy is introduced. • The optimal number of useful imperfect maintenance actions for each life cycle is optimally provided
Corrective maintenance support system for nuclear power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kakiuchi, Tetsuo
1996-01-01
With increase of share of nuclear power generation in electric power supply in Japan, requirement for further safe operation and improvement of economics for the nuclear power plants is promoting. The pressed water type (PWR) nuclear power plant in operation in Japan reaches to 22 sets, application rate of the instruments is 74% as mean value for 7 years since 1989 and in high level, which is due to a result of preventive maintenance in ordinary and periodical inspections. The present state of maintenance at the nuclear power plant is mainly preventive maintenance, which is mainly conducted in a shape of time planning maintenance but partially in a shape of state monitoring maintenance for partial rotating appliances. Concretely speaking, the periodical inspection was planned on a base of daily inspection and a long term program on maintenance, and executed on a base of feedback function to think of the long term program again by evaluating the periodical inspection results. Here were introduced on the monitoring diagnosis and periodical inspection regionalization equipment, fatigue monitoring system, automatic supersonic wave damage inspection equipment for reactor, steam evaporator heat conductive tube inspection equipment, automatic testing equipment for measuring controller, air working valve property testing equipment, as maintaining support system in the PW generation plant. (G.K.)
Development of an ITER relevant inspection robot
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gargiulo, L.; Bayetti, P.; Cordier, J.J.; Grisolia, C.; Hatchressian, J.C. [Association Euratom-CEA, Cadarache (France). Dept. de Recherche sur la Fusion Controlee; Friconneau, J.P.; Keller, D.; Perrot, Y. [CEA-LIST Robotics and Interactive Systems Unit, Fontenay aux Roses (France)
2007-07-01
Robotic operations are one of the major maintenance challenges for ITER and future fusion reactors. In particular, in vessel inspection operations without loss of conditioning could be very useful. Within this framework, the aim of the project called AIA (Articulated Inspection Arm) is to demonstrate the feasibility of a multi-purpose in-vessel Remote Handling inspection system using a long reach, limited payload carrier (up to 10 kg). It is composed of 5 segments with 11 degrees of freedom and a total range of 8 m. The project is currently developed by the CEA within the European workprogramme. Its first in situ tests are planned this summer on the Tore Supra tokamak at Cadarache (France). They will validate chosen concepts for operations under ITER relevant vacuum and temperature conditions. After qualification, the arm will constitute a promising tool for generic application. Several processes are already considered for ITER maintenance and will be demonstrated on the AIA robot carrier: - The first embedded process is the viewing system. It is currently being manufactured and will allow for close visual inspection of the complex Plasma Facing Components (limiters, neutralisers, RF antennae, diagnostic windows, etc.). - In situ localisation of leakage based on helium sniffer is also studied to improve maintenance operations. - Finally the laser ablation system for PFC detritiation, also developed in CEA laboratories, is being fitted to be implanted into the robot and put into operation in Tore Supra. This paper deals with the integration of the robot in the Tore Supra tokamak and the advances in the development of the listed processes. It also introduces the current test campaign aiming to qualify the robot performance and reliability under vacuum and temperature conditions. (orig.)
Development of an ITER relevant inspection robot
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gargiulo, L.; Bayetti, P.; Cordier, J.J.; Grisolia, C.; Hatchressian, J.C.
2007-01-01
Robotic operations are one of the major maintenance challenges for ITER and future fusion reactors. In particular, in vessel inspection operations without loss of conditioning could be very useful. Within this framework, the aim of the project called AIA (Articulated Inspection Arm) is to demonstrate the feasibility of a multi-purpose in-vessel Remote Handling inspection system using a long reach, limited payload carrier (up to 10 kg). It is composed of 5 segments with 11 degrees of freedom and a total range of 8 m. The project is currently developed by the CEA within the European workprogramme. Its first in situ tests are planned this summer on the Tore Supra tokamak at Cadarache (France). They will validate chosen concepts for operations under ITER relevant vacuum and temperature conditions. After qualification, the arm will constitute a promising tool for generic application. Several processes are already considered for ITER maintenance and will be demonstrated on the AIA robot carrier: - The first embedded process is the viewing system. It is currently being manufactured and will allow for close visual inspection of the complex Plasma Facing Components (limiters, neutralisers, RF antennae, diagnostic windows, etc.). - In situ localisation of leakage based on helium sniffer is also studied to improve maintenance operations. - Finally the laser ablation system for PFC detritiation, also developed in CEA laboratories, is being fitted to be implanted into the robot and put into operation in Tore Supra. This paper deals with the integration of the robot in the Tore Supra tokamak and the advances in the development of the listed processes. It also introduces the current test campaign aiming to qualify the robot performance and reliability under vacuum and temperature conditions. (orig.)
6. CNS international conference on CANDU maintenance. Proceedings
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2003-01-01
The 6th CNS International Conference on CANDU Maintenance took place in Toronto, Ontario on November 16-18, 2003. The theme for the conference was 'Maintenance for Life'. About 270 delegates attended the conference held by the Canadian Nuclear Society. The conference consisted of four parallel sessions, a pattern that continued throughout the conference. Papers were grouped under the following headings: Fuel Channels and End Fittings - Assessments; Fuel Channels and End Fittings - Inspections; Fuel Channels and End Fittings - Maintenance; Fuel Channels and End Fittings - Universal Delivery Machine; Water Upgrading; Performance and Plant Life Improvement; Steam Generator Life Management; Steam Generator Modifications; Steam Generators - Inspections; Steam Generators - Assessments; Maintenance Programs; Feeder Inspections; Feeder Assessment and Mitigation; Valve Maintenance; Instrumentation and Control; Inspection Technology; and Fuel Handling
Design of the reactor vessel inspection robot for the advanced liquid metal reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Spelt, P.F.; Crane, C.; Feng, L.; Abidi, M.; Tosunoglu, S.
1994-01-01
A consortium of four universities and Oak Ridge National Laboratory designed a prototype wall-crawling robot to perform weld inspection in an advanced nuclear reactor. The restrictions of the inspection environment presented major challenges to the team. These challenges were met in the prototype, which has been tested in a mock non-hostile environment and shown to perform as expected, as detailed in this report
Vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance: Where do we go from here?
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Harrington, W.; McConnell, V.D.
1993-01-01
Throughout the 1980's, vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance (I ampersand M) programs were established in those regions of the United States with the worst pollution problems. Contrary to expectation, the programs do not appear to have achieved large emissions reductions at low costs. To improve their performance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a more extensive test of a vehicle's emissions equipment than the test currently used in most I ampersand M programs. Two components of the test favored by the agency appear to be cost-effective in reducing emissions. A third component does not seem cost-effective in reducing emissions. A third component does not seem cost-effective but may be helpful in establishing the actual emissions reductions brought about by I ampersand M programs
Robotics Inspection Vehicle for Advanced Storages
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ruiz, Emilio; Renaldi, Graziano; Puig, David; Franzetti, Michele; Correcher, Carlos [European Commission, Ispra (Italy). Inst. for the Protection and Security of the Citizen
2003-05-01
After the dismantling of nuclear weapons and the probable release of large quantities of weapon graded materials under international verification regimes, there will be a wide interest in unmanned, highly automated and secure storage areas. In such circumstances, robotics technologies can provide an effective answer to the problem of securing, manipulating and inventorying all stored materials. In view of this future application JRC's NPNS started the development and construction of an advanced robotics prototype and demonstration system, named Robotics Inspection Vehicle (RIV), for remote inspection, surveillance and remote handling in those areas. The system was designed to meet requirements of reliability, security, high availability, robustness against radiation effects, self-maintainability (i.e., auto-repair capability), and easy installation. Due to its innovative holonomic design, RIV is a highly maneuverable and agile platform able to move in any direction, including sideways. The platform carries on-board a five degree of freedom manipulator arm. The high maneuverability and operation modes take into account the needs for accessing in the most easy way materials in the storage area. The platform is prepared to operate in one of three modes: i) manual tele-operation, ii) semiautonomous and iii) fully autonomous. The paper describes RIV's main design features, and details its GENERIS based control software [JRC's software architecture for robotics] and embedded sensors (i.e., 3D laser range, transponder antenna, ultra-sound, vision-based robot guidance, force-torque sensors, etc.). RIV was designed to incorporate several JRC innovative surveillance and inspection technologies and reveals that the current state of technology is mature to effectively provide a solution to novel storage solutions. The system is available for demonstration at JRC's Rialto Laboratory.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Azcue, J.; Sanchez, M. A.; Alvaro, M.
2014-04-01
The article will cover the most significant aspects of how Tecnatom carry out the turbine maintenance work, both from the point of view of the inspection itself as the pre-and post tasks associated. Thus, the issues that will be part of the article are the Manual Inspection Service (MISI) and the inspection database, ISI WEB. These tools are essential for planning field work and serve as a guide to run later turbine inspections in different plants. Following this introduction the inspection teams and the techniques used by Tecnatom will be described. finally, the article will contain a small mention about management studies of life and integrity analysis of the turbine that can be performed, as well as involvement in its safe operation that is derived from them. Ultimately, the intention is to provide a comprehensive approach to the issue in question, the turbine maintenance work, so that the reader can get an ideal of the whole process. (Author)
Advances based on digital technology named TEDDY+ for inspection of eddy current
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Barcenilla, V.; Hernandez, J.; Ribes, B.
2007-01-01
As a result of the recent developing line of eddy current data acquisition system a new product based on digital technology named TEDDY+, comes to the market. With only 4 kg of weight constitutes a great advance with regards to other equipment's available in the market. These advances, have enabled, among others, to increase considerably the signal to noise (S/N) ratio, avoid typical saturation problems in the eddy current signal, increase the inspection speed, eliminate the reference probe, detect the air/tube signal in real time, and the possibility to integrate the tester inside a push puller thanks to its reduced size and to have integrated as part of the ET equipment the mechanical systems control board. Two product lines have been developed, one oriented to any market and application (nuclear market, industrial and aeronautical, chemical and petrochemical, etc) and other specially dedicated to the massive inspection of tubes, named TEDDY+SP (Suitcase Pusher). Both lines are prepared to use eddy current arrays which clearly constitute the future of the eddy current inspection systems. The new TEDDY+ line of products presented in this paper constitutes one of the most powerful and reliable existing in the market. These improvements and novelties place the new ET inspection system from Tecnatom as one of the most powerful and reliable in the market. (Author)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Tapp, D. [Groupe Gesfor Poirier, Pinchin Inc., Montreal, PQ (Canada)
2010-01-01
This article described an inspection and maintenance program (IMP) that ensures the cleanliness of building's heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Air quality can be compromised over time as dust accumulates in filters and on internal surfaces of an HVAC. Since mould spores and bacteria are significant components of dust, an excessive accumulation of dust in an HVAC system can lead to microbiological growth issues, particularly in humid conditions. Damaged dampers, missing screens and clogged or inefficient drains can generate indoor air quality issues. As such, preventive inspection of ventilation systems can identify deficiencies as well as future problems. This article also highlighted the integrated services provided by the Gesfor Poirier, Pinchin Group regarding industrial hygiene, health and safety inspection and remediation of HVAC systems and management of asbestos and other hazardous materials in buildings. 4 figs.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lee, Sung Uk; Seo, Yong-chil; Jung, Kyung Min; Kim, Chang-hoi; Choi, Byung-seon; Moon, Jei-kwon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)
2016-10-15
Robotic manipulators have been used for inspection, maintenance and decommission of nuclear power plants because nuclear power plants have high radiation and human workers cannot easily access the plants. And also, to inspecting, maintaining and decommissioning nuclear power plants require various manipulators. Only one manipulator cannot response to many required tasks. The existing manipulators that was used at nuclear power plants can only operate only focused specific task and cannot be used at several tasks. The actuators used at manipulators are varied and many companies sell actuators depending on power, torque and speed. However, the commercial product is not standardized. Therefore, the development of manipulator is time consuming and expensive. The essential item of a manipulator is an actuator module. If actuator module is standardized, it’s easier to develop a manipulator and also maintain a manipulator. Recently, manipulator having high-radiation, high-duty and high-precision is necessary to inspection, maintain and decommissioning of nuclear power plants. Hydraulic actuator has been used to development high-duty manipulator. But control performance of a hydraulic actuator is not better than that of an electric actuator so that hydraulic manipulator cannot easily satisfy the required precision. In this paper, we developed high-duty and high-precision actuator modules and hydraulic manipulator using the developed actuator modules. The developed hydraulic manipulator have a payload of 250kg and a precision of ±1mm. Four modularized hydraulic actuator modules were developed for inspection, maintenance and decommission. Using the developed actuator modules, the manipulator for decommissioning is easily developed. And also, various manipulators having different kinematic structure for specific tasks will be easily developed by using hydraulic modules.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lee, Sung Uk; Seo, Yong-chil; Jung, Kyung Min; Kim, Chang-hoi; Choi, Byung-seon; Moon, Jei-kwon
2016-01-01
Robotic manipulators have been used for inspection, maintenance and decommission of nuclear power plants because nuclear power plants have high radiation and human workers cannot easily access the plants. And also, to inspecting, maintaining and decommissioning nuclear power plants require various manipulators. Only one manipulator cannot response to many required tasks. The existing manipulators that was used at nuclear power plants can only operate only focused specific task and cannot be used at several tasks. The actuators used at manipulators are varied and many companies sell actuators depending on power, torque and speed. However, the commercial product is not standardized. Therefore, the development of manipulator is time consuming and expensive. The essential item of a manipulator is an actuator module. If actuator module is standardized, it’s easier to develop a manipulator and also maintain a manipulator. Recently, manipulator having high-radiation, high-duty and high-precision is necessary to inspection, maintain and decommissioning of nuclear power plants. Hydraulic actuator has been used to development high-duty manipulator. But control performance of a hydraulic actuator is not better than that of an electric actuator so that hydraulic manipulator cannot easily satisfy the required precision. In this paper, we developed high-duty and high-precision actuator modules and hydraulic manipulator using the developed actuator modules. The developed hydraulic manipulator have a payload of 250kg and a precision of ±1mm. Four modularized hydraulic actuator modules were developed for inspection, maintenance and decommission. Using the developed actuator modules, the manipulator for decommissioning is easily developed. And also, various manipulators having different kinematic structure for specific tasks will be easily developed by using hydraulic modules
The role of inspection and maintenance in controlling vehicular emissions in Kathmandu valley, Nepal
Faiz, Asif; Bahadur Ale, Bhakta; Nagarkoti, Ram Kumar
Motor vehicles are a major source of air pollutant emissions in Kathmandu valley, Nepal. In-use vehicle emission limits were first introduced in Nepal in 1998 and updated in 2000. The emission regulations for gasoline vehicles limit CO emissions to 3-4.5% by volume and HC emissions to 1000 ppm for four-wheeled vehicles, and 7800 ppm for two- and three- wheelers. Emission limits for LPG/CNG vehicles are 3% for CO and 1000 ppm for HC. For diesel vehicles, smoke density must not exceed 65-75 HSU depending on the age of the vehicle. The Government operates a rudimentary inspection and maintenance (I/M) program based on an idle engine test, utilizing an exhaust gas analyzer (for gasoline/LPG/CNG vehicles) and an opacimeter for diesel vehicles. The I/M program is confined to four-wheeled vehicles and occasional three-wheelers. The inspections are required at least once a year and are conducted at designated vehicle testing stations. The I/M program is supplemented by roadside checks. This paper is based on the findings of an analysis of vehicle emissions test data for the period June 2000 to July 2002, covering some 45,000 data sets. Each data set includes information on vehicle type and ownership, the model year, and CO/HC test emission values. The analysis reported in this paper covers the characteristics and statistical distribution of emissions from gasoline-fuelled vehicles, including the impact of gross emitters. The effects of vehicle age, model year (with or without catalysts), usage, and ownership (private vs. public) on emissions of gasoline-fuelled vehicles are discussed. The findings for diesel vehicles have been reported earlier by Ale and Nagarkoti (2003b. Evaluation of Kathmandu valley inspection and maintenance program on diesel vehicles. Journal of the Institute of Engineering 3(1)). This study identifies the limitations of the current I/M program, given that it does not include 70% of the fleet consisting of two-wheelers and concludes with proposed
Advances in steam generator service technology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Perez, Ric
1998-01-01
The most recent advances in pressurized water reactor steam generator service technology are discussed in this article. Focus is on new developments in robotics, including the Remotely Operated Service Arm (ROSA III); repair and maintenance services on the SG secondary side; and the newest advances in SG inspection. These products and services save utility costs, shorten outage durations, enhance plant performance and safety, and reduce radiation exposure. (author)
Proceedings of the fourth international conference on CANDU maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1997-01-01
These proceedings record the information presented at the 4th International Conference on CANDU Maintenance held November 16-18,1997 in Toronto, Canada. The papers for these proceedings were prepared on component maintenance, human performance, steam generator leak detection, fuel channel inspections, rotating equipment maintenance, surveillance programs, inspection techniques, valve maintenance, steam generator repairs and performance, reactor aging management and preventative maintenance
Proceedings of the fourth international conference on CANDU maintenance
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
NONE
1997-07-01
These proceedings record the information presented at the 4th International Conference on CANDU Maintenance held November 16-18,1997 in Toronto, Canada. The papers for these proceedings were prepared on component maintenance, human performance, steam generator leak detection, fuel channel inspections, rotating equipment maintenance, surveillance programs, inspection techniques, valve maintenance, steam generator repairs and performance, reactor aging management and preventative maintenance.
Proceedings of the third international conference on CANDU maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1995-01-01
The third international conference on Candu maintenance included sessions on the following topics: predictive maintenance, reliability improvements, steam generator monitoring, tools and instrumentation, valve performance, fuel channel inspection and maintenance, steam generator maintenance, environmental qualification, predictive maintenance, instrumentation and control, steam generator cleaning, decontamination and radiation protection, inspection techniques, maintenance program strategies and valve packing experience, remote tooling/ robotics and fuel handling. The individual papers have been abstracted separately
Proceedings of the third international conference on CANDU maintenance
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
NONE
1996-12-31
The third international conference on Candu maintenance included sessions on the following topics: predictive maintenance, reliability improvements, steam generator monitoring, tools and instrumentation, valve performance, fuel channel inspection and maintenance, steam generator maintenance, environmental qualification, predictive maintenance, instrumentation and control, steam generator cleaning, decontamination and radiation protection, inspection techniques, maintenance program strategies and valve packing experience, remote tooling/ robotics and fuel handling. The individual papers have been abstracted separately.
Advanced ultrasonic inspections
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ghia, S.
1990-08-01
Acoustic Emission (AE) continuous monitoring and periodical inspections by advanced ultrasonic have been applied to evaluate defect evolution within a PWR reduced scale (1:5) pressure vessel subjected to cyclic mechanical fatigue test. This experimental activity has been carried out in the frame of the Primary Circuit Component Life Prediction programme. In the time period covered by this report actions were performed as following: (1) Ultrasonic examination by multifrequency acoustic holography to evaluate defect evolution subsequently repair and heat treatment of the R2 vessel carried out in March 1988. For the purpose, measurements were performed both at 0 and 200 bar of internal pressure. As uniformity of the procedures adopted, for calibration and testing, made the results comparable with the previous ones no evidence for significant growing of the examined defects has been found. (2) Acoustic emission monitoring has then been carried out during fatigue test from 416000 to 565000 fatigue cycles. Analysis of a large amount of data has been performed paying particular attention to the distinction between friction phenomena and crack growth in order to obtain a correct diagnosis of flaw evolution. The signal duration distribution and the correlation of AE appearance time versus load cycle phase were considered to characterise stick-slip processes. A general intensification of AE activity has been recorded during this last period of monitoring and previous known AE sources were confirmed together with the appearance of new AE sources some of them correlable with real defects
Trajectory planning of tokamak flexible in-vessel inspection robot
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Wang, Hesheng [Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240 Shanghai (China); Key Laboratory of System Control and Information Processing, Ministry of Education of China, 200240 Shanghai (China); Chen, Weidong, E-mail: wdchen@sjtu.edu.cn [Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240 Shanghai (China); Key Laboratory of System Control and Information Processing, Ministry of Education of China, 200240 Shanghai (China); Lai, Yinping; He, Tao [Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240 Shanghai (China); Key Laboratory of System Control and Information Processing, Ministry of Education of China, 200240 Shanghai (China)
2015-10-15
Highlights: • A tokamak flexible in-vessel inspection robot is designed. • Two trajectory planning methods are used to ensure the full coverage of the first wall scanning. • The method is tested on a simulated platform of EAST with the flexible in-vessel inspection robot. • Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. - Abstract: Tokamak flexible in-vessel inspection robot is mainly designed to carry a camera for close observation of the first wall of the vacuum vessel, which is essential for the maintenance of the future tokamak reactor without breaking the working condition of the vacuum vessel. A tokamak flexible in-vessel inspection robot is designed. In order to improve efficiency of the remote maintenance, it is necessary to design a corresponding trajectory planning algorithm to complete the automatic full coverage scanning of the complex tokamak cavity. Two different trajectory planning methods, RS (rough scanning) and FS (fine scanning), according to different demands of the task, are used to ensure the full coverage of the first wall scanning. To quickly locate the damage position, the first trajectory planning method is targeted for quick and wide-ranging scan of the tokamak D-shaped section, and the second one is for careful observation. Furthermore, both of the two different trajectory planning methods can ensure the full coverage of the first wall scanning with an optimal end posture. The method is tested on a simulated platform of EAST (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak) with the flexible in-vessel inspection robot, and the results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Trajectory planning of tokamak flexible in-vessel inspection robot
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wang, Hesheng; Chen, Weidong; Lai, Yinping; He, Tao
2015-01-01
Highlights: • A tokamak flexible in-vessel inspection robot is designed. • Two trajectory planning methods are used to ensure the full coverage of the first wall scanning. • The method is tested on a simulated platform of EAST with the flexible in-vessel inspection robot. • Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. - Abstract: Tokamak flexible in-vessel inspection robot is mainly designed to carry a camera for close observation of the first wall of the vacuum vessel, which is essential for the maintenance of the future tokamak reactor without breaking the working condition of the vacuum vessel. A tokamak flexible in-vessel inspection robot is designed. In order to improve efficiency of the remote maintenance, it is necessary to design a corresponding trajectory planning algorithm to complete the automatic full coverage scanning of the complex tokamak cavity. Two different trajectory planning methods, RS (rough scanning) and FS (fine scanning), according to different demands of the task, are used to ensure the full coverage of the first wall scanning. To quickly locate the damage position, the first trajectory planning method is targeted for quick and wide-ranging scan of the tokamak D-shaped section, and the second one is for careful observation. Furthermore, both of the two different trajectory planning methods can ensure the full coverage of the first wall scanning with an optimal end posture. The method is tested on a simulated platform of EAST (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak) with the flexible in-vessel inspection robot, and the results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Development of advanced human-machine system for plant operation and maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wu, Wei; Ohi, Tadashi; Yoshikawa, Hidekazu; Sawaragi, Tetsuo; Kitamura, Masaharu; Furuta, Kazuo; Gofuku, Akio; Ito, Koji
2004-01-01
With the worldwide deregulation of the power industry, and the aging of the nuclear power plants (NPPs), concerns are growing over the reliability and safety of the NPPs, because the regulation of man power may lower the current high level of reliability and safety. In this paper, a concept of overall integrated plant management mechanism is proposed, in order to meet the requirements of cutting costs of NPPs and the requirements of maintaining or increasing safety and reliability. The concept is called as satellite operation maintenance center (SOMC). SOMC integrates the operation and maintenance activities of several NPP units by utilizing advanced information technologies to support cooperation activities between workers allocated at SOMC and the field workers. As for the operation activities, a framework called as Advanced Operation System (AOS) is proposed in this paper. AOS consists of three support sub-systems: dynamic operation permission system(DyOPS), supervisor information presentation system using interface agent, and crew performance evaluation system. As for the maintenance activities, a framework called as Ubiquitous-Computing-based Maintenance support System (UCMS) is proposed next. Two case studies are described, in order to show the way of how UCMS support field workers to do maintenance tasks efficiently, safely, and infallibly as well. Finally, a prospect of SOMC is shown in order to explain the way of how the technology elements developed in this project could be integrated as a whole one system to support maintenance activities of NPPs in the future. (author)
49 CFR 396.13 - Driver inspection.
2010-10-01
... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATIONS INSPECTION, REPAIR, AND MAINTENANCE § 396.13 Driver inspection. Before driving a motor vehicle, the driver shall: (a) Be satisfied that the motor vehicle is in safe operating condition; (b) Review the last driver vehicle inspection...
78 FR 48125 - Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance; Driver-Vehicle Inspection Report
2013-08-07
... of the DVIR would reinforce the importance of reporting vehicle maintenance issues irrespective of... exercise heightened diligence over their operations, including CMV maintenance. As noted in the Motorcoach... would receive regulatory relief of approximately $3,000 per entity, which is a positive benefit and does...
Electronic Out-fall Inspection Application - 12007
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Weymouth, A Kent III; Pham, Minh; Messick, Chuck [Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Aiken, South Carolina 29808 (United States)
2012-07-01
In early 2009 an exciting opportunity was presented to the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) team at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The SRS maintenance group was directed to maintain all Out-falls on Site, increasing their workload from 75 to 183 out-falls with no additional resources. The existing out-fall inspection system consisted of inspections performed manually and documented via paper trail. The inspections were closed out upon completion of activities and placed in file cabinets with no central location for tracking/trending maintenance activities. A platform for meeting new improvements required for documentation by the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) out-fall permits was needed to replace this current system that had been in place since the 1980's. This was accomplished by building a geographically aware electronic application that improved reliability of site out-fall maintenance and ensured consistent standards were maintained for environmental excellence and worker efficiency. Inspections are now performed via tablet and uploaded to a central point. Work orders are completed and closed either in the field using tablets (mobile application) or in their offices (via web portal) using PCs. And finally completed work orders are now stored in a central database allowing trending of maintenance activities. (authors)
Pemetrexed in maintenance treatment of advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer.
Minami, Seigo; Kijima, Takashi
2015-01-01
Pemetrexed, a multitargeting antifolate cytotoxic drug, plays a leading role in front-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Following its approval as second-line monotherapy for locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC, pemetrexed has established itself as the first-line regimen in combination with cisplatin, and its powerful antitumor effects and less cumulative toxicities were then taken advantage of in the JMEN and PARAMOUNT trials, respectively, to pioneer a new treatment strategy of switch and continuation maintenance monotherapy. These developments have brought about a marked paradigm shift, and made pemetrexed indispensable in the treatment for non-squamous NSCLC. So far, only three drugs have been approved for maintenance therapy; pemetrexed both by switch and continuation maintenance, erlotinib by switch maintenance, and bevacizumab by continuation maintenance. Compared with observation alone after defined cycles of the first-line chemotherapy, subsequent pemetrexed maintenance therapy has provided significantly longer survival and infrequent severe adverse events. The cost-effectiveness of pemetrexed maintenance therapy is controversial, as well as the other two maintenance drugs, bevacizumab and erlotinib. The latest attractive attention is a combination maintenance therapy. We may have to consider epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status for selection of a combination pattern. A combination maintenance therapy of pemetrexed plus bevacizumab is potential for patients with wild-type EGFR status, while a EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor-containing combination is promising for patients with active EGFR mutation status. Pemetrexed will be a pivotal drug when a combination maintenance therapy is used in practice. For future maintenance therapy, we need to explore reliable predictive selection or exclusion markers that can predict who will really benefit from maintenance therapy.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Maharaj, H.P.
1999-01-01
Until the mid-1980s, federal inspectors performed radiation surveys annually on individual x-ray inspection systems which were operated for security screening purposes in federal facilities nationwide, and problems identified were corrected. The surveys were undertaken because of perceived high radiation risks and a need to ensure worker and public external exposures were minimized. The x-ray inspection systems are federally regulated under the Radiation Emitting Devices (RED) Act and, initially they were assessed by model type against the design, construction and performance criteria specified in the applicable RED regulations (Schedule II, Part IV) and were found compliant. A subsequent study not only demonstrated a much lower radiation risk attributed to a combination of technological advances in x-ray system design with narrow primary beams, high efficiency detectors and image processing capability, but also stressed the need for proper equipment maintenance and continued education of operators and maintenance personnel. Survey frequency was thus reduced to once every 2-3 years in accordance with a 1993 federal operational standard (Safety Code 29). The radiation protection principles in Safety Code 29 are similar to those of the 1996 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Basic Safety Standards for the protection against ionizing radiation and the safety of radiation sources. The purpose of this study was to assess inspection-survey data from 1993 through 1997 to elicit guidance toward the future management of radiation risks associated with the operation of such x-ray systems. (author)
Advanced NDE (ANDE) and its application for pressure tube inspections in OPG reactors
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Jarron, D.; Trelinski, M.; Kretz, S. [Ontario Power Generation, Ajax, Ontario (Canada)]. E-mail: don.jarron@opg.com; mike.trelinski@opg.com; steve.kretz@opg.com
2006-07-01
Periodic and in-service inspections of CANDU fuel channels are essential for the proper assessment of the structural integrity of these vital components. The arrival of new delivery devices for fuel channel inspections (Universal Delivery Machine) has driven new methods for gathering and analyzing NDE data. The Advanced Non-Destructive Examination (ANDE) system has been designed and field implemented as a high speed data acquisition system to meet the requirements of the CSA N285.4 code. It was built from the solid foundation of CIGAR experience and uses cutting edge hardware and software to attain high speed data collection enabling relatively quick inspection of a large number of fuel channels. The capabilities of the ANDE inspection system include: Surface and volumetric inspection of pressure tube by ultrasonics; Flaw characterization by ultrasonics; Pressure tube diameter measurements; Pressure tube thickness measurements; Garter Spring location by Eddy Current; Garter Spring location by ultrasonics; Pressure tube sag measurement. In addition to the above, selected flaws/areas of a pressure tube can be replicated using a two plate ANDE replica tool. At the heart of the inspection system is a set of twelve ultrasonic probes positioned in such a way that the inspected areas are examined from various angles and directions and by various ultrasonic wave modes (shear and longitudinal). High frequency ultrasound used for the examinations allows for reliable detection of small flaws. Separate sensors have been installed on the inspection head for Garter Spring location and sag measurements. (author)
Predictive maintenance and inspection through airborne ultrasound technology
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bandes, A [UE Systems, Inc., Elmsford, NY (United States)
1998-12-31
Airborne ultrasound can be considered an ideal integrating technology in that these instruments can stand alone to detect a variety of potential problems or they can be used to support vibration and infrared inspection programs. Usually portable, these instruments detect leaks in both pressurized gas systems or vacuum systems and related equipment such as tanks, pipes, heat exchangers, valves and steam traps. Additional applications include inspection of high voltage apparatus for corona, arcing and tracking. They are used to trend bearing failure as well as to detect conditions such as lack of lubrication and rubbing. A brief overview of the technology, its applications and suggested inspection techniques are explained. (orig.) 2 refs.
Predictive maintenance and inspection through airborne ultrasound technology
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bandes, A. [UE Systems, Inc., Elmsford, NY (United States)
1997-12-31
Airborne ultrasound can be considered an ideal integrating technology in that these instruments can stand alone to detect a variety of potential problems or they can be used to support vibration and infrared inspection programs. Usually portable, these instruments detect leaks in both pressurized gas systems or vacuum systems and related equipment such as tanks, pipes, heat exchangers, valves and steam traps. Additional applications include inspection of high voltage apparatus for corona, arcing and tracking. They are used to trend bearing failure as well as to detect conditions such as lack of lubrication and rubbing. A brief overview of the technology, its applications and suggested inspection techniques are explained. (orig.) 2 refs.
Advances in safety related maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2000-03-01
The maintenance of systems, structures and components in nuclear power plants (NPPs) plays an important role in assuring their safe and reliable operation. Worldwide, NPP maintenance managers are seeking to reduce overall maintenance costs while maintaining or improving the levels of safety and reliability. Thus, the issue of NPP maintenance is one of the most challenging aspects of nuclear power generation. There is a direct relation between safety and maintenance. While maintenance alone (apart from modifications) will not make a plant safer than its original design, deficient maintenance may result in either an increased number of transients and challenges to safety systems or reduced reliability and availability of safety systems. The confidence that NPP structures, systems and components will function as designed is ultimately based on programmes which monitor both their reliability and availability to perform their intended safety function. Because of this, approaches to monitor the effectiveness of maintenance are also necessary. An effective maintenance programme ensures that there is a balance between the improvement in component reliability to be achieved and the loss of component function due to maintenance downtime. This implies that the safety level of an NPP should not be adversely affected by maintenance performed during operation. The nuclear industry widely acknowledges the importance of maintenance in NPP safety and operation and therefore devotes great efforts to develop techniques, methods and tools to aid in maintenance planning, follow-up and optimization, and in assuring the effectiveness of maintenance
Development of advanced diagnostic technologies for motor-operated valves
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hegi, Kotaro; Shimizu, Shunichi; Higuma, Koji; Nishino, Koji; Osaki, Kenji; Watanabe, Kazumi; Hamano, Frank
2010-01-01
As use of condition-based maintenance is allowed in the new regulatory inspection system employed in Japan's nuclear power plants in 2009, development of advanced diagnostic technologies for motor-operated valves (MOVs) is now required. This report discusses advanced technologies in valve-setup verification, valve performance evaluation, monitoring of valve/actuator conditions by performance diagnostic system and moreover detection of stem crack by ultrasonic diagnostic system. (author)
Optimization on replacement and inspection period of plant equipment
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Takase, Kentaro; Kasai, Masao
2004-01-01
Rationalization of the plant maintenance is one of the main topics being investigated in Japanese nuclear power industries. Optimization of the inspection and replacement period of equipments is effective for the maintenance cost reduction. The more realistic model of the replacement policy is proposed in this study. It is based on the classical replacement policy model and its cost is estimated. Then, to consider the inspection for the maintenance, the formulation that includes the risk concept is discussed. Based on it, two variations of the combination of the inspection and the replacement are discussed and the costs are estimated. In this study the effect of the degradation of the equipment is important. The optimized maintenance policy depends on the existence of significant degradation. (author)
Daniel, Clarence H.
This handbook explains planned preventive maintenance program, which is an operational system of maintenance designed to increase the effectiveness of the maintenance staff and the use of maintenance funds through efficient scheduling of inspections and follow-through of work to be performed. Sections are included for the chief administrative…
Preventive maintenance measures and repeat tests on actuators
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hueren, H.
1990-01-01
At Biblis Nuclear Power Station, about 1500 electrical actuators and variable speed drives of various model ranges and with various driving end speeds and actuating times are installed and about 600 of these are located in important safety engineering systems. In order to optimize the preventive maintenance measures on the drives, a data bank has been established into which are stored, in addition to the fixed type data of each drive, inter alia, statements about location of application, valve type, inspection cycle, calendar year of next maintenance, findings during inspection measures and causes of faults. Before each unit inspection, in addition to the inspection lists, the maintenance and installation records and also the associated job instructions are produced from this data processing equipment. (orig.) [de
Optimal Risk-Based Inspection Planning for Offshore Wind Turbines
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Rangel-Ramirez, Jose G.; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
2008-01-01
, inspection and maintenance activities are developed. This paper considers aspects of inspection and maintenance planning of fatigue prone details in jacket and tripod types of wind turbine support structures. Based oil risk-based inspection planning methods used for oil & gas installations, a framework......Wind turbines for electricity production have increased significantly the last years both in production capability and size. This development is expected to continue also in the coining years. The Support structure for offshore wind turbines is typically a steel structure consisting of a tower...... for optimal inspection and maintenance planning of offshore wind turbines is presented. Special aspects for offshore wind turbines are considered: usually the wind loading are dominating the wave loading, wake effects in wind farms are important and the reliability level is typically significantly lower than...
Pemetrexed in maintenance treatment of advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Minami S
2015-01-01
Full Text Available Seigo Minami,1 Takashi Kijima2 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Osaka Police Hospital, 2Department of Respiratory Medicine, Allergy and Rheumatic Diseases, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan Abstract: Pemetrexed, a multitargeting antifolate cytotoxic drug, plays a leading role in front-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC. Following its approval as second-line monotherapy for locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous NSCLC, pemetrexed has established itself as the first-line regimen in combination with cisplatin, and its powerful antitumor effects and less cumulative toxicities were then taken advantage of in the JMEN and PARAMOUNT trials, respectively, to pioneer a new treatment strategy of switch and continuation maintenance monotherapy. These developments have brought about a marked paradigm shift, and made pemetrexed indispensable in the treatment for non-squamous NSCLC. So far, only three drugs have been approved for maintenance therapy; pemetrexed both by switch and continuation maintenance, erlotinib by switch maintenance, and bevacizumab by continuation maintenance. Compared with observation alone after defined cycles of the first-line chemotherapy, subsequent pemetrexed maintenance therapy has provided significantly longer survival and infrequent severe adverse events. The cost-effectiveness of pemetrexed maintenance therapy is controversial, as well as the other two maintenance drugs, bevacizumab and erlotinib. The latest attractive attention is a combination maintenance therapy. We may have to consider epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR mutation status for selection of a combination pattern. A combination maintenance therapy of pemetrexed plus bevacizumab is potential for patients with wild-type EGFR status, while a EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor-containing combination is promising for patients with active EGFR mutation status. Pemetrexed will be
Availability and cost functions for periodically inspected preventively maintained units
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Vaurio, J.K.
1999-01-01
Unavailability and cost rate functions are developed for components whose failures can occur randomly but they are detected only by periodic testing or inspections. If a failure occurs between consecutive inspections, the unit remains failed until the next inspection. Components are renewed by preventive maintenance periodically, or by repair or replacement after a failure, whichever occurs first (age-replacement). The model takes into account finite repair and maintenance durations as well as costs due to testing, repair, maintenance and lost production or accidents. For normally operating units the time-related penalty is loss of production. For standby safety equipment it is the expected cost of an accident that can happen when the component is down due to a dormant failure, repair or maintenance. The objective of maintenance optimization is to minimize the total cost rate by proper selection of two intervals, one for inspections and one for replacements. General conditions and techniques are developed for solving optimal test and maintenance intervals, with and without constraints on the production loss or accident rate. Insights are gained into how the optimal intervals depend on various cost parameters and reliability characteristics
Human Factors Issues In Aircraft Maintenance And Inspection
1990-11-01
Im z Cl) 4 w4 z z w . U .) ** DISPLAY0 00 LUU 40z:- z0 LL62 The Information Environment in Inspection Colin G. Drury , Ph.D. University at Buffalo...54 V. The Information Environment in Inspection Colin G. D ruy...tasks are sequenced within the Job ( Drury &t al., 1987; Shepherd, 1976). From such a Task Description we can determine how the demands of the tasks
Preventive maintenance-A countermeasure to plant aging
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hlubek, W.
1985-01-01
The aging of power plants is caused by manifold and different influences. For instance, mechanical and thermal stress, radiation exposure, denting or wastage can considerably affect the aging of plant components and thus cause premature failures of components. In this presentation, the term 'Plant Aging' in nuclear power plants is to be understood more comprehensively than wear on components and material fatigue. In addition, nuclear power plants are to be adjusted to the advancing state of the science and technology (state-of-the-art) in order to guarantee safe operation at all times. The preventive maintenance - as a countermeasure to plant aging - comprises the systematic checks and servicing of the plant systems in operation and follows aging by inspection and tests. Experience with Rheinisch-Westfaelisches Elektrizitaetswerk AG (RWE) preventive maintenance program at the Biblis NNP (1300 MW, PWR) is discussed. The concept of an 'Integrated Maintenance System' as a means to avoid 'Plant Aging' is presented
A condition-based maintenance policy for stochastically deteriorating systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Grall, A.; Berenguer, C.; Dieulle, L.
2002-01-01
We focus on the analytical modeling of a condition-based inspection/replacement policy for a stochastically and continuously deteriorating single-unit system. We consider both the replacement threshold and the inspection schedule as decision variables for this maintenance problem and we propose to implement the maintenance policy using a multi-level control-limit rule. In order to assess the performance of the proposed maintenance policy and to minimize the long run expected maintenance cost per unit time, a mathematical model for the maintained system cost is derived, supported by the existence of a stationary law for the maintained system state. Numerical experiments illustrate the performance of the proposed policy and confirm that the maintenance cost rate on an infinite horizon can be minimized by a joint optimization of the maintenance structure thresholds, or equivalently by a joint optimization of a system replacement threshold and the aperiodic inspection schedule
Rail inspection of RCF defects
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Z. Popović
2013-10-01
Full Text Available Rail defects due to rolling contact fatigue (RCF threaten the traffic safety around the world. That hazard is more distinct on railways without adequate maintenance strategy. Realization of interoperability of European railway network demands from every infrastructure manager to have a maintenance plan for the infrastructure subsystem. Besides that, this plan includes rail inspection and strategy against RCF defects. This paper emphasizes the importance of rail inspection and early detection of RCF because the most of RCF crack should be removed in rail grinding campaigns (preventive, cyclical and corrective activities during the whole rail service life.
Regulatory inspection of the egyptian gamma irradiator using a proposed inspection checklist
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Abdel-Ghani, A.H.
2000-01-01
Regulatory inspections are one of the most important elements of a regulatory programme. It shall be performed in all areas of the regulatory responsibility and during all phases of siting, design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of an irradiator facility. The egyptian mega gamma irradiator operating since december 1979 has a Co-60 source of about 400 kilo curies and is used mainly for sterilization of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals and for preservation of some food stuffs. The constructor (Nordion international Inc.) recommended an extensive inspection programme. In accordance with the international and national (2.3) regulations as well as the licensing conditions, the competent authority (NCNSRC) shall perform regulatory inspections both announced and unannounced. In order to facilitate the inspection task and to harmonize the inspection reports a checklist for inspection is proposed which can be used also as an inspection report form
49 CFR 224.109 - Inspection, repair, and replacement.
2010-10-01
... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Inspection, repair, and replacement. 224.109 Section 224.109 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD..., Inspection, and Maintenance of Retroreflective Material § 224.109 Inspection, repair, and replacement. (a...
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Yusuf, I.; Mati, A. A.; Dewu, B. B.M., [Centre for Energy Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (Nigeria)
2014-08-15
The Nigerian Research Reactor–1, or NIRR-1, is sited at Centre for Energy Research and Training, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Activities on preventive or routine maintenance have been institutionalized since the commissioning of the reactor in February 2004. This has grossly reduced the rates of corrective maintenance activities and helped the reactor management a great deal in predicting failure rates of reactor components and other auxiliary units. Routine maintenance of systems and components are being carried out on a weekly, quarterly and annual basis based on manufacturer’s recommendations, which have been reviewed and improved over the years. The paper presents the implementation of maintenance activities in NIRR-1 from its initial criticality in 2004 till today and the new scheme for periodic testing and in-service-inspection developed after an IAEA Integrated Safety Assessment of Research Reactors mission. The measures put in place are envisaged to reduce the negative impact of ageing on NIRR-1 and its auxiliary systems. (author)
Plant maintenance and advanced reactors issue, 2008
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Agnihotri, Newal [ed.
2009-09-15
The focus of the September-October issue is on plant maintenance and advanced reactors. Major articles/reports in this issue include: Technologies of national importance, by Tsutomu Ohkubo, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Japan; Modeling and simulation advances brighten future nuclear power, by Hussein Khalil, Argonne National Laboratory, Energy and desalination projects, by Ratan Kumar Sinha, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, India; A plant with simplified design, by John Higgins, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy; A forward thinking design, by Ray Ganthner, AREVA; A passively safe design, by Ed Cummins, Westinghouse Electric Company; A market-ready design, by Ken Petrunik, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Canada; Generation IV Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems, by Jacques Bouchard, French Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, France, and Ralph Bennett, Idaho National Laboratory; Innovative reactor designs, a report by IAEA, Vienna, Austria; Guidance for new vendors, by John Nakoski, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Road map for future energy, by John Cleveland, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria; and, Vermont's largest source of electricity, by Tyler Lamberts, Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. The Industry Innovation article is titled Intelligent monitoring technology, by Chris Demars, Exelon Nuclear.
In-service inspection and periodic testing
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Eisele, H.; Meyer, F.A.; Zipser, R.R.
1981-01-01
In-service inspections are performed to verify the operational safety, and maintenance work is performed to guarantee the availability. Below, the typical in-service inspections of a light-water reactor NPP (operated on a pressurized-water reactor/PWR/ or on a boiling-water reactor/BWR/) are described with details and examples of typical inspections, especially of recurrent performance tests of the systems. (orig./RW)
In-service inspection and periodic testing
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Eisele, H.; Meyer, F.A.; Zipser, R.R.
1980-01-01
In-service inspections are performed to verify the operational safety, and maintenance work is performed to guarantee the availability. In the present paper, the typical in-service inspections of a light-water reactor NPP (operated on a pressurized-water reactor/PWR/ or on a boiling-water reactor/BWR/) are described with details and examples of typical inspections, especially of recurrent performance tests of the systems. (orig./RW)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hower, S. [Zetec Inc., Quebec, Quebec (Canada); Serban, M. [CNE-Prod U1 Cernavoda (Romania); Vladu, L. [Compcontrol Ing., Bucharest (Romania)
2006-07-01
'Full text:' The paper introduces the new ZR-1 Robot System for Inspection and Maintenance/Repair from Zetec that combines the newest state-of-the-art robotics technology with Zetec experience-based innovation to address the needs for inspection and repair of steam generators. The multipurpose ZR-1 can be easily installed to perform the necessary eddy current inspection and remain installed ready for follow-up maintenance and repair. It has superior technical performances and a modular three axis motion of arm that enables 100% coverage of tube sheet. Automated, repeatable, and precise positioning of toolheads, ensures accurate delivery and reducing costly rework and reduces inspection time by 30%. The modular, lightweight, and portable design permits easy assembly and disassembly through small openings and it reduces setup/tear down time by 30%. The first deployment of the new ZR-1 Robot was made in September 2004 at the Cernavoda NPP inspection outage. The Cernavoda plant has four Advanced 600 MW CANDU-design generators that have been in service since 1996. The paper presents also the Zetec's filed experience and customer experience with this system. It describes the equipment setup in Cernavoda's generator mock-up, functional testes and calibration. Finally, provides details on the execution of the inspection, options for standardizing the inspection techniques and conclusions. (author)
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
McGugan, Malcolm
2011-01-01
In recent years the wind energy industry has grown rapidly (23% per annum) to the stage where a modern turbine blade exceeds the wing span of an Airbus A380, where offshore wind farms of 300MW are a reality, and where an 800MW total level of European power production 15 years ago has become...... for this dynamic new industry. There is a need to understand the effect(s) of more advanced designs and manufacturing approaches, the prevalence and significance of production defects in material and structure, and the optimization of maintenance/inspection effort through monitoring. Described in this paper......-layered structure must meet the requirements of greater size and quality demanded by the industry, whilst matching the harsher environments of offshore placement, and providing improvements in reliability and an upgraded life-cycle maintenance approach. Non-destructive inspection technology is an important topic...
Advances in technologies for feeder pipe inspections
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ten Grotenhuis, R.; Verma, Y.; Hitchcox, T.; Sakuta, A. [Ontario Power Generation, Inspection and Maintenance Div., Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
2014-07-15
The successful development of the Matrix Inspection Technique (MIT) for feeder weld area applications has been followed up with a project to leverage the technology to address other aspects of feeder inspection. The goal of the project is to adapt the technology to provide full circumferential inspection of feeder pipes for FAC thinning and, potentially, for axial cracking. The project necessitated evolving a new generation of high speed, high element count data acquisition instruments. It also required the development of custom inspection arrays, innovative approaches to sealing the water column, use of inertial motion sensors to synthesize encoder inputs, real-time visual feedback for the operator, and enhanced automated analysis software capable of plotting the inspected configuration in 3D. The individual components of the system are currently being integrated into a whole. The results obtained to date demonstrate the approach to be fundamentally sound. (author)
Application of condition based maintenance to nuclear power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sonoda, Yukio; Nakano, Tomohito; Shimizu, Shunichi; Iida, Jun; Atomura, Masakazu; Abe, Masahiro
2002-01-01
Device Karte management system which supports application of condition based maintenance to nuclear power plants has been developed. The purpose of this system is to support maintenance personnel in device inspection scheduling based on operating condition monitoring and maintenance histories. There are four functions: field database, degradation estimation, inspection time decision and maintenance planning. The authors have been applying this system to dozens of devices of Onagawa Nuclear Power Station Unit No. 1 for one year. This paper represents the system concept and its application experiences. (author)
Use of mountaineering rope climbing techniques vs custom-built platforms for penstock inspections
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Bechai, M.; Dmochowski, A.; Conlon, J.; Bhat, P.D. [Ontario Hydro, Toronto, ON (Canada); Henderson, D. [Remote Access Technology Inc., Dartmouth, NS (Canada)
1998-12-01
Ontario Hydro has developed an inspection and maintenance strategy that requires periodic inspections of their ageing penstocks. The utility has 149 operating penstocks distributed throughout the province. Ontario Hydro experienced problems ranging from minor deterioration to major failures requiring immediate and costly shut-down of entire stations. Three levels of the inspection and maintenance strategy are described. These are a routine external inspections, periodic internal and external inspections, and detailed inspection and assessment. Detailed inspection requires full access to all areas of the penstock, inside and outside, with detailed testing and analysis. Rope access techniques have been used successfully and cost effectively to gain access for close up observation and tactile contact allowing for evaluation and testing. Minor, quick repairs can also be carried out. It was noted that specially designed platforms will still be needed when extensive repairs and maintenance is required. 2 refs., 1 tab., 3 figs.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Krugmann, U.
1998-01-01
Preventive maintenance is very important in achieving high plant availability. For the European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) preventive maintenance has been carefully addressed in the design stage. This is particularly necessary because of the traditionally different maintenance strategies employed in France and Germany. This paper emphasizes the following features introduced in the ERP design to minimize the duration of the refueling outage: (1) containment accessibility during power operation; (2) overall plant layout to facilitate inspections and maintenances within the containment; and (3) safety system design for enabling preventive maintenance during power operation. (author)
Inspection and Reconstruction of Metal-Roof Deformation under Wind Pressure Based on Bend Sensors
Yang, Liman; Cui, Langfu; Li, Yunhua; An, Chao
2017-01-01
Metal roof sheathings are widely employed in large-span buildings because of their light weight, high strength and corrosion resistance. However, their severe working environment may lead to deformation, leakage and wind-lift, etc. Thus, predicting these damages in advance and taking maintenance measures accordingly has become important to avoid economic losses and personal injuries. Conventionally, the health monitoring of metal roofs mainly relies on manual inspection, which unavoidably com...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mizukoshi, Yasutaka; Yasu, Tetsunori
2012-06-01
The Materials Monitoring Facility is equipped with an exhaust stack to emit air from a controlled area (the hot laboratory) into the atmosphere. Cracks and exfoliation have been observed for the surface of the exhaust stack, which is made of reinforced concrete and was constructed on the seacoast about 25 years ago, so exposed to a salt-corrosive condition. In order to get details of the present condition of the exhaust stack, an inspection was carried out using an electromagnetic wave radar method and chloride content method. Cracks and exfoliation were observed for the whole stack surface, especially for high positions. Moreover, salt damage was observed for the outer surface of the exhaust stack, and it was estimated that the infiltration of the chloride content was about 17 mm. Based on this detailed inspection of the exhaust stack, maintenance and repair work were carried out. (author)
Advanced cutting, welding and inspection methods for vacuum vessel assembly and maintenance
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Jones, L. E-mail: jonesl@ipp.mgg.de; Alfile, J.-P.; Aubert, Ph.; Punshon, C.; Daenner, W.; Kujanpaeae, V.; Maisonnier, D.; Serre, M.; Schreck, G.; Wykes, M
2000-11-01
ITER requires a 316 l stainless steel, double-skinned vacuum vessel (VV), each shell being 60 mm thick. EFDA (European Fusion Development Agreement) is investigating methods to be used for performing welding and NDT during VV assembly and also cutting and re-welding for remote sector replacement, including the development of an Intersector Welding Robot (IWR) [Jones et al. This conference]. To reduce the welding time, distortions and residual stresses of conventional welding, previous work concentrated on CO{sub 2} laser welding and cutting processes [Jones et al. Proc. Symp. Fusion Technol., Marseilles, 1998]. NdYAG laser now provides the focus for welding of the rearside root and for completing the weld for overhead positions with multipass filling. Electron beam (E-beam) welding with local vacuum offers a single-pass for most of the weld depth except for overhead positions. Plasma cutting has shown the capability to contain the backside dross and preliminary work with NdYAG laser cutting has shown good results. Automated ultrasonic inspection of assembly welds will be improved by the use of a phased array probe system that can focus the beam for accurate flaw location and sizing. This paper describes the recent results of process investigations in this R and D programme, involving five European sites and forming part of the overall VV/blanket research effort [W. Daenner et al. This conference].
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Takahashi, Masaki; Omote, Tatsuyuki; Yoneya, Yutaka; Tanaka, Keiji; Waki, Tetsuro; Yoshida, Tomiji; Kido, Tsuyoshi.
1993-01-01
An inspection vehicle comprises a small-sized battery directly connected with a power motor or a direct power source from trolly lines and a switching circuit operated by external signals. The switch judges advance or retreat by two kinds of signals and the inspection vehicle is recovered by self-running. In order to recover the abnormally stopped inspection vehicle to the targeted place, the inspection vehicle is made in a free-running state by using a clutch mechanism and is pushed by an other vehicle. (T.M.)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
GEAMBASU Gabriel George
2017-05-01
Full Text Available The paper presents the maintenance process that is done on an airplane, at a certain period of time, or after a number of flight hours or cycles and describes the checks performed behind each inspection. The first part of research describes the aircraft maintenance process that has to be done after an updated maintenance manual according with aircraft type, followed by a short introduction about maintenance hangar. The second part of the paper presents a hangar design with a foldable roof and walls, which can be folded or extended, over an airplane when a maintenance process is done, or depending on weather condition.
Introduction of electronic journal of advanced maintenance website structure and editorial operation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ito, Takashi; Nakamura, Mayu
2009-01-01
Electronic Journal of Advanced Maintenance (EJAM) has been issued on the website of Japan Society of Maintenology (JSM) on May 25th, 2009. This report introduces EJAM website structure and Editorial Operation. (author)
Regulatory control of maintenance activities in Argentine nuclear power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Calvo, J.C.; Caruso, G.
2000-01-01
The main maintenance objective is to assure that the safety features of structures, components and systems of nuclear power plants are kept as designed. Therefore, there is a direct relationship between safety and maintenance. Owing to the above mentioned, maintenance activities are considered a relevant regulatory issue for the Argentine Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN). This paper describes the regulatory control to maintenance activities of Argentine nuclear power plants. It also addresses essential elements for maintenance control, routine inspections, special inspections during planned outages, audits and license conditions and requirements. (author)
Developing maintenance technologies for FBR's heat exchanger units by advanced laser processing
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nishimura, Akihiko; Shimada, Yukihiro
2011-01-01
Laser processing technologies were developed for the purpose of maintenance of FBR's heat exchanger units. Ultrashort laser processing fabricated fiber Bragg grating sensor for seismic monitoring. Fiber laser welding with a newly developed robot system repair cracks on inner wall of heat exchanger tubes. Safety operation of the heat exchanger units will be improved by the advanced laser processing technologies. These technologies are expected to be applied to the maintenance for the next generation FBRs. (author)
Maintenance and management system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ando, Yasumasa.
1992-01-01
Since highly reliable operation is required in a nuclear power plant, monitoring during operation and periodical inspection are conducted carefully. The present invention provides maintenance and management systems for providing an aid so that these systems are combined effectively and operated rationally based on unified information management. That is, the system contains data bases comprising information for the design of the equipments and pipelines of a plant, information for the exchange of equipment parts, information for the history of plant operation, information for the monitoring and inspection, and information for the management of repair operation. In addition, it has an equipment part history management sub-system for managing equipment part exchange information, an operation history management sub-system for managing the operation state of the plant, an operation history management sub-system for managing equipment monitoring inspection data and operation management sub-system for managing periodical inspection/ repairing operation. These sub-systems are collectively combined to manage the maintenance and management jobs of the plant unitarily. (I.S.)
Strategy of Risk-Informed Inspection for Secondary Systems in NPPs
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kim, So Young; Heo, Gyun Young
2012-01-01
Recently, unexpected accidents such as large-scale blackout have been occurred due to increasing demand of electricity. The unplanned trips have great influence over the economics although they rarely affect the safety of system. Because the cost for inspection and maintenance is limited, it is beneficial not only economically to take follow-up action in a timely manner to prevent plant trip but also in safety by protecting against the risk which is occurred from trip. In nuclear power plants (NPPs), the importance about risk-informed service such as inspection, maintenance and replacement is becoming on the rise. Risk-informed techniques such as in-service test, in-service inspection, design guide change and etc. are already used in nuclear field but these techniques are applied focusing on primary system for safety-related regulatory issues. It is needed to consider the optimization of inspection informed risk for entire plant including secondary system which is not applied enough. The study about risk-based inspection for boilers in thermal power field is in progress actively, but not for turbine cycle, which is similar with nuclear industry. Today, the most of inspections or tests for turbine cycle are time-based maintenance, being performed on time. It is required to perform condition-based maintenance by evaluating risk analyzing both of probability and consequence simultaneously about damage mechanisms that can be predicted by equipment or devices configuring the secondary system. Probability of failure (POF) is analyzed in terms of materials' ageing mechanisms, but consequence of failure (COF) should be evaluated in terms of thermohydraulic condition then it is needed to check power loss and period of maintenance. This paper is going to propose the idea to quantify the consequence of failure using the fault tree and simulation for secondary system, and propose quantitative risk-informed inspection by these approaches
Improving regulatory oversight of maintenance programs
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cook, S.
2008-01-01
Safe nuclear power plant operation requires that risks due to failure or unavailability of Structures, Systems and Components (SSCs) be minimized. Implementation of an effective maintenance program is a key means for achieving this goal. In its regulatory framework, the important relationship between maintenance and safety is acknowledged by the CNSC. A high level maintenance program requirement is included in the Class I Facilities Regulations. In addition, the operating licence contains a condition based on the principle that the design function and performance of SSCs needs to remain consistent with the plant's design and analysis documents. Nuclear power plant licensees have the primary responsibility for safe operation of their facilities and consequently for implementation of a successful maintenance program. The oversight role of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is to ensure that the licensee carries out that responsibility. The challenge for the CNSC is how to do this consistently and efficiently. Three opportunities for improvement to regulatory maintenance oversight are being pursued. These are related to the regulatory framework, compliance verification inspection activities and monitoring of self-reporting. The regulatory framework has been improved by clarifying expectations through the issuance of S-210 'Maintenance Programs for Nuclear Power Plants'. Inspection activities have been improved by introducing new maintenance inspections into the baseline program. Monitoring is being improved by making better use of self-reported and industry produced maintenance related performance indicators. As with any type of program change, the challenge is to ensure the consistent and optimal application of regulatory activities and resources. This paper is a summary of the CNSC's approach to improving its maintenance oversight strategy. (author)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
None
2013-03-01
This report summarizes the 2012 annual inspection, sampling, measurement, and maintenance activities performed at the Salmon, Mississippi, Site (Salmon site). The draft Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Plan for the Salmon Site, Lamar County, Mississippi (DOE 2007) specifies the submittal of an annual report of site activities with the results of sample analyses. A revised plan is in preparation. The Long-Term Surveillance Plan for the Salmon, Mississippi, Site is intended for release in 2013. The Salmon site consists of 1,470 acres. The site is located in Lamar County, Mississippi, approximately 10 miles west of Purvis, Mississippi, and about 21 miles southwest of Hattiesburg, Mississippi The State of Mississippi owns the surface real estate subject to certain restrictions related to subsurface penetration. The State is the surface operator; the Mississippi Forestry Commission is its agent. The federal government owns the subsurface real estate (including minerals and some surface features), shares right-of-entry easements with the State, and retains rights related to subsurface monitoring. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM), a successor agency to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, is responsible for the long-term surveillance of the subsurface real estate
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2013-01-01
This report summarizes the 2012 annual inspection, sampling, measurement, and maintenance activities performed at the Salmon, Mississippi, Site (Salmon site). The draft Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Plan for the Salmon Site, Lamar County, Mississippi (DOE 2007) specifies the submittal of an annual report of site activities with the results of sample analyses. A revised plan is in preparation. The Long-Term Surveillance Plan for the Salmon, Mississippi, Site is intended for release in 2013. The Salmon site consists of 1,470 acres. The site is located in Lamar County, Mississippi, approximately 10 miles west of Purvis, Mississippi, and about 21 miles southwest of Hattiesburg, Mississippi The State of Mississippi owns the surface real estate subject to certain restrictions related to subsurface penetration. The State is the surface operator; the Mississippi Forestry Commission is its agent. The federal government owns the subsurface real estate (including minerals and some surface features), shares right-of-entry easements with the State, and retains rights related to subsurface monitoring. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM), a successor agency to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, is responsible for the long-term surveillance of the subsurface real estate.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kring, C.T.; Herndon, J.N.; Meacham, S.A.
1987-01-01
The Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program (CFRP) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been advancing the technology in remote handling and remote maintenance of in-cell systems planned for future US nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. Much of the experience and technology developed over the past decade in this endeavor are directly applicable to the in-cell systems being considered for the facilities of the Federal Waste Management System (FWMS). The ORNL developments are based on the application of teleoperated force-reflecting servomanipulators controlled by an operator completely removed from the hazardous environment. These developments address the nonrepetitive nature of remote maintenance in the unstructured environments encountered in a waste handling facility. Employing technological advancements in dexterous manipulators, as well as basic design guidelines that have been developed for remotely maintained equipment and processes, can increase operation and maintenance system capabilities, thereby allowing the attainment of two Federal Waste Management System major objectives: decreasing plant personnel radiation exposure and increasing plant availability by decreasing the mean-time-to-repair in-cell maintenance and process equipment
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kring, C.T.; Herndon, J.N.; Meacham, S.A.
1987-01-01
The Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program (CFRP) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been advancing the technology in remote handling and remote maintenance of in-cell systems planned for future U.S. nuclear fuel reprocessing plants. Much of the experience and technology developed over the past decade in this endeavor are directly applicable to the in-cell systems being considered for the facilities of the Federal Waste Management System (FWMS). The ORNL developments are based on the application of teleoperated force-reflecting servomanipulators controlled by an operator completely removed from the hazardous environment. These developments address the nonrepetitive nature of remote maintenance in the unstructured environments encountered in a waste handling facility. Employing technological advancements in dexterous manipulators, as well as basic design guidelines that have been developed for remotely maintained equipment and processes, can increase operation and maintenance system capabilities, thereby allowing the attainment of two Federal Waste Management System major objectives: decreasing plant personnel radiation exposure and increasing plant availability by decreasing the mean-time-to-repair in-cell maintenance and process equipment
Pre-service inspection and in-service inspection in Japan
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Uebayashi, T.; Miyake, Y.
1985-01-01
To ensure the safety of nuclear power plant, pre-service inspection/in-service inspection (PSI/ISI) has an important role, and informations obtained from various inspections during plant shut-down period are contributing to establish effective preventive maintenance activities for plant facilities. It might be said that the high level of availability of Japanese light-water nuclear power plants in these two or three years has been achieved by those efforts. In case of Japan, inspections to be carried out during scheduled plant shut-down period are not limited to code requirements but include many other inspections which are mostly reflected from troubles experienced in both domestic and overseas plants. Usually, those additional inspections are performed by Ministry of Trade and Industries' (MITI's) regulator and/or tentative requirement and considered as ISI in broad meaning. To achieve high availability of plant, it is essential to avoid unscheduled shut-down and to shorten inspection period. The developments of new technology to perform effective ISI for operating plants are continued, but on the other hand it is also very important to pay a great consideration to inspectability of the plants at the stage of plant engineering. With the leadership of MITI, improvement and standardization of light-water nuclear power plant has been proceeded and newly constructed plants have great advantage from the point of view on ISI
Maintenance management at the High Flux Isotope Reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Farrar, M.B.
1982-02-01
Maintenance procedures are described for mechanical and electrical equipment; nuclear and process instrumentation; operational maintenance; equipment and systems inspections; and HFIR quality assurance
Magnox Electric Littlebrook reactor inspection and repair rehearsal facility
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Barnes, S.A.; Clayton, R.; Gaydon, B.G.; Ramsey, B.H.
1996-01-01
Magnox reactors, although designed to be maintenance free during their operational life, have nevertheless highlighted the need for test rig facilities to train operators in the methods and techniques of reactor inspection and repair. The history of the facility for reactor engineering development (FRED) is described and its present role as a repair rehearsal facility noted. Advances in computer graphics may, in future, mean that such operator training will be virtual reality rather than analog reality based; however the need for such rigs to commission techniques and equipment and to establish performance and reliability is likely to continue. (UK)
Fabrication of nuclear ship reactor MRX model and study on inspection and maintenance of components
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kasahara, Yoshiyuki; Nakazawa, Toshio; Kusunoki, Tsuyoshi; Takahashi, Hiroki; Yoritsune, Tsutomu.
1997-10-01
The MRX (Marine Reactor X) is an integral type small reactor adopting passive safety systems. As for an integral type reactor, primary system components are installed in the reactor vessel. It is therefor important to establish the appropriate procedure for construction, inspection and maintenance, dismauntling, etc., for all components in the reactor vessel as well as in the reactor containment, because inspection space is limited. To study these subjects, a one-fifth model of the MRX was fabricated and operation capabilities were studied. As a result of studies, the following results are obtained. (1) Manufacturing and installing problems of the reactor pressure vessel, the containment vessel and internal components are basically not abserved. (2) Heat transfer tube structures of the steam generator and the heat exchangers of emergency decay heat removal system and containment water cooler were not seen of any problem for fabrication. However, due consideration is required in the detailed design of supports of heat transfer tubes. (3) Further studies should be needed for designs of flange penetrations and leak countermeasures for pipes instrument cables. (4) Arrangements of equipments in the containment should be taken in consideration in detail because the space is narrow. (5) Further discussion is required for installation methods of instruments and cables. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Seino, Satoshi; Ujihara, Satoshi; Kikuyama, Kaoru
2009-01-01
European and US plant owners have attached importance to plant maintenance, such as prompt grasp of plant states, implementation of maintenance and planning of maintenance programs, as one of asset management. The US advanced trend was introduced in this feature article through the applications of IBM Maximo Asset Management for nuclear facilities maintenance. World trends of nuclear power and related problems, need of nuclear facilities management, key items for introduction of maintenance management systems, required systems for nuclear maintenance management and introduction of functions of the IBM strategic asset management solution-Maximo were described respectively. (T. Tanaka)
Preventive maintenance technology for nuclear power stations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Miyazawa, Tatsuo
1992-01-01
With the increase of the number of nuclear power plants in operation and the number of years of operation, the improvement of reliability and the continuation of safe operation have become more important, and the expectation for preventive maintenance technology has also heightened. The maintenance of Japanese nuclear power plants is based on the time schedule maintenance mainly by the regular inspection carried out every year, but the monitoring of the conditions of various machinery and equipment in operation has been performed widely. In this report, the present state of checkup and inspection technologies and the monitoring and diagnostic technologies for operational condition, which are the key technologies of preventive maintenance, are described. As the checkup and inspection technologies, ultrasonic flow detection technology, phased array technology, Amplituden und Laufzeit Orts Kurven method and X-ray CT, and as the monitoring and diagnostic technologies for operational condition, the diagnosis support system for BWR plants 'PLADIS', those for rotary machines, those for turbogenerators, those for solenoid valves, the mechanization of patrol works and the systematizing technology are reported. (K.I.)
Rector, Tony; Peyton, Barbara M.; Steele, John W.; Makinen, Janice; Bue, Grant C.; Campbell, Colin
2014-01-01
Water loop maintenance components to maintain the water quality of the Advanced Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporation (SWME) water recirculation loop have undergone a comparative performance evaluation with a second SWME water recirculation loop with no water quality maintenance. Results show the benefits of periodic water maintenance. The SWME is a heat rejection device under development at the NASA Johnson Space Center to perform thermal control for advanced spacesuits. One advantage to this technology is the potential for a significantly greater degree of tolerance to contamination when compared to the existing Sublimator technology. The driver for the evaluation of water recirculation maintenance components was to further enhance this advantage through the leveraging of fluid loop management lessons learned from the International Space Station (ISS). A bed design that was developed for a UTAS military application, and considered for a potential ISS application with the Urine Processor Assembly, provided a low pressure drop means for water maintenance in a recirculation loop. The bed design is coupled with high capacity ion exchange resins, organic adsorbents, and a cyclic methodology developed for the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Transport Water loop. The maintenance cycle included the use of a biocide delivery component developed for ISS to introduce a biocide in a microgravity compatible manner for the Internal Active Thermal Control System (IATCS). The leveraging of these water maintenance technologies to the SWME recirculation loop is a unique demonstration of applying the valuable lessons learned on the ISS to the next generation of manned spaceflight Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) hardware.
Different Transportation and Maintenance Strategies for Offshore Wind Farms
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ambühl, Simon; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
as different maintenance strategies are considered. The report contains a case study where the presented approach is applied to a wind turbine farm and a sensitivity study of the different parameters like the operational range of the boat/helicopter, the electricity price, real rate of interest, inspection......Inspections as well as transportation of personnel and repair parts are a significant contributor to the levelized cost of energy for offshore wind turbines. There are different operation and maintenance (O&M) strategies for offshore wind turbines. Maintenance can be performed preventively...... of energy using different maintenance and transportation strategies....
49 CFR 396.11 - Driver vehicle inspection report(s).
2010-10-01
... INSPECTION, REPAIR, AND MAINTENANCE § 396.11 Driver vehicle inspection report(s). (a) Report required—(1... shall repair any defect or deficiency listed on the driver vehicle inspection report which would be... defect or deficiency has been repaired or that repair is unnecessary before the vehicle is operated again...
Galetta, D; Rossi, A; Pisconti, S; Millaku, A; Colucci, G
2010-11-01
Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including squamous carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and large cell carcinoma, accounting for about 85% of all lung cancer types with most of the patients presenting with advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. In this setting first-line platinum-based chemotherapy for no more than 4-6 cycles are recommended. After these cycles of treatment, non-progressing patients enter in the so called "watch and wait" period in which no further therapy is administered until there is disease progression. In order to improve the advanced NSCLC outcomes, the efficacy of further treatment in the "watch and wait" period was investigated. This is the "maintenance therapy". Recently, the results coming from randomized phase III trials investigating two new agents, pemetrexed and erlotinib, in this setting led to their registration for maintenance therapy. Here, we report and discuss these results. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Rail for inspection/maintenance device in TOKAMAK type container of a thermonuclear reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Takahashi, Kenji.
1996-01-01
A circular rail divided into four arcuate parts for an inspection/maintenance device which runs in a TOKAMAK type container is disposed. Each of the divided rails is supported at the center of the outer surface rotatably by extendable rail supporting shafts. Each of the divided rail is constituted such that it can be contained between limiters disposed at the outer side of the TOKAMAK container when each of the rail support shafts is contracted. With such a constitution, each of the rail support shafts and arcuate rail is contracted and rotated from the outside of the TOKAMAK type container by an actuator. In order to form a circular rail, each of the rail support shafts is extended toward the center of the TOKAMAK type container, and then each of the arcuate rails is rotated into a horizontal state. Then, the joint portions of each of the arcuate rails are connected by using remote controllable locking rods. (I.S.)
Improved plant availability by advanced condition based inspections
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hulshof, Harry J.M.; Noteboom, Jan W.; Welberg, Paul G.M.; Bruijn, Leo E.
2004-01-01
An industrial plant has to operate safely, reliably and efficiently at the lowest possible cost. Plant availability plays an important role regarding economic life optimisation. Industrial installations that are under pressure and are operating at high temperatures have a limited life due to creep and fatigue. It is, therefore, of critical importance to know the location of any possible weak spots in the installation. To avoid safety risks, unplanned plant shutdown and, as a consequence, high costs for unavailability, cycling and repair, periodic inspections and strain measurements are recommended. A Speckle Image Correlation Analysis (SPICA) system enables on-stream measurement of deformation due to creep in critical areas like the heat-affected zone in welds. Plant management and operators use the strain measurements to take action when necessary and, consequently, prevent failures. In those plants that have been provided with SPICA-technology for some years plant availability has improved significantly as a result. Another important development for yielding improved availability concerns steam drums. During some 20 years, KEMA has been performing automated ultrasonic steam drum inspections from outside. The Dutch authorities accepted this methodology in this period as an alternative (rather than an addition) after several pilot projects. An advantage of this inspection methodology is the possibility to record of the inspection results and possibility of thus trending these data. The resulting reduction of through time appeared a major benefit for plant owners. Since the authorities adopted the RBI approach during the last 10 years, another advantage of the inspection methodology became apparent: complete scanning and recording of the inspection data of circumferential and longitudinal (butt and fillet) welds, inspection of nozzle welds and inner radius as well as corrosion mapping has been covering all higher risk areas in these drums. This enhanced inspection
Improved plant availability by advanced condition based inspections
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hulshof, Harry J.M.; Noteboom, Jan W; Welberg, Paul G.M.; Bruijn, Leo E
2004-06-01
An industrial plant has to operate safely, reliably and efficiently at the lowest possible cost. Plant availability plays an important role regarding economic life optimisation. Industrial installations that are under pressure and are operating at high temperatures have a limited life due to creep and fatigue. It is, therefore, of critical importance to know the location of any possible weak spots in the installation. To avoid safety risks, unplanned plant shutdown and, as a consequence, high costs for unavailability, cycling and repair, periodic inspections and strain measurements are recommended. A Speckle Image Correlation Analysis (SPICA) system enables on-stream measurement of deformation due to creep in critical areas like the heat-affected zone in welds. Plant management and operators use the strain measurements to take action when necessary and, consequently, prevent failures. In those plants that have been provided with SPICA-technology for some years plant availability has improved significantly as a result. Another important development for yielding improved availability concerns steam drums. During some 20 years, KEMA has been performing automated ultrasonic steam drum inspections from outside. The Dutch authorities accepted this methodology in this period as an alternative (rather than an addition) after several pilot projects. An advantage of this inspection methodology is the possibility to record of the inspection results and possibility of thus trending these data. The resulting reduction of through time appeared a major benefit for plant owners. Since the authorities adopted the RBI approach during the last 10 years, another advantage of the inspection methodology became apparent: complete scanning and recording of the inspection data of circumferential and longitudinal (butt and fillet) welds, inspection of nozzle welds and inner radius as well as corrosion mapping has been covering all higher risk areas in these drums. This enhanced inspection
Artificial intelligence: the future in nuclear plant maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Norgate, G.
1984-01-01
The role of robotics and remote handling equipment in future nuclear power plant maintenance activities is discussed in the context of artificial intelligence applications. Special requirements manipulators, control systems, and man-machine interfaces for nuclear applications are noted. Tasks might include inspection with cameras, eddy current probes, and leak detectors; the collection of material samples; radiation monitoring; and the disassembly, repair and reassembly of a variety of system components. A robot with vision and force sensing and an intelligent control system that can access a knowledge base is schematically described. Recent advances in image interpretation systems are also discussed
10 CFR 36.61 - Inspection and maintenance.
2010-01-01
... emergency source return control required by § 36.31(c). (7) Leak-tightness of systems through which pool water circulates (visual inspection). (8) Operability of the heat and smoke detectors and extinguisher... for radioactive contamination in pool water required by § 36.59(b) using a radiation check source, if...
Development of a two-stage inspection process for the assessment of deteriorating infrastructure
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sheils, Emma; O'Connor, Alan; Breysse, Denys; Schoefs, Franck; Yotte, Sylvie
2010-01-01
Inspection-based maintenance strategies can provide an efficient tool for the management of ageing infrastructure subjected to deterioration. Many of these methods rely on quantitative data from inspections, rather than qualitative and subjective data. The focus of this paper is on the development of an inspection-based decision scheme, incorporating analysis on the effect of the cost and quality of NDT tools to assess the condition of infrastructure elements/networks during their lifetime. For the first time the two aspects of an inspection are considered, i.e. detection and sizing. Since each stage of an inspection is carried out for a distinct purpose, different parameters are used to represent each procedure and both have been incorporated into a maintenance management model. The separation of these procedures allows the interaction between the two inspection techniques to be studied. The inspection for detection process acts as a screening exercise to determine which defects require further inspection for sizing. A decision tool is developed that allows the owner/manager of the infrastructural element/network to choose the most cost-efficient maintenance management plan based on his/her specific requirements.
9 CFR 381.307 - Record review and maintenance.
2010-01-01
... INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION POULTRY PRODUCTS INSPECTION REGULATIONS Canning and Canned Products § 381.307... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Record review and maintenance. 381.307 Section 381.307 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE...
dos Santos, Laerte; da Costa Bortoni, Edson; Barbosa, Luiz C.; Araujo, Reyler A.
2005-03-01
Furnas Centrais Elétricas S.A is one of the greatest companies of the Brazilian electric power sector and a pioneer in using infrared thermography. In the early 70s, the maintenance policy used was a centralized approach, with only one inspection team to cover all the company"s facilities. In the early 90s, FURNAS decided to decentralize the thermography inspections creating several inspection teams. This new maintenance policy presented several advantages when compared to the previous one. However the credibility of the results obtained with the thermal inspection was frequently being questioned, in part due to the lack of a detailed planning to carry out the transition from the centralized inspection to the decentralized one. In some areas of the company it was suggested the inactivation of the thermography. This paper presents the experience of FURNAS with these different maintenance policies and details the procedures which have been taken that nowadays the infrared thermal inspection has become one of the most important techniques of predictive maintenance in the company.
7 CFR 1730.21 - Inspections and tests.
2010-01-01
... reliability and security of the electric power grid, cause significant risk to the safety and health of the... AGRICULTURE ELECTRIC SYSTEM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE Operations and Maintenance Requirements § 1730.21... parts of its electric system, annually exercise its ERP, and maintain records of such inspections and...
Level of Service Program for INDOT Operations : APPENDIX A State Inspection Programs
2012-01-01
INDOT has used an inspection program named Maintenance Quality Survey (MQS) to perform a statewide inspection of their roadway assets, rightofway to rightofway. This inspection requires two twoperson teams approximately 18 months to...
Phased Array Ultrasonic Inspection of Titanium Forgings
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Howard, P.; Klaassen, R.; Kurkcu, N.; Barshinger, J.; Chalek, C.; Nieters, E.; Sun, Zongqi; Fromont, F. de
2007-01-01
Aerospace forging inspections typically use multiple, subsurface-focused sound beams in combination with digital C-scan image acquisition and display. Traditionally, forging inspections have been implemented using multiple single element, fixed focused transducers. Recent advances in phased array technology have made it possible to perform an equivalent inspection using a single phased array transducer. General Electric has developed a system to perform titanium forging inspection based on medical phased array technology and advanced image processing techniques. The components of that system and system performance for titanium inspection will be discussed
49 CFR 193.2623 - Inspecting LNG storage tanks.
2010-10-01
... MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PIPELINE SAFETY LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS FACILITIES: FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS Maintenance § 193.2623 Inspecting LNG storage tanks. Each LNG... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Inspecting LNG storage tanks. 193.2623 Section 193...
A preventive maintenance policy based on dependent two-stage deterioration and external shocks
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yang, Li; Ma, Xiaobing; Peng, Rui; Zhai, Qingqing; Zhao, Yu
2017-01-01
This paper proposes a preventive maintenance policy for a single-unit system whose failure has two competing and dependent causes, i.e., internal deterioration and sudden shocks. The internal failure process is divided into two stages, i.e. normal and defective. Shocks arrive according to a non-homogeneous Poisson process (NHPP), leading to the failure of the system immediately. The occurrence rate of a shock is affected by the state of the system. Both an age-based replacement and finite number of periodic inspections are schemed simultaneously to deal with the competing failures. The objective of this study is to determine the optimal preventive replacement interval, inspection interval and number of inspections such that the expected cost per unit time is minimized. A case study on oil pipeline maintenance is presented to illustrate the maintenance policy. - Highlights: • A maintenance model based on two-stage deterioration and sudden shocks is developed. • The impact of internal system state on external shock process is studied. • A new preventive maintenance strategy combining age-based replacements and periodic inspections is proposed. • Postponed replacement of a defective system is provided by restricting the number of inspections.
Operation and maintenance strategies for wave energy converters
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ambühl, Simon; Marquis, Laurent; Kofoed, Jens Peter
2015-01-01
costs including costs due to lost electricity production are minimized. The risk-based approach is compared with an approach where only boats are used and another approach where the target is to minimize the downtime of the device. This article presents a dynamic approach for total operation......Inspection and maintenance costs are a significant contributor to the cost of energy for wave energy converters. There are different operation and maintenance strategies for wave energy converters. Maintenance can be performed after failure (corrective) or before a breakdown (preventive) occurs....... Furthermore, a helicopter and boats can be used to transport equipment and personnel to the device, or the whole device can be towed to a harbour for operation and maintenance actions. This article describes, among others, a risk-based inspection and maintenance planning approach where the overall repair...
Maintenance technologies for reactor internals
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Sato, Kenji [Nuclear Energy Systems and Services Div., Toshiba Corp., Tokyo (Japan); Kobayashi, Masahiro [Toshiba Corp., Yokohama (Japan). Keihin Product Operations; Sano, Yuji; Kimura, Seiichiro [Power and Industrial Systems Research and Development Center, Toshiba Corp., Tokyo(Japan)
2000-10-01
Toshiba places the highest priority on maintenance technologies for the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and its internals in operating nuclear power plants. This paper summarizes the status of applied laser maintenance technologies, both preventive and repair. For laser peeing and laser desensitization treatment (LDT) technologies in particular, field applications are also described in detail. In the future, the area of field applications for preventive maintenance, repair, and inspection technologies will be further expanded. (author)
Advanced Maintenance Simulation by Means of Hand-Based Haptic Interfaces
Nappi, Michele; Paolino, Luca; Ricciardi, Stefano; Sebillo, Monica; Vitiello, Giuliana
Aerospace industry has been involved in virtual simulation for design and testing since the birth of virtual reality. Today this industry is showing a growing interest in the development of haptic-based maintenance training applications, which represent the most advanced way to simulate maintenance and repair tasks within a virtual environment by means of a visual-haptic approach. The goal is to allow the trainee to experiment the service procedures not only as a workflow reproduced at a visual level but also in terms of the kinaesthetic feedback involved with the manipulation of tools and components. This study, conducted in collaboration with aerospace industry specialists, is aimed to the development of an immersive virtual capable of immerging the trainees into a virtual environment where mechanics and technicians can perform maintenance simulation or training tasks by directly manipulating 3D virtual models of aircraft parts while perceiving force feedback through the haptic interface. The proposed system is based on ViRstperson, a virtual reality engine under development at the Italian Center for Aerospace Research (CIRA) to support engineering and technical activities such as design-time maintenance procedure validation, and maintenance training. This engine has been extended to support haptic-based interaction, enabling a more complete level of interaction, also in terms of impedance control, and thus fostering the development of haptic knowledge in the user. The user’s “sense of touch” within the immersive virtual environment is simulated through an Immersion CyberForce® hand-based force-feedback device. Preliminary testing of the proposed system seems encouraging.
In-service inspection and maintenance schedule for a typical TRIGA Mark-II reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Boeck, H.
1996-05-01
This report lists all the systems and components of the TRIGA reactor Vienna which are inspected and maintained in regular intervals. These intervals are categorized in monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual inspections. Further the type of inspection and the responsibility for the inspection is shown. For each component specific inspection sheets have been developed, some examples are given in the annex. (author)
Risk-based and maintenance systems for steam turbines
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fujiyama, K.; Nagai, S.; Akikuni, Y.; Fujiwara, T.; Furuya, K.; Matsumoto, S.; Takagi, K.; Kawabata, T.
2003-01-01
The risk-based maintenance (RBM) system has been developed for steam turbine plants coupled with the quick inspection systems. The RBM system utilizes the field failure and inspection database accumulated over 30 years. The failure modes are determined for each component of steam turbines and the failure scenarios are described as event trees. The probability of failure is expressed in the form of unreliability functions of operation hours or start-up cycles through the cumulative hazard function method. The posterior unreliability is derived from the field data analysis according to the inspection information. Quick inspection can be conducted using air-cooled borescope and heat resistant ultrasonic sensors even if the turbine is not cooled down sufficiently. Another inspection information comes from degradation and damage measurement. The probabilistic life assessment using structural analysis and statistical material properties, the latter is estimated from hardness measurement, replica observation and embrittlement measurement. The risk function is calculated as the sum product of unreliability functions and expected monetary loss as the consequence of failure along event trees. The optimum maintenance plan is determined among simulated scenarios described through component breakdown trees, life cycle event trees and risk functions. Those methods are effective for total condition assessment and economical maintenance for operating plants. (orig.)
Development of optical fiber cable's inspection technology and maintenance criteria
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kim, Min-Su; Ju, Hee-Wan; Shim, Seon-Heum; Lee, Youn-Ki; Kim, Jin-Il; Huh, Tae-Young
2008-01-01
Improve the reliability and establish the systematic maintenance methods for the digital control facilities' optical fiber cable, reviewed the technical requirements and the current maintenance procedures, analyzed the optical fiber cable's characteristics through actual test like bending, tension, attenuation. Based on the results of review, test and analysis, prepared the maintenance criteria and standard maintenance guideline. Also we verified those can be applied directly to the operating nuclear power plant through the actual test at Ulchin Unit 6. The details of test and analysis are presented in this paper. Also introduce the contents of maintenance criteria and guidelines
The use of NPAR [Nuclear Plant Aging Research] results in plant inspection activities
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gunther, W.; Taylor, J.
1989-01-01
The Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) Program is a hardware oriented research program which has produced a large data base of equipment and system operating, maintenance, and testing information. A review of the NRC Inspection Program and discussions with NRC inspection personnel have revealed several areas where NPAR research results would be valuable to the inspector. This paper describes the NPAR information which can enhance inspection activities, and provides alternatives for making these pertinent research results available to the inspectors. The NRC Inspection Program emphasis is on evaluating the performance of licensees by focusing on requirements and standards associated with administrative, managerial, engineering, and operational aspects of licensee activities. The Program recognizes that licensees may satisfy NRC requirements differently, and therefore expresses inspection guidance in the form of performance objectives and evaluation criteria. for the resident and regional inspectors, procedures have been written covering various subject areas, such as operations, maintenance, and surveillance. Some of these procedures contain guidance related to aging degradation. The types of information generated by NPAR which were found to be relevant to inspection needs include the following: functional indicators; failure modes, causes, effects; stresses which cause degradation; maintenance recommendations; inspection prioritization. 3 refs
Inspection Based Evaluation of a Danish Road Bridge
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Thoft-Christensen, Palle
In this paper it is shown how an inspection-based evaluation of a Danish road bridge may be performed using the BRIDGE1 and BRIDGE2 bridge management systems produced within the EC-supported research programme "Assessment of Performance and Optimal Strategies for Inspection and Maintenance...
Pipelines inspection robots; Robos para inspecao de linhas de servico
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Archila Diaz, John Faber; Dutra, Max Suell [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-graduacao de Engenharia (COPPE). Lab. de Robotica
2008-07-01
One of the problems existing in the area of maintenance of systems for the transport of mass and / or energy is to examine the integrity of the lines of service in the basic infrastructure of cities and industries. For the development of maintenance, whether predictive, preventive or corrective is necessary to conduct the inspection of these lines. To carry out this task is necessary count on help of appropriate technological tools. The main tools for inspection of service lines come from the area of external inspection of pipelines and are also in development, the problem happens when we need to achieve internal or external failures in places of difficult access, and move the inspection equipment to places where it's going to fail. In these cases it is necessary to the use of mechatronic systems, more specifically robotic systems, which may be developed for inspection. This paper aims to present the main robotic systems used for inspection, especially for internal inspection of pipelines. These systems have been developed by the research groups in Brazil, Japan, and Belgium among others, giving up a classification of robots for inspection of pipelines and the main features necessary for its project. (author)
Pipelines inspection robots; Robos para inspecao de linhas de servico
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Archila Diaz, John Faber; Dutra, Max Suell [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-graduacao de Engenharia (COPPE). Lab. de Robotica
2008-07-01
One of the problems existing in the area of maintenance of systems for the transport of mass and / or energy is to examine the integrity of the lines of service in the basic infrastructure of cities and industries. For the development of maintenance, whether predictive, preventive or corrective is necessary to conduct the inspection of these lines. To carry out this task is necessary count on help of appropriate technological tools. The main tools for inspection of service lines come from the area of external inspection of pipelines and are also in development, the problem happens when we need to achieve internal or external failures in places of difficult access, and move the inspection equipment to places where it's going to fail. In these cases it is necessary to the use of mechatronic systems, more specifically robotic systems, which may be developed for inspection. This paper aims to present the main robotic systems used for inspection, especially for internal inspection of pipelines. These systems have been developed by the research groups in Brazil, Japan, and Belgium among others, giving up a classification of robots for inspection of pipelines and the main features necessary for its project. (author)
Maintenance Cycle Extension in the IRIS Advanced Light Water Reactor Plant Design
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Galvin, Mark R.; Todreas, Neil E.; Conway, Larry E.
2003-01-01
New nuclear power generation in the United States will be realized only if the economic performance can be made competitive with other methods of electrical power generation. The economic performance of a nuclear power plant can be significantly improved by increasing the time spent on-line generating electricity relative to the time spent off-line conducting maintenance and refueling. Maintenance includes planned actions (surveillances) and unplanned actions (corrective maintenance) to respond to component degradation or failure. A methodology is described that can be used to resolve, in the design phase, maintenance-related operating cycle length barriers. A primary goal was to demonstrate the applicability and utility of the methodology in the context of the International Reactor, Innovative and Secure (IRIS) design. IRIS is an advanced light water nuclear power plant that is being designed to maximize this on-line generating time by increasing the operating cycle length. This is consequently a maintenance strategy paper using the IRIS plant as the example.Potential IRIS operating cycle length maintenance-related barriers, determined by modification of an earlier operating pressurized water reactor (PWR) plant cycle length analysis to account for differences between the design of IRIS and this operating PWR, are presented. The proposed methodology to resolve these maintenance-related barriers by the design process is described. The results of applying the methodology to two potential IRIS cycle length barriers, relief valve testing and emergency heat removal system testing, are presented
The TFTR maintenance manipulator
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kungl, D.; Loesser, D.; Heitzenroeder, P.; Cerdan, G.
1989-01-01
TFTR plans to begin D-T experiments in mid 1990. The D-T experimental program will produce approximately one hundred shots, with a neutron generation rate of 10 19 neutrons per shot. This will result in high levels of activation in TFTR, especially in the vacuum vessel. The primary purpose of the Maintenance Manipulator is to provide a means of remotely performing certain defined maintenance and inspection tasks inside the vacuum torus so as to minimize personnel exposure to radiation. The manipulator consists of a six-link folding boom connected to a fixed boom on a movable carriage. The entire manipulator is housed in a vacuum antechamber connected to the vacuum torus, through a port formerly used for a vacuum pumping duct. The configuration extends 180 0 in either direction to provide complete coverage of the torus. The four 3500 l/s turbopumps which were formerly used in the pumping duct will be mounted on the antechamber. The manipulator will utilize two end effectors. The first, called a General Inspection Arm (GIA) provides a movable platform to an inspection camera and an in-vacuum leak detector. The second is a bilateral, force-reflecting pair of slave arms which utilize specially developed tools to perform several maintenance functions. All components except the slave arms are capable of operating in TFTR's vacuum environment and during 150 0 C bakeout of the torus. (orig.)
Regulatory oversight of maintenance activities at nuclear power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Pape, M.
1997-01-01
Regulation of nuclear safety in the UK is based on monitoring of compliance with licence conditions. This paper discusses legislation aspects, license conditions, license requirements for maintenance and maintenance activities in the UK. It also addresses the regulator utility interaction, the regulatory inspection of maintenance and the trends in maintenance. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1998-04-01
The periodical covers the results of inspections performed between October 1997 and December 1997 by the NRC's Quality Assurance, Vendor Inspection and Maintenance Branch that have been distributed to the inspected organizations
Nakagawa, Toshio
2014-01-01
Exploring random maintenance models, this book provides an introduction to the implementation of random maintenance, and it is one of the first books to be written on this subject. It aims to help readers learn new techniques for applying random policies to actual reliability models, and it provides new theoretical analyses of various models including classical replacement, preventive maintenance and inspection policies. These policies are applied to scheduling problems, backup policies of database systems, maintenance policies of cumulative damage models, and reliability of random redundant systems. Reliability theory is a major concern for engineers and managers, and in light of Japan’s recent earthquake, the reliability of large-scale systems has increased in importance. This also highlights the need for a new notion of maintenance and reliability theory, and how this can practically be applied to systems. Providing an essential guide for engineers and managers specializing in reliability maintenance a...
application of christer's inspection model for building maintenance
African Journals Online (AJOL)
system. Information was collected by means of forms and 100 were completed for trades including painter, plumber ... the threat poorly maintained buildings pose to public safety [2]. 2. ..... by operating an inspection system as,. ∫ ∞ h=T. ∫ h.
Maintenance Planning of Offshore Wind Turbine using Condition Monitoring Information
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ramírez, José G. Rangel; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
2009-01-01
Deterioration processes such as fatigue and corrosion are typically affecting offshore structures. To "control" this deterioration, inspection and maintenance activities are developed. Probabilistic methodologies represent an important tool to identify the suitable strategy to inspect and control...... the deterioration in structures such as offshore wind turbines (OWT). Besides these methods, the integration of condition monitoring information (CMI) can optimize the mitigation activities as an updating tool. In this paper, a framework for risk-based inspection and maintenance planning (RBI) is applied for OWT....... With the integration of CMI by means Bayesian inference, a slightly change of first inspection times are coming up, influenced by the reduction of the uncertainty and harsher or milder external agents....
A bivariate process model for maintenance and inspection planning
Newby, M.J.; Barker, C.T.
2006-01-01
The paper describes decision making about monitoring and maintenance of systems described by a general stochastic process. The system is monitored and preventive and corrective maintenance actions are carried out in response to the observed system state. The decision process is simplified by using
Optimal periodic inspection of a deterioration process with sequential condition states
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kallen, M.J.; Noortwijk, J.M. van
2006-01-01
The condition of components subject to visual inspections is often evaluated on a discrete scale. If at each inspection a decision is made to do nothing or to perform preventive or corrective maintenance, the proposed decision model allows us to determine the optimal time between periodic inspections, such that the expected average costs per unit of time are minimized. The model which describes the uncertain condition over time is based on a Markov process with sequential phases. The key quantities involved in the model are the probabilities of having to perform either preventive or corrective maintenance before or after an inspection. The costs functions for two scenarios are presented: a scenario in which failure is immediately detected without the need to perform an inspection and a scenario in which failure is only detected by inspection of the object. Analytical results for a special case and algorithmic results for a broad class of Markov processes are derived. The model is illustrated using an application to the periodic inspection of road bridges
Maintenance and Outage Management Assessment (MOMA)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2005-01-01
a small team of experienced nuclear experts/specialists in the world. It can be requested for a single area or multiple ones, such as a) In-Service Inspection program review and optimization, including inspection qualification and risk informed inspection, b) maintenance program optimization by means of equipment reliability, performance based approach, risk informed on-line maintenance, condition based maintenance, c) outage improvement be means of streamlined integration of technologies and process, work planning and scheduling, plant modifications and configuration control, indicators and operating experience feedback system, safety culture, outsourcing and contract management, and spare parts
Potential applications of robotics in advanced liquid-metal reactors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Carroll, D.G.; Thompson, M.L.
1990-01-01
The advanced liquid-metal reactor (ALMR) design includes a range of robots and automation devices. They extend from stationary robots that are a part of the current design to more exotic concepts with mobile, autonomous units, which may become part of the design. Development of robotic application requirements is enhanced by using computer models of work spaces in three dimensions. The primary goals of the more autonomous machines are to: (1) extent and/or enhance one's capabilities in a hazardous environment; some tasks could encounter high temperatures (up to 800 degree F), high radiation (fields up to several hundred thousand roentgens per hour), rooms filled with inert gas and/or sodium aerosol, or combinations of these; (2) reduce operating and maintenance cost through inservice inspection (ISI) of various parts of the reactor, through consideration of as-low-as-reasonably achievable radiation levels, and through automation of some maintenance/processing operations. This paper discusses some applications in the fuel cycle, in refueling operations, and in inspection
18 CFR 12.12 - Maintenance of records.
2010-04-01
... Reports and Records § 12.12 Maintenance of records. (a) Kinds of records—1) General rule. Except as... excavation), plans and specifications, inspection and quality control reports, as built construction drawings... maintenance of the project, including continuously maintained tabular records and graphs illustrating the data...
Maintenance therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: current status and future implications.
Stinchcombe, Thomas E; Socinski, Mark A
2011-01-01
Maintenance therapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer has been an area of intense investigation. Maintenance therapy has been divided into two broad categories: continuation maintenance when the chemotherapy or targeted agent was part of a defined number of cycles of combination therapy and in the absence of disease progression is continued as a single agent or switch maintenance when a third agent is initiated after four cycles of platinum-based double-agent chemotherapy in the absence of disease progression. Two monoclonal antibodies, cetuximab and bevacizumab, are used as continuation maintenance, but the incremental benefit of the maintenance therapy with these agents is undetermined. Phase III trials have not revealed an overall survival benefit for continuation maintenance chemotherapy, and this approach should be considered investigational. Phase III trials have demonstrated an improvement in overall survival with switch maintenance therapy with pemetrexed compared with placebo in patients with nonsquamous histology and erlotinib compared with placebo. Phase III trials have not revealed an improvement in quality of life with maintenance therapy. In the trials of maintenance therapy, 30 to 40% of patients enrolled in the observation or placebo arm did not receive second-line therapy, and among the patients who did receive second-line therapy, there was significant heterogeneity in the therapy. The development of maintenance therapy has raised issues about the role of treatment-free intervals in routine clinical care, trial design issues such as the optimal endpoint, the ethics of a placebo arm, and the implications of maintenance therapy for first-line trials.
9 CFR 318.307 - Record review and maintenance.
2010-01-01
... Section 318.307 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGENCY ORGANIZATION AND TERMINOLOGY; MANDATORY MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS INSPECTION AND VOLUNTARY... Canning and Canned Products § 318.307 Record review and maintenance. (a) Process records. Charts from...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Boyer, Brian David; Erpenbeck, Heather H.; Miller, Karen A.; Ianakiev, Kiril D.; Reimold, Benjamin A.; Ward, Steven L.; Howell, John
2010-01-01
Current safeguards approaches used by the IAEA at gas centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs) need enhancement in order to verify declared low enriched uranium (LEU) production, detect undeclared LEU production and detect high enriched uranium (BEU) production with adequate probability using non destructive assay (NDA) techniques. At present inspectors use attended systems, systems needing the presence of an inspector for operation, during inspections to verify the mass and 235 U enrichment of declared cylinders of uranium hexafluoride that are used in the process of enrichment at GCEPs. This paper contains an analysis of how possible improvements in unattended and attended NDA systems including process monitoring and possible on-site destructive analysis (DA) of samples could reduce the uncertainty of the inspector's measurements providing more effective and efficient IAEA GCEPs safeguards. We have also studied a few advanced safeguards systems that could be assembled for unattended operation and the level of performance needed from these systems to provide more effective safeguards. The analysis also considers how short notice random inspections, unannounced inspections (UIs), and the concept of information-driven inspections can affect probability of detection of the diversion of nuclear material when coupled to new GCEPs safeguards regimes augmented with unattended systems. We also explore the effects of system failures and operator tampering on meeting safeguards goals for quantity and timeliness and the measures needed to recover from such failures and anomalies.
Application of guideline for the maintenance of guide tubes
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Matsubara, Toru
2009-01-01
Control Rod Cluster Guide Tubes (GTs) in PWR nuclear plant have the possibility to be worn due to fluid induced vibration of Control Rod Clusters. The maintenance rules for GTs had been established after the discussion with experts, and GTs in Japanese PWR plants have been already maintained in accordance with these maintenance rules. In these rules, the inspection period is decided based on the wear data and the wear progressing prediction with the assumption of constant wear speed. This paper describes the validity of the concepts about maintenance period based on the wear progressing prediction, by using the consecutive inspection data of actual plants. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Noel, R.
1984-01-01
Description of the main regulations concerning the processes tied with maintenance and in service supervision of the pressure vessels in classical or nuclear power plants or of their accessories (essentially in order to fix the time-table of the hydraulic test procedures and the inspection chronology [fr
Laser-Based Maintenance and Repair Technologies for Reactor Components
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Masaki Yoda; Naruhiko Mukai; Makoto Ochiai; Masataka Tamura; Satoshi Okada; Katsuhiko Sato; Motohiko Kimura; Yuji Sano; Noboru Saito; Seishi Shima; Tetsuo Yamamoto
2004-01-01
Toshiba has developed various laser-based maintenance and repair technologies and applied them to existing nuclear power plants. Laser-based technology is considered to be the best tool for remote processing in nuclear power plants, and particularly so for the maintenance and repair of reactor core components. Accessibility could be drastically improved by a simple handling system owing to the absence of reactive force against laser irradiation and the flexible optical fiber. For the preventive maintenance, laser peening (LP) technology was developed and applied to reactor components in operating BWR plants. LP is a novel process to improve residual stress from tensile to compressive on material surface layer by irradiating focused high-power laser pulses in water. We have developed a fiber-delivered LP system as a preventive maintenance measure against stress corrosion cracking (SCC). Laser ultrasonic testing (LUT) has a great potential to be applied to the remote inspection of reactor components. Laser-induced surface acoustic wave (SAW) inspection system was developed using a compact probe with a multi-mode optical fiber and an interferometer. The developed system successfully detected a micro slit of 0.5 mm depth on weld metal and heat-affected zone (HAZ). An artificial SCC was also detected by the system. We are developing a new LP system combined with LUT to treat the inner surface of bottom-mounted instruments (BMI) of PWR plants. Underwater laser seal welding (LSW) technology was also developed to apply surface crack. LSW is expected to isolate the crack tip from corrosive water environment and to stop the propagation of the crack. Rapid heating and cooling of the process minimize the heat effect, which extends the applicability to neutron-irradiated material. This paper describes recent advances in the development and application of such laser-based technologies. (authors)
Inspection and repair of nuclear components
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lahner, K.; Poetz, F.
1993-01-01
Despite careful design, manufacturing and operation, some of the important safety-relevant components show deterioration with time. Because of activation and contamination of these components, their inspection and repair has to be performed with manipulators. Some sophisticated manipulators are described, built by ABB Reaktor and used for inspection, maintenance and repair of PWR steam generators, fuel alignment pins, core baffle former bolts and reactor pressure vessel head penetrations. (Z.S.) 7 figs
On risk-based operation and maintenance of offshore wind turbine components
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jessen Nielsen, Jannie; Dalsgaard Sorensen, John
2011-01-01
Operation and maintenance are significant contributors to the cost of energy for offshore wind turbines. Optimal planning could rationally be based on Bayesian pre-posterior decision theory, and all costs through the lifetime of the structures should be included. This paper contains a study of a generic case where the costs are evaluated for a single wind turbine with a single component. Costs due to inspections, repairs, and lost production are included in the model. The costs are compared for two distinct maintenance strategies, namely with and without inclusion of periodic imperfect inspections. Finally the influence of different important parameters, e.g. failure rate, reliability of inspections, inspection interval, and decision rule for repairs, is evaluated.
Operation and maintenance requirements of system design bases
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Banerjee, A.K.; Hanley, N.E.
1989-01-01
All system designs make assumptions about system operation testing, inspection, and maintenance. Existing industry codes and standards explicitly address design requirements of new systems, while issues related to system and plant reliability, life, design margins, effects of service conditions, operation, maintenance, etc., usually are implicit. However, system/component design documents of existing power plants often address the code requirements without considering the operation, maintenance, inspection, and testing (OMIT) requirements. The nuclear industry is expending major efforts at most nuclear power plants to reassemble and/or reconstitute system design bases. Stone ampersand Webster Engineering Corporation (SWEC) recently addressed the OMIT requirements of system/component design as an integral part of a utility's preventive maintenance program. For each component, SWEC reviewed vendor recommendations, NPRDS data/industry experience, the existing maintenance program, component service conditions, and actual plant experience. A maintenance program that considers component service conditions and plant experience ensures a connection between maintenance and design basis. Root cause analysis of failure and engineering evaluation of service condition are part of the program. System/component OMIT requirements also are compared against system design, service condition, degradation mechanism, etc., through system/component life-cycle evaluation
Advantages of condition-based maintenance approach
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bareiss, J.; Roos, E.; Jovanovic, A.; Perunicic, M.; Balos, D.
2004-01-01
Pilot applications in EnBW steam boiler components and high-pressure pipe systems in the context of the European research project RIMAP (''Risk Based Inspection and Maintenance Procedures for European Industry'') showed that application of a risk-based maintenance strategy (e.g. RIMAP) will make the decision process more transparent and enable better condition-oriented maintenance. With regard to life management of the systems (availability, product quality), this appears to be more important than than the aspect of cost reduction in the maintenance sector, although the latter may not be unwelcome. (orig.) [de
Jin, Xiaoning; Weiss, Brian A; Siegel, David; Lee, Jay
2016-01-01
The goals of this paper are to 1) examine the current practices of diagnostics, prognostics, and maintenance employed by United States (U.S.) manufacturers to achieve productivity and quality targets and 2) to understand the present level of maintenance technologies and strategies that are being incorporated into these practices. A study is performed to contrast the impact of various industry-specific factors on the effectiveness and profitability of the implementation of prognostics and health management technologies, and maintenance strategies using both surveys and case studies on a sample of U.S. manufacturing firms ranging from small to mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) to large-sized manufacturing enterprises in various industries. The results obtained provide important insights on the different impacts of specific factors on the successful adoption of these technologies between SMEs and large manufacturing enterprises. The varying degrees of success with respect to current maintenance programs highlight the opportunity for larger manufacturers to improve maintenance practices and consider the use of advanced prognostics and health management (PHM) technology. This paper also provides the existing gaps, barriers, future trends, and roadmaps for manufacturing PHM technology and maintenance strategy.
Assessing inspection sensitivity as it relates to damage tolerance in composite rotor hubs
Roach, Dennis P.; Rackow, Kirk
2001-08-01
Increasing niche applications, growing international markets, and the emergence of advanced rotorcraft technology are expected to greatly increase the population of helicopters over the next decade. In terms of fuselage fatigue, helicopters show similar trends as fixed-wing aircraft. The highly unsteady loads experienced by rotating wings not only directly affect components in the dynamic systems but are also transferred to the fixed airframe structure. Expanded use of rotorcraft has focused attention on the use of new materials and the optimization of maintenance practices. The FAA's Airworthiness Assurance Center (AANC) at Sandia National Labs has joined with Bell Helicopter andother agencies in the rotorcraft industry to evaluate nondestructive inspection (NDI) capabilities in light of the damage tolerance of assorted rotorcraft structure components. Currently, the program's emphasis is on composite rotor hubs. The rotorcraft industry is constantly evaluating new types of lightweight composite materials that not only enhance the safety and reliability of rotor components but also improve performance and extended operating life as well. Composite rotor hubs have led to the use of bearingless rotor systems that are less complex and require less maintenance than their predecessors. The test facility described in this paper allows the structural stability and damage tolerance of composite hubs to be evaluated using realistic flight load spectrums of centrifugal force and bending loads. NDI was integrated into the life-cycle fatigue tests in order to evaluate flaw detection sensitivity simultaneously wiht residual strength and general rotor hub peformance. This paper will describe the evolving use of damage tolerance analysis (DTA) to direct and improve rotorcraft maintenance along with the related use of nondestructive inspections to manage helicopter safety. OVeralll, the data from this project will provide information to improve the producibility, inspectability
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Onozuka, M.; Alfile, J.P.; Aubert, Ph.; Dagenais, J.-F.; Grebennikov, D.; Ioki, K.; Jones, L.; Koizumi, K.; Krylov, V.; Maslakowski, J.; Nakahira, M.; Nelson, B.; Punshon, C.; Roy, O.; Schreck, G.
2001-01-01
Development of welding, cutting and non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques, and development of remotized systems have been carried out for on-site manufacturing and maintenance of the thick-wall structure of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) vacuum vessel (VV). Conventional techniques, including tungsten inert gas welding, plasma cutting, and ultrasonic inspection, have been improved and optimized for the application to thick austenitic stainless steel plates. In addition, advanced methods have been investigated, including reduced-pressure electron-beam and multi-pass neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (NdYAG) laser welding, NdYAG laser cutting, and electro-magnetic acoustic transducer inspection, to improve cost and technical performance. Two types of remotized systems with different payloads have been investigated and one of them has been fabricated and demonstrated in field joint welding, cutting, and NDT tests on test mockups and full-scale ITER VV sector models. The progress and results of this development to date provide a high level of confidence that the manufacturing and maintenance of the ITER VV is feasible
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Onozuka, M. E-mail: onozukm@itereu.de; Alfile, J.P.; Aubert, Ph.; Dagenais, J.-F.; Grebennikov, D.; Ioki, K.; Jones, L.; Koizumi, K.; Krylov, V.; Maslakowski, J.; Nakahira, M.; Nelson, B.; Punshon, C.; Roy, O.; Schreck, G
2001-09-01
Development of welding, cutting and non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques, and development of remotized systems have been carried out for on-site manufacturing and maintenance of the thick-wall structure of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) vacuum vessel (VV). Conventional techniques, including tungsten inert gas welding, plasma cutting, and ultrasonic inspection, have been improved and optimized for the application to thick austenitic stainless steel plates. In addition, advanced methods have been investigated, including reduced-pressure electron-beam and multi-pass neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (NdYAG) laser welding, NdYAG laser cutting, and electro-magnetic acoustic transducer inspection, to improve cost and technical performance. Two types of remotized systems with different payloads have been investigated and one of them has been fabricated and demonstrated in field joint welding, cutting, and NDT tests on test mockups and full-scale ITER VV sector models. The progress and results of this development to date provide a high level of confidence that the manufacturing and maintenance of the ITER VV is feasible.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Abe, Kazuhiro; Sumikawa, Masaharu; Hirakawa, Hiromasa; Arakawa, Tadao; Hasegawa, Kunio; Kato, Kanji.
1990-01-01
Hitachi Ltd. as a manufacturer of nuclear power plants has carried out the consistent general preventive maintenance activities from the planning of the plants and the design of maintainability in the construction phase to the planning and working of preventive maintenance in the operation and maintenance phase, and exerted efforts to heighten the capacity ratio and reliability of the plants. For the purpose, the steady activities of reliability improvement have been carried out throughout the whole company, and the rationalization of the planning and management of the preventive maintenance with a computer and the development of the robots to which Al is applied have been promoted. As the technology of upgrading the facilities, boron racks, the control rods having long life and so on were developed, and their practical use is advanced. Moreover for the future, the development of the diagnostic technology on material deterioration using superconductive quantum interference devices (SQUID) is in progress. The preventive maintenance activities in Hitachi Ltd., the technical development for the purpose and the upgrading of the plant facilities are reported. (K.I.)
Breaker Maintenance: Volume 3, Molded-Case circuit breakers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Davis, E.L.; Funk, D.L.
1991-09-01
Modeled-case circuit breakers (MCCBs) provide power and circuit protection in nuclear plant electrical distribution systems. Thus, their proper operation is essential to the safe and reliable operation of plant electrical distribution systems. This guide for both nuclear and non-nuclear power generating facilities will help improve the maintenance and reliability of MCCBs. The authors developed this guide to establish a working-level understanding of hardware performance trends, reliability, and failure modes from which maintenance practices could be specified. The first step in preparing this guide was an in-depth review of available operating experience and failure data, which was obtained from nuclear information sources such as EPRI's Nuclear Maintenance Applications Center. In addition, they evaluated some nonnuclear reliability data. Next, they investigated current industry practices, including a review of manufacturer's recommendations and numerous industry standards. Finally, they used the collective information to develop programmatic recommendations and, where appropriate, detailed inspection and test guidance. This guide offers many recommendations applicable to MCCB maintenance, such as an engineering description of MCCBs and their operation; an overview of reliability and failure data; programmatic recommendations, including inspection and test periodicity; detailed inspection and test guidance; and corrective maintenance recommendations. Supplementary information includes an overview of industry standards, a discussion of regulatory issues, and sample data sheets. An evaluation of operating experience indicates that a maintenance program need not be overly complicated to detect the predominant failure modes associated with MCCBs. Those implementating an MCCB maintenance and testing program, however, must recognize the inherent limitations associated with field-testing of these devices. 42 refs., 17 figs., 7 tabs
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Huggins, J.W.; Chopcian, M.; Grabish, M.
1990-01-01
An overview of the Ontario Hydro Low Pressure Turbine Disc Inspection Program is presented. The ultrasonic inspection systems developed in-house to inspect low pressure turbine discs at Pickering and Bruce Nuclear Generating stations are described. Three aspects of the program are covered: PART I - Background to inspection program, disc cracking experience, and development of an in-house inspection capability: PART II - System development requirements; ultrasonic equipment, electromechanical subsystems and instrumentation console: PART III - Customized software for flaw detection, sizing, data acquisition/storage, advanced signal processing, reports, documentation and software based diagnostics
Cann, Cynthia W.; Brumagim, Alan L.
2008-01-01
The authors present the case of one business college's use of project management techniques as tools for accomplishing Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International maintenance of accreditation. Using these techniques provides an efficient and effective method of organizing maintenance efforts. In addition, using…
Development of plant maintenance systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tomita, Jinji; Ike, Masae; Nakayama, Kenji; Kato, Hisatomo
1989-01-01
Toshiba is making active efforts for the continuing improvement of reliability and maintainability of operating nuclear power plants. As a part of these efforts, the company has developed new maintenance administration systems, diagnostic monitoring facilities for plant equipments, computer-aided expert systems, and remote-controlled machines for maintenance work. The maintenance administration systems provide efficient work plans and data acquisition capabilities for the management of personnel and equipments involved in nuclear power plant maintenance. The plant diagnostic facilities monitor and diagnose plant conditions for preventive maintenance, as well as enabling rapid countermeasures to be carried out should they be required. Expert systems utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology are also employed. The newly developed remote-controlled machines are useful tools for the maintenance inspection of equipment which can not be easily accessed. (author)
Damage estimation of sewer pipe using subtitles of CCTV inspection video
Park, Kitae; Kim, Byeongcheol; Kim, Taeheon; Seo, Dongwoo
2017-04-01
Recent frequent occurrence of urban sinkhole serves as a momentum of the periodic inspection of sewer pipelines. Sewer inspection using a CCTV device needs a lot of time and efforts. Many of previous studies which reduce the laborious tasks are mainly interested in the developments of image processing S/W and exploring H/W. And there has been no attempt to find meaningful information from the existing CCTV images stored by the sewer maintenance manager. This study adopts a cross-correlation based image processing method and extracts sewer inspection device's location data from CCTV images. As a result of the analysis of location-time relation, it show strong correlation between device stand time and the sewer damages. In case of using this method to investigate sewer inspection CCTV images, it will save the investigator's efforts and improve sewer maintenance efficiency and reliability.
Archiving plant inspection data in a virtual environment
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kita, Nobuyuki; Kita, Yasuyo; Yang, Hai-quan
2004-01-01
''Digital Maintenance Field Technology'' was proposed for reliable and robust maintenance of a nuclear power plant. It digitizes and maintains whole information of maintenance fields in computer system for a long time. Digital Field Archival Technology'' is one of three core technologies of the ''Digital Maintenance Field Technology''. The essential functions of the Digital Field Archival Technology'' is to store, maintain and visualize the inspection data during a long period. In order to enable the operators or other agents to review the plant information at any time, at any location and in any form, the information must be stored with collect indexes of time and space. The virtual space resembling the real space is suitable to store the observed information. In this paper, the concept to store the observed information into the virtual space is realized under the assumption that the geometrical structure of real plant is static and reconstructed in the virtual space. The system for storing observed information especially image data gotten by mobile inspection robots and visualizing the stored data as desired is introduced. (author)
49 CFR 236.919 - Operations and Maintenance Manual.
2010-10-01
..., INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Standards for Processor-Based Signal and Train Control Systems § 236.919 Operations and Maintenance Manual. (a... identify all software versions, revisions, and revision dates. Plans must be legible and correct. (c...
49 CFR 236.1039 - Operations and Maintenance Manual.
2010-10-01
..., INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR OF SIGNAL AND TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Positive Train Control Systems § 236.1039 Operations and Maintenance Manual. (a) The railroad shall catalog and... software versions, revisions, and revision dates. Plans must be legible and correct. (c) Hardware, software...
Advances in new WWER designs to improve operation and maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dragunov, Y.G.; Ryzhov, S.B.; Podshibiakin, A.K.; Vasilchenko, I.N.; Repin, A.I.; Nikitenko, M.P.; Konoplev, N.P.; Fil, N.S.
2000-01-01
Economic operational indices of WWER-type reactors show their competitiveness in all the countries where these reactors operate. Advanced WWERs being designed and constructed now have the improved characteristics of economical efficiency and are more convenient for operation and maintenance. Many technical solutions aimed at improvement of the operational performance are implemented in the design of WWER-1000/V-392 and WWER-640/V-407, and these reactors are the important basis for the nuclear power expansion in Russia. Some of these solutions are considered in the present paper. (author)
Information-Driven Inspections
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Laughter, Mark D.; Whitaker, J. Michael; Lockwood, Dunbar
2010-01-01
New uranium enrichment capacity is being built worldwide in response to perceived shortfalls in future supply. To meet increasing safeguards responsibilities with limited resources, the nonproliferation community is exploring next-generation concepts to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of safeguards, such as advanced technologies to enable unattended monitoring of nuclear material. These include attribute measurement technologies, data authentication tools, and transmission and security methods. However, there are several conceptual issues with how such data would be used to improve the ability of a safeguards inspectorate such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to reach better safeguards conclusions regarding the activities of a State. The IAEA is pursuing the implementation of information-driven safeguards, whereby all available sources of information are used to make the application of safeguards more effective and efficient. Data from continuous, unattended monitoring systems can be used to optimize on-site inspection scheduling and activities at declared facilities, resulting in fewer, better inspections. Such information-driven inspections are the logical evolution of inspection planning - making use of all available information to enhance scheduled and randomized inspections. Data collection and analysis approaches for unattended monitoring systems can be designed to protect sensitive information while enabling information-driven inspections. A number of such inspections within a predetermined range could reduce inspection frequency while providing an equal or greater level of deterrence against illicit activity, all while meeting operator and technology holder requirements and reducing inspector and operator burden. Three options for using unattended monitoring data to determine an information-driven inspection schedule are to (1) send all unattended monitoring data off-site, which will require advances in data analysis techniques to
Genetic algorithm trajectory plan optimization for EAMA: EAST Articulated Maintenance Arm
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Wu, Jing, E-mail: wujing@ipp.ac.cn [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 350 Shushanhu Rd., Hefei, Anhui (China); Lappeenranta University of Technology, Skinnarilankatu 34, Lappeenranta (Finland); Wu, Huapeng [Lappeenranta University of Technology, Skinnarilankatu 34, Lappeenranta (Finland); Song, Yuntao; Cheng, Yong; Zhao, Wenglong [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 350 Shushanhu Rd., Hefei, Anhui (China); Wang, Yongbo [Lappeenranta University of Technology, Skinnarilankatu 34, Lappeenranta (Finland)
2016-11-01
Highlights: • A redundant 10-DOF serial-articulated robot for EAST assembly and maintains is presented. • A trajectory optimization algorithm of the robot is developed. • A minimum jerk objective is presented to suppress machining vibration of the robot. - Abstract: EAMA (EAST Articulated Maintenance Arm) is an articulated serial manipulator with 7 degrees of freedom (DOF) articulated arm followed by 3-DOF gripper, total length is 8.867 m, works in experimental advanced superconductor tokamak (EAST) vacuum vessel (VV) to perform blanket inspection and remote maintenance tasks. This paper presents a trajectory optimization method which aims to pursue the 7-DOF articulated arm a stable movement, which keeps the mounted inspection camera anti-vibration. Based on dynamics analysis, trajectory optimization algorithm adopts multi-order polynomial interpolation in joint space and high order geometry Jacobian transform. The object of optimization algorithm is to suppress end-effector movement vibration by minimizing jerk RMS (root mean square) value. The proposed solution has such characteristics which can satisfy kinematic constraints of EAMA’s motion and ensure the arm running under the absolute values of velocity, acceleration and jerk boundaries. GA (genetic algorithm) is employed to find global and robust solution for this problem.
Sensitivity of Risk-Based Maintenance Planning of Offshore Wind Turbine Farms
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ambühl, Simon; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
2017-01-01
Inspection and maintenance expenses cover a considerable part of the cost of energy from offshore wind turbines. Risk-based maintenance planning approaches are a powerful tool to optimize maintenance and inspection actions and decrease the total maintenance expenses. Risk-based planning is based...... on many input parameters, which are in reality often not completely known. This paper will assess the cost impact of this incomplete knowledge based on a case study following risk-based maintenance planning. The sensitivity study focuses on weather forecast uncertainties, incomplete knowledge about...... the needed repair time on the site as well as uncertainties about the operational range of the boat and helicopter used to access the broken wind turbine. The cost saving potential is estimated by running Crude Monte Carlo simulations. Furthermore, corrective and preventive (scheduled and condition...
Optimal inspection planning for onshore pipelines subject to external corrosion
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gomes, Wellison J.S.; Beck, André T.; Haukaas, Terje
2013-01-01
Continuous operation of pipeline systems involves significant expenditures in inspection and maintenance activities. The cost-effective safety management of such systems involves allocating the optimal amount of resources to inspection and maintenance activities, in order to control risks (expected costs of failure). In this context, this article addresses the optimal inspection planning for onshore pipelines subject to external corrosion. The investigation addresses a challenging problem of practical relevance, and strives for using the best available models to describe random corrosion growth and the relevant limit state functions. A single pipeline segment is considered in this paper. Expected numbers of failures and repairs are evaluated by Monte Carlo sampling, and a novel procedure is employed to evaluate sensitivities of the objective function with respect to design parameters. This procedure is shown to be accurate and more efficient than finite differences. The optimum inspection interval is found for an example problem, and the robustness of this optimum to the assumed inspection and failure costs is investigated. It is shown that optimum total expected costs found herein are not highly sensitive to the assumed costs of inspection and failure. -- Highlights: • Inspection, repair and failure costs of pipeline systems considered. • Optimum inspection schedule (OIS) obtained by minimizing total expected life-cycle costs. • Robustness of OIS evaluated w.r.t. estimated costs of inspection and failure. • Accurate non-conservative models of corrosion growth employed
Reliability assurance for regulation of advanced reactors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fullwood, R.; Lofaro, R.; Samanta, P.
1992-01-01
The advanced nuclear power plants must achieve higher levels of safety than the first generation of plants. Showing that this is indeed true provides new challenges to reliability and risk assessment methods in the analysis of the designs employing passive and semi-passive protection. Reliability assurance of the advanced reactor systems is important for determining the safety of the design and for determining the plant operability. Safety is the primary concern, but operability is considered indicative of good and safe operation. this paper discusses several concerns for reliability assurance of the advanced design encompassing reliability determination, level of detail required in advanced reactor submittals, data for reliability assurance, systems interactions and common cause effects, passive component reliability, PRA-based configuration control system, and inspection, training, maintenance and test requirements. Suggested approaches are provided for addressing each of these topics
Reliability assurance for regulation of advanced reactors
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fullwood, R.; Lofaro, R.; Samanta, P.
1991-01-01
The advanced nuclear power plants must achieve higher levels of safety than the first generation of plants. Showing that this is indeed true provides new challenges to reliability and risk assessment methods in the analysis of the designs employing passive and semi-passive protection. Reliability assurance of the advanced reactor systems is important for determining the safety of the design and for determining the plant operability. Safety is the primary concern, but operability is considered indicative of good and safe operation. This paper discusses several concerns for reliability assurance of the advanced design encompassing reliability determination, level of detail required in advanced reactor submittals, data for reliability assurance, systems interactions and common cause effects, passive component reliability, PRA-based configuration control system, and inspection, training, maintenance and test requirements. Suggested approaches are provided for addressing each of these topics
Analysis and optimization on in-vessel inspection robotic system for EAST
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhang, Weijun; Zhou, Zeyu; Yuan, Jianjun; Du, Liang; Mao, Ziming
2015-01-01
Since China has successfully built her first Experimental Advanced Superconducting TOKAMAK (EAST) several years ago, great interest and demand have been increasing in robotic in-vessel inspection/operation systems, by which an observation of in-vessel physical phenomenon, collection of visual information, 3D mapping and localization, even maintenance are to be possible. However, it has been raising many challenges to implement a practical and robust robotic system, due to a lot of complex constraints and expectations, e.g., high remanent working temperature (100 °C) and vacuum (10"−"3 pa) environment even in the rest interval between plasma discharge experiments, close-up and precise inspection, operation efficiency, besides a general kinematic requirement of D shape irregular vessel. In this paper we propose an upgraded robotic system with redundant degrees of freedom (DOF) manipulator combined with a binocular vision system at the tip and a virtual reality system. A comprehensive comparison and discussion are given on the necessity and main function of the binocular vision system, path planning for inspection, fast localization, inspection efficiency and success rate in time, optimization of kinematic configuration, and the possibility of underactuated mechanism. A detailed design, implementation, and experiments of the binocular vision system together with the recent development progress of the whole robotic system are reported in the later part of the paper, while, future work and expectation are described in the end.
Reliability Assessment and Reliability-Based Inspection and Maintenance of Offshore Wind Turbines
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ramírez, José G. Rangel; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
2009-01-01
Probabilistic methodologies represent an important tool to identify the suitable strategy to inspect and deal with the deterioration in structures such as offshore wind turbines (OWT). Reliability based methods such as Risk Based Inspection (RBI) planning may represent a proper methodology to opt...
Development of inspection robots for bridge cables.
Yun, Hae-Bum; Kim, Se-Hoon; Wu, Liuliu; Lee, Jong-Jae
2013-01-01
This paper presents the bridge cable inspection robot developed in Korea. Two types of the cable inspection robots were developed for cable-suspension bridges and cable-stayed bridge. The design of the robot system and performance of the NDT techniques associated with the cable inspection robot are discussed. A review on recent advances in emerging robot-based inspection technologies for bridge cables and current bridge cable inspection methods is also presented.
Development of the Risk-Based Inspection Techniques and Pilot Plant Activities
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Phillips, J.H.
1997-01-01
Risk-based techniques have been developed for commercial nuclear power plants. System boundaries and success criteria is defined using the probabilistic risk analysis or probabilistic safety analysis developed to meet the individual plant evaluation. Final ranking of components is by a plant expert panel similar to the one developed for maintenance rule. Components are identified as being high risk-significant or low-risk significant. Maintenance and resources are focused on those components that have the highest risk-significance. The techniques have been developed and applied at a number of pilot plants. Results from the first risk-based inspection pilot plant indicates that safety due to pipe failure can be doubled while the inspection reduced to about 80% when compared with current inspection programs. The reduction in inspection reduces the person-rem exposure resulting in further increases in safety. These techniques have been documented in publication by the ASME CRTD
ACEC: remote inspection, remote intervention, autonomous vehicle
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Anon.
1986-01-01
Early in 1979, the accident at the TMI-2 nuclear power station focused attention on the lack of inspection and intervention means in containments where high radiation levels do not allow the entrance of humans. Recent years have seen a trend towards significant developments in the application of robotic technology to maintenance and inspection in nuclear facilities. This paper presents the general development concept and the technical specifications of a mobile robot [fr
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1978-01-01
In the framework of the exchange of experience between nuclear power plant operators organized by the services of the Commission of the European Communities an ad-hoc working party elaborated recommendations particularly directed to those concerned with design of light water reactor plants. The necessary design measures which should be followed to minimize radiation dose incurred in operation, maintenance, inspection and repair of such reactors are listed. The recommendations are based on recent views expressed by operating utilities within the Community. It is intended to revise these recommendations at suitable intervals in order to make use of the most recent experience and to keep the report up to date with the actual state of art in nuclear technology
Maintenance of nuclear power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1982-01-01
This Guide covers the organizational and procedural aspects of maintenance but does not give detailed technical advice on the maintenance of particular plant items. It gives guidance on preventive and remedial measures necessary to ensure that all structures, systems and components important to safety are capable of performing as intended. The Guide covers the organizational and administrative requirements for establishing and implementing preventive maintenance schedules, repairing defective plant items, providing maintenance facilities and equipment, procuring stores and spare parts, selecting and training maintenance personnel, reviewing and controlling plant modifications arising from maintenance, and for generating, collecting and retaining maintenance records. Maintenance shall be subject to quality assurance in all aspects important to safety. Because quality assurance has been dealt with in detail in other Safety Guides, it is only included here in specific instances where emphasis is required. Maintenance is considered to include functional and performance testing of plant, surveillance and in-service inspection, where these are necessary either to support other maintenance activities or to ensure continuing capability of structures, systems and components important to safety to perform their intended functions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gomez Cardinanos, R.
2012-07-01
Among the official documents governing the operation of Spanish nuclear power plants is the Quality Manual and Quality Assurance. This manual gives a formal answer to the requirements of the regulations and the Nuclear Safety Council. To monitor the compliance of its requirements, the plants are controlled by independent organizations. Since 2007, in nuclear Sta. Maria de Garona is developed a project to improve the performance of the QA inspectors during maintenance activities. Results of the project have been edited data sheets on specific activities of maintenance. The project aims to incorporate sheets that help QA inspectors in their daily inspection.
40 CFR 141.808 - Audits and inspections.
2010-07-01
... (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS Aircraft Drinking Water Rule § 141.808 Audits and..., disinfection and flushing, and general maintenance and self-inspections of aircraft water system. (b) Air... delivery of safe drinking water. ...
Development of Inspection Robots for Bridge Cables
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hae-Bum Yun
2013-01-01
Full Text Available This paper presents the bridge cable inspection robot developed in Korea. Two types of the cable inspection robots were developed for cable-suspension bridges and cable-stayed bridge. The design of the robot system and performance of the NDT techniques associated with the cable inspection robot are discussed. A review on recent advances in emerging robot-based inspection technologies for bridge cables and current bridge cable inspection methods is also presented.
Maintenance scheduling of a manufacturing system subject to deterioration
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ahmadi, Reza; Newby, Martin
2011-01-01
This paper presents an integrated model for the joint determination of both optimal inspection strategy and optimal repair policy for a manufacturing system whose resulting output is subject to system state. An appropriate maintenance strategy is essential to optimize revenue from a manufacturing system which is in continuous operation and subject to deterioration. The optimum policy balances the amount of maintenance required to increase availability against the loss of revenue arising from the down time: insufficient maintenance leads to an increase in the number of defective items, low profit and low maintenance cost; excessive maintenance results in a reduction in the proportion of defective items, high profit and high maintenance cost. In this paper, an intensity control model adapted to partial information provides an optimal inspection intensity and repair degree of the system as an optimal control process to yield maximum revenue. The solution is obtained through formulating an equivalent deterministic Hamilton-Jacobi equation. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the behavior of the optimal control process. The optimal control process determines a solution to both optimum inspection frequency and optimal replacement policy which results in an optimal production run length of the system. - Highlights: → We develop an optimum asset management strategy based on the revenue generated by the asset. → The optimum strategy controls the intensity, rate of occurrence, of interruptions to service. → The decisions are based on partial observation of the system and do not need perfect information. There is no need for continuous monitoring of the system.
Specialists' meeting on maintenance and repair of LMFBR steam generators. Summary report
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2002-01-01
The purpose of the meeting was to review and discuss the experience accumulated in various countries on the general design philosophy of LMFBR steam generators from the view point of maintenance and repair, in-service inspection of steam generator tube bundles, identification and inspection of failed tubes and the cleaning and repairing of failed steam generators. The following main topic areas were discussed by participants: National review presentations on maintenance and repair of LMFBR steam generators - design philosophy for maintenance and repair; Research and Development work on maintenance and repair; Experience on steam generator maintenance and repair. During the meeting papers were presented by the participants on behalf of their countries and organizations. A final discussion session was held and summaries, general conclusions and recommendations were approved by consensus
A predictive maintenance approach for improved nuclear plant availability
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Verma, R.M.P.; Pandya, M.B.; Kini, M.P.
1979-01-01
Predictive maintenance programme as against preventive maintenance programme aims at diagnosing, inspecting, monitoring, and objective condition-checking of equipment. It helps in forecasting failures, and scheduling the optimal frequencies for overhauls, replacements, lubrication etc. It also helps in establishing work load, manpower, resource planning and inventory control. Various stages of predictive maintenance programme for a nuclear power plant are outlined. A partial list of instruments for predictive maintenance is given. (M.G.B.)
The use of condition monitoring information for maintenance planning and decision-making
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Laakso, K.; Rosqvist, T. [VTT Industrial Systems (Finland); Paulsen, J.L. [Risoe National Lab., Roskilde (Denmark)
2002-12-01
A survey is presented outlining the use of condition monitoring information in three Nordic nuclear power plants. The questions of the survey relate to the role of condition monitoring in strategic, as well as operative, maintenance planning and decision-making. The survey indicates that condition monitoring is increasingly implemented at nuclear power plants, but very selectively and in a rather slow pace for predictive maintenance. A combined strategy of condition based maintenance and predetermined preventive maintenance is applied for important equipment such as main circulation pumps and steam turbines. A realistic aim is to reduce the number of costly or error prone maintenance and disassembling inspection activities by condition monitoring given that the approach enables a good diagnosis and prediction. Systematic follow-up and analysis of such condition monitoring information followed by a case-specific planning and decision making of timely and rightly directed maintenance actions can justify an extension of the intervals of a number of predetermined inspection, maintenance or periodic testing tasks. (au)
33 CFR 203.42 - Inspection of non-Federal flood control works.
2010-07-01
... PROCEDURES Rehabilitation Assistance for Flood Control Works Damaged by Flood or Coastal Storm: The Corps Rehabilitation and Inspection Program § 203.42 Inspection of non-Federal flood control works. (a) Required... will conduct an IEI to determine if the flood control work meets minimum engineering and maintenance...
Development of bore tools for pipe inspection
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Oka, Kiyoshi; Nakahira, Masataka; Taguchi, Kou; Ito, Akira [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment
1998-04-01
In the International Thermonuclear Reactor (ITER), replacement and maintenance on in-vessel components requires that all cooling pipes connected be cut and removed, that a new component be installed, and that all cooling pipes be rewelded. After welding is completed, welded area must be inspected for soundness. These tasks require a new work concept for securing shielded area and access from narrow ports. Tools had to be developed for nondestructive inspection and leak testing to evaluate pipe welding soundness by accessing areas from inside pipes using autonomous locomotion welding and cutting tools. A system was proposed for nondestructive inspection of branch pipes and the main pipe after passing through pipe curves, the same as for welding and cutting tool development. Nondestructive inspection and leak testing sensors were developed and the basic parameters were obtained. In addition, the inspection systems which can move inside pipes and conduct the nondestructive inspection and the leak testing were developed. In this paper, an introduction will be given to the current situation concerning the development of nondestructive inspection and leak testing machines for the branch pipes. (author)
ITER In-Cryostat inspection and repair feasibility studies
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Reich, J.; Cordier, J.-J.; Houtte, D. van; Evrard, D.; Mercier, E.; Popa, T.; Doshi, B.
2011-01-01
The ITER In-Cryostat maintenance study is an important precondition to guarantee the operation over the ITER lifetime. The ITER operation is subdivided mainly into two phases: 1.Hydrogen phase (non-nuclear operation phase). 2.Deuterium/Tritium phase (nuclear DT phase). The commissioning phase includes the initial phase of assembly. Within the first phase the ITER components will be tested; afterwards they will go into operation. The In-Cryostat maintenance shall facilitate all operations that could be required by In-Cryostat systems and the Cryostat itself. In cases of failures or unlikely events (e.g. earthquakes) it is necessary to provide man and tool access to In-Cryostat components. Overall functions which have to be implemented are: ·Inspection of components including leak localization (helium, water, air). ·Repair and replacement of component (instrumentation, parts or complete components). ·Regulatory inspections. It is presumed that most of component failure would occur at the beginning of the operational phase. This failure rate is expected to be very unlikely when ITER is being operating during the nuclear phase. For maintenance activities it is assumed that: ·The intervention frequency on each component is limited during its lifetime (e.g. inspections/repair during global shutdown). ·Most of these interventions will be required during the inactive phase. According to ALARA (As Low as Reasonable Achievable) rules maintenance activities will be planned in order to minimize the required human interventions during the active phase. Different tools have to be designed to perform the maintenance actions. As there are quiet all heavy components to be handled and removed, humans cannot perform the work without semi hands-on tools. The required permanent fixtures and tools are considered and pre-designed.
ITER In-Cryostat inspection and repair feasibility studies
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Reich, J., E-mail: Jens.Reich@iter.org [ITER Organization, CS 90 046, 13115 St Paul lez Durance Cedex (France); Cordier, J.-J.; Houtte, D. van [ITER Organization, CS 90 046, 13115 St Paul lez Durance Cedex (France); Evrard, D. [Sogeti High Tech, 180 rue Rene Descartes, 13857 Aix en Provence (France); Mercier, E. [AREVA CNIM KAH System Engineering Support, CS 50497, 13593 Aix en Provence Cedex 3 (France); Popa, T.; Doshi, B. [ITER Organization, CS 90 046, 13115 St Paul lez Durance Cedex (France)
2011-10-15
The ITER In-Cryostat maintenance study is an important precondition to guarantee the operation over the ITER lifetime. The ITER operation is subdivided mainly into two phases: 1.Hydrogen phase (non-nuclear operation phase). 2.Deuterium/Tritium phase (nuclear DT phase). The commissioning phase includes the initial phase of assembly. Within the first phase the ITER components will be tested; afterwards they will go into operation. The In-Cryostat maintenance shall facilitate all operations that could be required by In-Cryostat systems and the Cryostat itself. In cases of failures or unlikely events (e.g. earthquakes) it is necessary to provide man and tool access to In-Cryostat components. Overall functions which have to be implemented are: {center_dot}Inspection of components including leak localization (helium, water, air). {center_dot}Repair and replacement of component (instrumentation, parts or complete components). {center_dot}Regulatory inspections. It is presumed that most of component failure would occur at the beginning of the operational phase. This failure rate is expected to be very unlikely when ITER is being operating during the nuclear phase. For maintenance activities it is assumed that: {center_dot}The intervention frequency on each component is limited during its lifetime (e.g. inspections/repair during global shutdown). {center_dot}Most of these interventions will be required during the inactive phase. According to ALARA (As Low as Reasonable Achievable) rules maintenance activities will be planned in order to minimize the required human interventions during the active phase. Different tools have to be designed to perform the maintenance actions. As there are quiet all heavy components to be handled and removed, humans cannot perform the work without semi hands-on tools. The required permanent fixtures and tools are considered and pre-designed.
Generic Reliability-Based Inspection Planning for Fatigue Sensitive Details
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Sørensen, John Dalsgaard; Straub, Daniel; Faber, Michael Havbro
2005-01-01
of fatigue sensitive details in fixed offshore steel jacket platforms and FPSO ship structures. Inspection and maintenance activities are planned such that code based requirements to the safety of personnel and environment for the considered structure are fulfilled and at the same time such that the overall......The generic approach for planning of in-service NDT inspections is extended to cover the case where the fatigue load is modified during the design lifetime of the structure. Generic reliability-based inspection planning has been developed as a practical approach to perform inspection planning...... expected costs for design, inspections, repairs and failures are minimized. The method is based on the assumption of “no-finds” of cracks during inspections. Each fatigue sensitive detail is categorized according to their type of details (SN curves), FDF values, RSR values, inspection, repair and failure...
Comparative evaluation of remote maintenance schemes for fusion DEMO reactor
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Utoh, Hiroyasu, E-mail: uto.hiroyasu@jaea.go.jp; Tobita, Kenji; Someya, Youji; Asakura, Nobuyuki; Sakamoto, Yoshiteru; Hoshino, Kazuo; Nakamura, Makoto
2015-10-15
Highlights: • Various remote maintenance schemes for DEMO were comparatively assessed based on requirements for DEMO remote maintenance. • The banana shape segment transport using all vertical maintenance ports would be more probable DEMO reactor maintenance scheme. • The key engineering issues are in-vessel transferring mechanism of segment, pipe connection and conducting shell design for plasma vertical stability. - Abstract: Maintenance schemes are one of the critical issues in DEMO design, significantly affecting the configuration of in-vessel components, the size of toroidal field (TF) coil, the arrangement of poloidal field (PF) coils, reactor building, hot cell and so forth. Therefore, the maintenance schemes should satisfy many design requirements and criteria to assure reliable and safe plant operation and to attain reasonable plant availability. The plant availability depends on reliability of remote maintenance scheme, inspection of pipe connection and plasma operation. In this paper, various remote maintenance schemes for DEMO were comparatively assessed based on requirements for DEMO remote maintenance. From the view points of the reliability of inspection on hot cell, TF coil size, stored energy of PF coil and portability of segment, the banana shape segment transport using all vertical maintenance ports would be more probable DEMO reactor maintenance scheme, and it has key engineering issues such as in-vessel transferring mechanism of segment, pipe connection and conducting shell design for plasma vertical stability.
Comparative evaluation of remote maintenance schemes for fusion DEMO reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Utoh, Hiroyasu; Tobita, Kenji; Someya, Youji; Asakura, Nobuyuki; Sakamoto, Yoshiteru; Hoshino, Kazuo; Nakamura, Makoto
2015-01-01
Highlights: • Various remote maintenance schemes for DEMO were comparatively assessed based on requirements for DEMO remote maintenance. • The banana shape segment transport using all vertical maintenance ports would be more probable DEMO reactor maintenance scheme. • The key engineering issues are in-vessel transferring mechanism of segment, pipe connection and conducting shell design for plasma vertical stability. - Abstract: Maintenance schemes are one of the critical issues in DEMO design, significantly affecting the configuration of in-vessel components, the size of toroidal field (TF) coil, the arrangement of poloidal field (PF) coils, reactor building, hot cell and so forth. Therefore, the maintenance schemes should satisfy many design requirements and criteria to assure reliable and safe plant operation and to attain reasonable plant availability. The plant availability depends on reliability of remote maintenance scheme, inspection of pipe connection and plasma operation. In this paper, various remote maintenance schemes for DEMO were comparatively assessed based on requirements for DEMO remote maintenance. From the view points of the reliability of inspection on hot cell, TF coil size, stored energy of PF coil and portability of segment, the banana shape segment transport using all vertical maintenance ports would be more probable DEMO reactor maintenance scheme, and it has key engineering issues such as in-vessel transferring mechanism of segment, pipe connection and conducting shell design for plasma vertical stability.
Plant life management and maintenance technologies for nuclear power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ikegami, Tsukasa; Aoki, Masataka; Shimura, Takao; Kaimori, Kimihiro; Koike, Masahiro
2001-01-01
Nuclear power generation occupying an important position for energy source in Japan and supplying about one third of total electric power usage is now required for further upgrading of its economics under regulation relaxation of electric power business. And, under execution retardation of its new planning plant, it becomes important to operate the already established plants for longer term and to secure their stability. Therefore, technical development in response to the plant life elongation is promoted under cooperation of the Ministry of Economics and Industries, electric power companies, literate, and plant manufacturers. Under such conditions, the Hitachi, Ltd. has progressed some technical developments on check inspection, repairs and maintenance for succession of the already established nuclear power plants for longer term under securing of their safety and reliability. And in future, by proposing the check inspection and maintenance program combined with these technologies, it is planned to exert promotion of maintenance program with minimum total cost from a viewpoint of its plant life. Here were described on technologies exerted in the Hitachi, Ltd. such as construction of plant maintenance program in response to plant life elongation agreeing with actual condition of each plant, yearly change mechanism grasping, life evaluation on instruments and materials necessary for maintenance, adequate check inspection, repairs and exchange, and so forth. (G.K.)
Remote maintenance for fusion experimental reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Koizumi, Koichi; Takeda, Nobukazu
2000-01-01
Here was introduced on maintenance of reactor core portion operated by remote control among maintenance of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) begun on its design since 1988 under international cooperation of U.S.A., Europe, Russia and Japan. Every appliances constructing the reactor core portion is necessary to carry out all of their inspection and maintenance by using remote controlled apparatus because of their radiation due to neutron generated by DT combustion of plasma. For engineering design activity (EDA) in ITER, not only design and development of the remote control appliances but also design under consideration of remote maintenance for from structural design of maintained objective appliances to access method to appliances, transportation and preservation method of radiated matters, and out-reactor maintenance in a hot cell, is now under progress. Here were also reported on basic concept on maintenance and conservation of ITER, maintenance design of diverter and blanket with high maintenance frequency and present state on development of maintenance appliances. (G.K.)
Cargo container inspection test program at ARPA's Nonintrusive Inspection Technology Testbed
Volberding, Roy W.; Khan, Siraj M.
1994-10-01
An x-ray-based cargo inspection system test program is being conducted at the Advanced Research Project Agency (ARPA)-sponsored Nonintrusive Inspection Technology Testbed (NITT) located in the Port of Tacoma, Washington. The test program seeks to determine the performance that can be expected from a dual, high-energy x-ray cargo inspection system when inspecting ISO cargo containers. This paper describes an intensive, three-month, system test involving two independent test groups, one representing the criminal smuggling element and the other representing the law enforcement community. The first group, the `Red Team', prepares ISO containers for inspection at an off-site facility. An algorithm randomly selects and indicates the positions and preparation of cargoes within a container. The prepared container is dispatched to the NITT for inspection by the `Blue Team'. After in-gate processing, it is queued for examination. The Blue Team inspects the container and decides whether or not to pass the container. The shipment undergoes out-gate processing and returns to the Red Team. The results of the inspection are recorded for subsequent analysis. The test process, including its governing protocol, the cargoes, container preparation, the examination and results available at the time of submission are presented.
Development of an ITER relevant inspection robot
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gargiulo, Laurent [Association Euratom-CEA, Departement de Recherche sur la Fusion Controlee, CE Cadarache 13108 (France)], E-mail: laurent.gargiulo@cea.fr; Bayetti, Pascal; Bruno, Vincent; Cordier, Jean-Jacques [Association Euratom-CEA, Departement de Recherche sur la Fusion Controlee, CE Cadarache 13108 (France); Friconneau, Jean-Pierre [CEA-LIST Robotics and Interactive Systems Unit, CE Fontenay Aux Roses (France); Grisolia, Christian; Hatchressian, Jean-Claude; Houry, Michael [Association Euratom-CEA, Departement de Recherche sur la Fusion Controlee, CE Cadarache 13108 (France); Keller, Delphine; Perrot, Yann [CEA-LIST Robotics and Interactive Systems Unit, CE Fontenay Aux Roses (France)
2008-12-15
Robotic operations are one of the major maintenance challenges for ITER and future fusion reactors. In particular, in-vessel inspection operations without loss of conditioning will be mandatory. In this context, an Articulated Inspection Arm (AIA) is currently developed by the CEA within the European work programme framework, which aims at demonstrating the feasibility of a multi-purpose in-vessel Remote Handling inspection system using a long reach, limited payload carrier (up to 10 kg). It is composed of 5 segments with 8 degrees of freedom and a total range of 8 m. The first in situ tests will take place by the end of 2007 on the Tore Supra Tokamak at Cadarache (France). They will validate concepts for operations under ITER relevant vacuum and temperature conditions. After qualification, the arm will constitute a promising tool for various applications. Several processes are already considered for ITER maintenance and will be demonstrated on the AIA robot carrier: - The first embedded process is the viewing system. It is already manufactured and will allow close visual inspection of the complex Plasma Facing Components (PFC) (limiters, neutralisers, RF antenna, diagnostic windows, etc.). - In situ localisation of water leakage based on a helium sniffing system is also being studied to improve and facilitate maintenance operations. - Finally a laser ablation system for PFC detritiation, developed in CEA laboratories, is being fitted to be implemented on the robot for future operation in Tore Supra. This paper deals with the integration of the robot into Tore Supra and the progress in the development of the processes listed above. It also describes the current test campaign aiming to qualify the robot performance and reliability under vacuum and temperature conditions.
Development of an ITER relevant inspection robot
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Gargiulo, Laurent; Bayetti, Pascal; Bruno, Vincent; Cordier, Jean-Jacques; Friconneau, Jean-Pierre; Grisolia, Christian; Hatchressian, Jean-Claude; Houry, Michael; Keller, Delphine; Perrot, Yann
2008-01-01
Robotic operations are one of the major maintenance challenges for ITER and future fusion reactors. In particular, in-vessel inspection operations without loss of conditioning will be mandatory. In this context, an Articulated Inspection Arm (AIA) is currently developed by the CEA within the European work programme framework, which aims at demonstrating the feasibility of a multi-purpose in-vessel Remote Handling inspection system using a long reach, limited payload carrier (up to 10 kg). It is composed of 5 segments with 8 degrees of freedom and a total range of 8 m. The first in situ tests will take place by the end of 2007 on the Tore Supra Tokamak at Cadarache (France). They will validate concepts for operations under ITER relevant vacuum and temperature conditions. After qualification, the arm will constitute a promising tool for various applications. Several processes are already considered for ITER maintenance and will be demonstrated on the AIA robot carrier: - The first embedded process is the viewing system. It is already manufactured and will allow close visual inspection of the complex Plasma Facing Components (PFC) (limiters, neutralisers, RF antenna, diagnostic windows, etc.). - In situ localisation of water leakage based on a helium sniffing system is also being studied to improve and facilitate maintenance operations. - Finally a laser ablation system for PFC detritiation, developed in CEA laboratories, is being fitted to be implemented on the robot for future operation in Tore Supra. This paper deals with the integration of the robot into Tore Supra and the progress in the development of the processes listed above. It also describes the current test campaign aiming to qualify the robot performance and reliability under vacuum and temperature conditions
Maintenance Chemotherapy for Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: New Life for an Old Idea
Gerber, David E.; Schiller, Joan H.
2013-01-01
Although well established for the treatment of certain hematologic malignancies, maintenance therapy has only recently become a treatment paradigm for advanced non–small-cell lung cancer. Maintenance therapy, which is designed to prolong a clinically favorable state after completion of a predefined number of induction chemotherapy cycles, has two principal paradigms. Continuation maintenance therapy entails the ongoing administration of a component of the initial chemotherapy regimen, generally the nonplatinum cytotoxic drug or a molecular targeted agent. With switch maintenance (also known as sequential therapy), a new and potentially non–cross-resistant agent is introduced immediately on completion of first-line chemotherapy. Potential rationales for maintenance therapy include increased exposure to effective therapies, decreasing chemotherapy resistance, optimizing efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents, antiangiogenic effects, and altering antitumor immunity. To date, switch maintenance therapy strategies with pemetrexed and erlotinib have demonstrated improved overall survival, resulting in US Food and Drug Administration approval for this indication. Recently, continuation maintenance with pemetrexed was found to prolong overall survival as well. Factors predicting benefit from maintenance chemotherapy include the degree of response to first-line therapy, performance status, the likelihood of receiving further therapy at the time of progression, and tumor histology and molecular characteristics. Several aspects of maintenance therapy have raised considerable debate in the thoracic oncology community, including clinical trial end points, the prevalence of second-line chemotherapy administration, the role of treatment-free intervals, quality of life, economic considerations, and whether progression-free survival is a worthy therapeutic goal in this disease setting. PMID:23401441
A Study to Estimate the Effectiveness of Visual Testing Training for Aviation Maintenance Management
Law, Lewis Lyle
2007-01-01
The Air Commerce Act of 1926 set the beginning for standards in aviation maintenance. Even after deregulation in the late l970s, maintenance standards and requirements still have not changed far from their initial criteria. After a potential candidate completes Federal Aviation Administration training prerequisites, they may test for their Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certificate. Performing maintenance in the aviation industry for a minimum of three years, the technician may then test for their Inspection Authorization (IA). After receiving their Airframe and Powerplant certificate, a technician is said to have a license to perform. At no time within the three years to eligibility for Inspection Authorization are they required to attend higher-level inspection training. What a technician learns in the aviation maintenance industry is handed down from a seasoned technician to the new hire or is developed from lessons learned on the job. Only in Europe has the Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) required higher-level training for their aviation maintenance technicians in order to control maintenance related accidents (Lu, 2005). Throughout the 1990s both the General Accounting Office (GAO) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made public that the FAA is historically understaffed (GAO, 1996). In a safety recommendation the NTSB stated "The Safety Board continues to lack confidence in the FAA's commitment to provide effective quality assurance and safety oversight of the ATC system (NTSB, 1990)." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been known to be proactive in creating safer skies. With such reports you would suspect the FAA to also be proactive in developing more stringent inspection training for aviation maintenance technicians. The purpose of this study is to estimate the effectiveness of higher-level inspection training, such as Visual Testing (VT) for aviation maintenance technicians, to improve the safety of aircraft and to make
Maintenance concept of the gas turbine in a 1640 MW direct cycle HTR
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Schmied, H.; Karaus, H.; Schenker, E.
1981-01-01
The description which follows refers to a helium-cooled high-temperature reactor with a gas turbine and a thermal output of 1640 MW. The turbomachine which comes into contact with the cooling gas is contaminated with radioactivity during its operation. For the maintenance of the turbomachine, a major inspection is planned at six-year intervals. This overhaul involves disassembling and dismantling the turbomachine. Two minor inspections, at two-year intervals, are planned between the major inspections. The minor inspections involve inspection of the bearings, for which purpose the turbomachine does not have to be disassembled and dismantled. This paper presents in summarized form the sequence in which the maintenance work is to be carried out for both the major and minor inspections. The shutdown time and the collective dose were estimated to this end. Costs have not yet been determined. Details of the concept are given and significant results from the areas dealing with release, deposition and decontamination have been appropriately adapted
Analysis and optimization on in-vessel inspection robotic system for EAST
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Zhang, Weijun, E-mail: zhangweijun@sjtu.edu.cn; Zhou, Zeyu; Yuan, Jianjun; Du, Liang; Mao, Ziming
2015-12-15
Since China has successfully built her first Experimental Advanced Superconducting TOKAMAK (EAST) several years ago, great interest and demand have been increasing in robotic in-vessel inspection/operation systems, by which an observation of in-vessel physical phenomenon, collection of visual information, 3D mapping and localization, even maintenance are to be possible. However, it has been raising many challenges to implement a practical and robust robotic system, due to a lot of complex constraints and expectations, e.g., high remanent working temperature (100 °C) and vacuum (10{sup −3} pa) environment even in the rest interval between plasma discharge experiments, close-up and precise inspection, operation efficiency, besides a general kinematic requirement of D shape irregular vessel. In this paper we propose an upgraded robotic system with redundant degrees of freedom (DOF) manipulator combined with a binocular vision system at the tip and a virtual reality system. A comprehensive comparison and discussion are given on the necessity and main function of the binocular vision system, path planning for inspection, fast localization, inspection efficiency and success rate in time, optimization of kinematic configuration, and the possibility of underactuated mechanism. A detailed design, implementation, and experiments of the binocular vision system together with the recent development progress of the whole robotic system are reported in the later part of the paper, while, future work and expectation are described in the end.
Rector, Tony; Steele, John W.; Bue, Grant C.; Campbell, Colin; Makinen, Janice
2012-01-01
A water loop maintenance device and process to maintain the water quality of the Advanced Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporation (SWME) water recirculation loop has been undergoing a performance evaluation. The SWME is a heat rejection device under development at the NASA Johnson Space Center to perform thermal control for advanced spacesuits. One advantage to this technology is the potential for a significantly greater degree of tolerance to contamination when compared to the existing Sublimator technology. The driver for the water recirculation maintenance device and process is to further enhance this advantage through the leveraging of fluid loop management lessons-learned from the International Space Station (ISS). A bed design that was developed for a Hamilton Sundstrand military application, and considered for a potential ISS application with the Urine Processor Assembly, provides a low pressure drop means for water maintenance in a recirculation loop. The bed design is coupled with high capacity ion exchange resins, organic adsorbents, and a cyclic methodology developed for the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Transport Water loop. The maintenance process further leverages a sorbent developed for ISS that introduces a biocide in a microgravity-compatible manner for the Internal Active Thermal Control System (IATCS). The leveraging of these water maintenance technologies to the SWME recirculation loop is a unique demonstration of applying the valuable lessons learned on the ISS to the next generation of manned spaceflight Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) hardware. This
Conceptual design main progress of EAST Articulated Maintenance Arm (EAMA) system
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Shi, Shanshuang, E-mail: shiss@ipp.ac.cn [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China); Laboratory of Intelligent Machines, Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland); Song, Yuntao; Cheng, Yong [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China); Villedieu, Eric; Bruno, Vincent [CEA-IRFM, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance (France); Feng, Hansheng [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China); Wu, Huapeng [Laboratory of Intelligent Machines, Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland); Wang, Peng [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Hao, Zhiwei; Li, Yang; Wang, Kun; Pan, Hongtao [Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China)
2016-03-15
Highlights: • EAST Articulated Maintenance Arm (EAMA) system is being collaboratively developed by ASIPP and CEA-IRFM. • Conceptual design for a 3-DOF wrist end effector with gripper has been finished. • Kinematic design can reach 90% of the workspace inside EAST tokamak vessel. • A prototype of EAMA arm segment has been built to validate the design. - Abstract: EAST articulated maintenance arm (EAMA) system is being collaboratively developed by ASIPP and CEA-IRFM for the purpose of remote inspection and simple maintenance operations in EAST vacuum vessel during physical experiments without breaking the ultra-high vacuum condition. The EAMA system design is based on a similar articulated inspection arm robot successfully demonstrated in Tore Supra in 2008. In order to better meet EAST configurations and maintenance requirements, optimized mechanisms and dimensions are considered for EAMA robot as upgrades. Besides, the segmented arm is equipped with a 3-DOF wrist end effector and gripper for gripping operation as well as inspection. Some calculations and simulations on statics, kinematics and workspace of EAMA have been presented to validate the feasibility. This paper introduces the overall design of the EAMA robot and presents implementation progress.
Conceptual design main progress of EAST Articulated Maintenance Arm (EAMA) system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shi, Shanshuang; Song, Yuntao; Cheng, Yong; Villedieu, Eric; Bruno, Vincent; Feng, Hansheng; Wu, Huapeng; Wang, Peng; Hao, Zhiwei; Li, Yang; Wang, Kun; Pan, Hongtao
2016-01-01
Highlights: • EAST Articulated Maintenance Arm (EAMA) system is being collaboratively developed by ASIPP and CEA-IRFM. • Conceptual design for a 3-DOF wrist end effector with gripper has been finished. • Kinematic design can reach 90% of the workspace inside EAST tokamak vessel. • A prototype of EAMA arm segment has been built to validate the design. - Abstract: EAST articulated maintenance arm (EAMA) system is being collaboratively developed by ASIPP and CEA-IRFM for the purpose of remote inspection and simple maintenance operations in EAST vacuum vessel during physical experiments without breaking the ultra-high vacuum condition. The EAMA system design is based on a similar articulated inspection arm robot successfully demonstrated in Tore Supra in 2008. In order to better meet EAST configurations and maintenance requirements, optimized mechanisms and dimensions are considered for EAMA robot as upgrades. Besides, the segmented arm is equipped with a 3-DOF wrist end effector and gripper for gripping operation as well as inspection. Some calculations and simulations on statics, kinematics and workspace of EAMA have been presented to validate the feasibility. This paper introduces the overall design of the EAMA robot and presents implementation progress.
POST-CLOSURE INSPECTION REPORT FOR THE TONOPAH TEST RANGE, NEVADA FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2005
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
NONE
2006-06-01
This post-closure inspection report includes the results of inspections, maintenance and repair activities, and conclusions and recommendations for Calendar Year 2005 for nine Corrective Action Units located on the Tonopah Test Range , Nevada.
Amooty, a stair climbing intelligent maintenance robot
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
1985-04-01
Toshiba Corporation and a team from Tokyo University have jointly developed a prototype of a mobile, stair climbing intelligent robot, named Amooty, for inspection and maintenance tasks in nuclear power plants.
INETEC new system for inspection of PWR reactor pressure vessel head
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nadinic, B.; Postruzin, Z.
2004-01-01
INETEC Institute for Nuclear Technology developed new equipment for inspection of PWR and VVER reactor pressure vessel head. The new advances in inspection technology are presented in this article, as the following: New advance manipulator for inspection of RPVH with high speed of inspection possibilities and total automated work; New sophisticated software for manipulator driving which includes 3D virtual presentation of manipulator movement and collision detection possibilities; New multi axis controller MAC-8; New end effector system for inspection of penetration tube and G weld; New eddy current and ultrasonic probes for inspection of G weld and penetration tube; New Eddy One Raster scan software for analysis of eddy current data with mant advanced features which allows easy and quick data analysis. Also the results of laboratory testing and laboratory qualification are presented on reactor pressure vessel head mock, as well as obtained speed of inspection and quality of collected data.(author)
The development of remote repairing system, decontamination and in-cell remote inspection equipment
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ishibashi, Yuzo; Toyoda, Osamu; Haginoya, Isao; Yamamoto, Ryuichi; Tanaka, Yasumasa
1993-01-01
PNC has been developing remote repair and inspection technologies for in-cell components in reprocessing Plants. In this report, several remote technologies such as remote dismantling and removal, decontamination, remote pipe maintenance and remote in-cell inspection equipment are described. (author)
A bridge network maintenance framework for Pareto optimization of stakeholders/users costs
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Orcesi, Andre D.; Cremona, Christian F.
2010-01-01
For managing highway bridges, stakeholders require efficient and practical decision making techniques. In a context of limited bridge management budget, it is crucial to determine the most effective breakdown of financial resources over the different structures of a bridge network. Bridge management systems (BMSs) have been developed for such a purpose. However, they generally rely on an individual approach. The influence of the position of bridges in the transportation network, the consequences of inadequate service for the network users, due to maintenance actions or bridge failure, are not taken into consideration. Therefore, maintenance strategies obtained with current BMSs do not necessarily lead to an optimal level of service (LOS) of the bridge network for the users of the transportation network. Besides, the assessment of the structural performance of highway bridges usually requires the access to the geometrical and mechanical properties of its components. Such information might not be available for all structures in a bridge network for which managers try to schedule and prioritize maintenance strategies. On the contrary, visual inspections are performed regularly and information is generally available for all structures of the bridge network. The objective of this paper is threefold (i) propose an advanced network-level bridge management system considering the position of each bridge in the transportation network, (ii) use information obtained at visual inspections to assess the performance of bridges, and (iii) compare optimal maintenance strategies, obtained with a genetic algorithm, when considering interests of users and bridge owner either separately as conflicting criteria, or simultaneously as a common interest for the whole community. In each case, safety and serviceability aspects are taken into account in the model when determining optimal strategies. The theoretical and numerical developments are applied on a French bridge network.
Amooty, a stair climbing intelligent maintenance robot
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Anon.
1985-01-01
Toshiba Corporation and a team from Tokyo University have jointly developed a prototype of a mobile, stair climbing intelligent robot, named Amooty, for inspection and maintenance tasks in nuclear power plants. (author)
Present activity in ASME Section XI regarding risk-informed maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hedden, Owen; Chockie, Alan
2005-01-01
Since 1996 Section XI of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code has actively incorporated risk-informed concepts. The risk-informed process provides a framework for allocating inspection resources in a cost-effective manner and helps focus inspections where most critical for plant safety. Based on the success of the risk-informed ISI piping applications at US and non-US plants, Section XI has refined existing Code Cases and expanded the use of the risk-informed process to a variety of high-risk components and systems. The risk informed approach started in the area of inspection and is now being expanded to other plant maintenance activities. This article summarizes the Section XI actions and the continued development of the risk-informed process to improve nuclear plant maintenance. (author)
Clustering condition-based maintenance for a multi-unit system with aperiodic inspections
Olde Keizer, Minou C.A.; Teunter, Ruud H.; Podofillini, Luca; Sudret, Bruno; Stojadinović, Božidar; Zio, Enrico; Kröger, Wolfgang
2015-01-01
Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) is a predictive maintenance strategy, which bases the maintenance scheduling on condition measurements of the components. In this paper, we continue work on the CBM optimization approach proposed by Castanier, B., A. Grall & C. Bérenguer (2005). A condition-based
Condition monitoring a key component in the preventive maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Isar, C.
2006-01-01
The preventive maintenance programs are necessary to ensure that nuclear safety significant equipment will function when it is supposed to. Diesel generator, pumps, motor operated valves and air operated control valves are typically operated every three months. When you drive a car, you depend on lot of sounds, the feel of the steering wheel and gauges to determine if the car is running correctly. Similarly with operating equipment for a power plant - sounds or vibration of the equipment or the gauges and test equipment indicate a problem or degradation, actions are taken to correct the deficiency. Due to safety and economical reason diagnostic and monitoring systems are of growing interest in all complex industrial production. Diagnostic systems are requested to detect, diagnose and localize faulty operating conditions at an early stage in order to prevent severe failures and to enable predictive and condition oriented maintenance. In this context it is a need for using various on-line and off-line condition monitoring and diagnostics, non-destructive inspection techniques and surveillance. The condition monitoring technique used in nuclear power plant Cernavoda are presented in this paper. The selection of components and parameters to be monitored, monitoring and diagnostics techniques used are incorporated into a preventive maintenance program. Modern measurement technique in combination with advanced computerized data processing and acquisition show new ways in the field of machine surveillance. The diagnostic capabilities of predictive maintenance technologies have increased recently year with advances made in sensor technologies. The paper will focus on the following condition monitoring technique: - oil analysis - acoustic leakage monitoring - thermography - valve diagnostics: motor operated valve, air operated valve and check valve - motor current signature - vibration monitoring and rotating machine monitoring and diagnostics For each condition monitoring
Boiler inspection manipulator for Torness Power Station
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Carrey, R.T.A.; Yule, I.Y.; Sibson, S.; Playle, M.J.
1996-01-01
The Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors at Torness and Heysham 2 are provided with dedicated access for remote inspection equipment. These in-service inspection (ISI) accesses comprise 12 penetrations above the core for inspection of the above core area and boilers, 12 below core penetrations for inspection of the lower boiler area and access through any of the 8 gas circulator penetrations for inspection of the sub-diagrid area. This paper describes a manipulator which will access the reactor from above the core via any of the 8 peripheral penetrations. (UK)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mao, D.; Yuan, X.-X.; Pandey, M.D.
2009-01-01
Steam generators (SG) are a major pressure retaining component of great safety significance in nuclear power plants. Due to various manufacturing, operation and maintenance activities, as well as material interaction with the surrounding chemical environment, the SG tubes have been subject to a number of degradation modes. Among them, the under-deposit pitting corrosion at outside surfaces of the SG tubes just on top of the tubesheet support plates has had a serious impact on the integrity of the SG tubes. This paper presents an advanced probabilistic model of pitting corrosion characterizing the inherent randomness of the pitting process and measurement uncertainties of the in-service inspection (ISI) data obtained from eddy current (EC) inspections. A Bayesian method based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation is developed for estimating the model parameters. The proposed model is able to predict the actual pit number, the actual pit depth as well as the maximum pit depth, which is the main interest of the pitting corrosion model. (author)
On Different Maintenance Strategies for Casted Components of Offshore Wind Turbines
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ambühl, Simon; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
. This maintenance tool uses Crude Monte Carlo Simulations to estimate the expected maintenance costs. Corrective and preventive maintenance strategies with a constant inspection interval or a condition monitoring system are considered. Furthermore, transportation from shore to the wind turbines by boat...... and transportation strategy. The case study shows that the maintenance expenses of casted components correspond to roughly 5% of the overall expected maintenance costs when using a corrective maintenance strategy. This amount can be decreased to roughly 2% when using a condition monitoring system and following...
Laser application maintenance technologies for nuclear power plant
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shima, Seishi; Sato, Kenji; Kobayashi, Masahiro; Sano, Yuji; Kimura, Seiichiro
2000-01-01
Several plants that were the first to be constructed in Japan have been operating for more than 20 years now, and preventive maintenance is therefore a matter of great importance. This paper summarizes the status of applied laser maintenance technologies both preventive and repair. Especially for the laser peening and laser de-sensitization treatment technology, field applications were also described in detail. In future, expansion of field application area on the preventive maintenance, repair and inspection technologies will be developed. (author)
Replacement and inspection policies for products with random life cycle
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yun, Won Young; Nakagawa, Toshio
2010-01-01
In this paper, we consider maintenance policies for products in which the economical life cycle of products is a random variable. First, we study a periodic replacement policy with minimal repair. The system is minimally repaired at failure and is replaced by new one at age T (periodic replacement policy with minimal repair of Barlow and Hunter). The expected present value of total maintenance cost of products with random life cycle is obtained and the optimal replacement interval minimizing the cost is found. Second, we consider an inspection policy for products with random life cycle to detect the system failure. The expected total cost is obtained and the optimal inspection interval is found. Numerical examples are also included.
In-service inspection of nuclear power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1991-01-01
This Manual is intended to provide more comprehensive considerations on the management, organization, preparation, improvement and implementation of in-service inspection activities and the related surveillance. It also gives illustrative examples of good practices and recommendations from operating and other organizations that are consistent with the requirements and recommendations of the Code and Safety Guides. The Manual is directed primarily towards plant management. This Manual should be used in conjunction with the Code and the Safety Guides, in particular with IAEA Safety Series Nos. 50-C-O, 50-SG-O2, 50-SG-05, 50-SG-07, 50-SG-08 and 50-SG-D1, which contain recommendations of a general character about maintenance activities and radiation protection in an operating power plant, and with the 'Manual on the Maintenance of Systems and Components Important to Safety'. This Manual is divided into four technical sections. The first introduces the purpose, structure and main requirements of the programme. The second section describes constituents of the programme, recommending its scope, scheduling, acceptance standards and documentation of results. The following section goes into details of the inspection programme's contents, such as the selection of components, inspection locations, defect types, applicable techniques and procedures, and the evaluation of results. The last section specifies recommended methods and techniques for inspection, such as visual, ultrasonic, eddy current, magnetic particle and others. This main part of the Manual is complemented by a number of annexes which reproduce actual national examples of established procedures, ISI programme parts, acceptance standards, personnel training programmes, testing techniques and other aspects of in-service inspection, illustrating practical implementation of the recommendations of the Manual
Gridelli, Cesare; de Marinis, Filippo; Di Maio, Massimo; Ardizzoni, Andrea; Belani, Chandra P; Cappuzzo, Federico; Ciardiello, Fortunato; Fidias, Panagiotis; Paz-Ares, Luis; Perrone, Francesco; Pirker, Robert; De Petris, Luigi; Stahel, Rolf
2012-06-01
Several randomized trials have recently investigated the role of maintenance treatment for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with responding or stable disease after completion of first-line chemotherapy. Maintenance strategy has relevant implications in terms of potential toxicity, logistics and costs, and all of these aspects should be taken into account, together with the magnitude of benefit for the patient. In order to assess the strengths and limitations of available evidence, to help clinical practice, and to suggest priorities for future clinical research, the Italian Association of Thoracic Oncology (AIOT) organized an International Experts Panel Meeting on maintenance treatment of advanced NSCLC, which took place in Sperlonga (Italy) in May 2011. Based on the available evidence, panelists agreed that maintenance therapy represents a treatment option in advanced NSCLC. Maintenance should be discussed with patients not progressed after 4-6 cycles of first-line chemotherapy, who are fit (performance status 0-1) and without persistent chemotherapy-induced toxicity. Patients need to be well informed about potential advantages and disadvantages of accepting additional therapy without a "treatment-free period". Two different strategies, switch or continuation maintenance, are supported by available evidence. At the moment, there is no direct comparison between switch maintenance and continuation maintenance. For future trials, the panel recommends the use of overall survival as the primary endpoint, with pre-defined second-line treatment. Translational research is essential to identify predictive factors, and should be performed, whenever feasible, in order to achieve treatment optimization with proper patient selection. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Remote maintenance of in-vessel components in Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Loesser, G.D.; Heitzenroeder, P.; Kungl, D.; Dylla, H.F.; Cerdan, G.
1990-01-01
The Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) will generate a total of 3 x 10 21 neutrons during its planned D-T operational period. A maintenance manipulator has been designed and tested to minimize personnel radiation during in-vessel maintenance activities. Its functions include visual inspection, first-wall tile replacement, cleaning, diagnostics calibrations and leak detection. To meet these objectives, the TFTR maintenance manipulator is required to be operable in the TFTR high vacuum environment, typically -8 torr, ( -6 Pa). Geometrically, the manipulator must extend 180 0 in either direction around the torus to assure complete coverage of the vessel first-wall. The manipulator consists of a movable carriage, and movable articulated link sections which are driven by electrical actuators. The boom has vertical load capacity of 455 kg and lateral load capacity of 46 kg. The boom can either be fitted with a general inspection arm or dextrous slave arms. The general inspection arm is designed to hold the leak detector and an inspection camera; it is capable of rotation along two axes and has a linkage system which permits motion normal to the vacuum vessel wall. All systems except the dextrous slave arms are operable in a vacuum. (author)
Probability-based assessment and maintenance of welded joints damaged by fatigue
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cremona, C.; Lukic, M.
1998-01-01
This paper presents a probabilistic reliability assessment procedure for steel components damaged by fatigue. The study combines the structural reliability theory with a maintenance strategy. The fatigue assessment model is based on a modelisation of the fatigue phenomenon issued from the principles of fracture mechanics theory. The safety margin includes the crack growth propagation and allows to treat fatigue damage in a general manner. Damaging cycles and non damaging cycles are distinguished. The sensitivity study of the different parameters shows that some variables can be taken as deterministic. Applications are made on a welded joint 'stiffener/bottom-plate' of a typical steel bridge. The model is then used for taking into account inspection results. Non destructive inspection (NDI) techniques are also used for updating failure probabilities. The results show their ability to be inserted in a maintenance strategy for optimizing the next inspection time. This has led to define cost functions related to the total maintenance cost; this cost is then minimized for determining the optimal next inspection time. An example of welded joint cracked by fatigue highlights the different concepts. The approach presented in the paper is not only restrained to fatigue problems, but can be applied to a wide variety of degrading phenomena. (orig.)
Holography for fast reactor inspection
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tozer, B.A.
1980-01-01
Holography, an optical process whereby an image of the original subject can be reconstructed in three dimensions, is being developed for use as an optical inspection tool. With a potential information storage density of 10 16 bits/m 2 , the ability to reconstruct in 3 dimensions, a depth of field of up to 8 metres, extremely wide angle of view, and potentially diffraction limited resolution, holography should be invaluable for the optical recording of fast reactors during construction, and the inspection of optically accessible regions during operation, or maintenance down-times. The photographic emulsions used for high resolution holography are fine-grained and fog only very slowly when subjected to γ-radiation, so that inspection of highly radio-active regions and components can be effected satisfactorily. Some of the practical limitations affecting holography are described and ways of overcoming them discussed. Some preliminary results are presented. (author)
Risk informed In-service Inspection
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Corak, Z.
2003-01-01
Safety of nuclear power plants is one of the most important conditions for their acceptance. Safety is being acheived by numerous methods and techniques in phase of design, manufacturing and maintenance of the nuclear power plants. In-service Inspection (ISI) has a significant role in avoidances of failure in components of nuclear power plants just the same as in assurance of their integrity. Non-destructive examinations are performed periodically in accordance with 10 CFR 50 50.55a and ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code section XI which is referenced by 10 CFR 50.55a. Nondestructive examinations provide information about a current condition of equipment at nuclear power plants and about any damage, defect or degradation mechanism. A lot of effort is often spent in situations in which the probability of failure and their effects on safety have a very low impact. Practical experience shows that failures can often occur at locations where the inspection has never been performed. Costs and expenses of in-service inspections are very high. Therefore, the accent has to be on locations with significant risk to safety. Many years of nuclear power plants' operation and maintenance have resulted in a more broad knowledge of degradation mechanism and the most susceptible locations and huge databases of different nuclear power plants' components. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the nuclear industry have recognized that probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) has developed and changed to be more useful in improvement of traditional engineering approaches in nuclear power plants regulation. After the publication of its policy statement on the use of PRA in nuclear regulatory activities, the Commission ordered the NRC staff to develop a regulatory framework that incorporated risk insights. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) initiated Code Case N-560, N-577, and N-578 that address the importance of categorization and inspection of piping using risk
Optimal, Generic Planning of Maintenance and Inspection of Steel Bridges
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Sørensen, John Dalsgaard; Faber, Michael Havbro
2002-01-01
Fatigue damage is an important deterioration mechanism for steel bridges. This paper describes a simplified and generic approach for reliability and risk based inspection planning of fatigue sensitive structural details. Fatigue sensitive details are categorized according to their loading charact...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1986-05-01
The NRC vendor inspection focus has been shifted to vendor activities associated with nuclear plant operation, maintenance, and modifications, more than firms designing nuclear steam supply systems, architect engineering firms designing nuclear plants, and major equipment vendors. Results of 16 inspections are reported, giving for each organization inspected, their activity, inspection bases and scope, and any violations, nonconformances, or unresolved items found. The status of previous inspection findings are also given
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wolde, Mike ten; Ghobbar, Adel A.
2013-01-01
This paper states the problem that railway carriers have with inspections and maintenance in its most cost optimal way. Often there is external pressure to improve reliability and availability and to reduce costs significantly. To overcome this problem this paper suggests a model that tries to find the optimal inspection interval. Not all maintenance companies have their inspection intervals that match with the actual reliability of a system anymore and the inspection intervals are not necessarily at a cost optimum. This research retrieves the actual failure and repair data and combines this together with the availability of a system to find the optimum inspection interval in terms of costs. The application of the optimization approach to a railway carrier maintenance company in the Netherlands is also presented. -- Highlights: ► New optimization technique for reliability and availability by minimizing costs. ► Adaptable to multiple types of repairs. ► Usable as a practical model. ► Applicable to the FMECA, RCM and ISO31000 risk management methods
Inspection of secondary cooling system piping of JMTR
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hanawa, Yoshio; Izumo, Hironobu; Fukasaku, Akitomi; Nagao, Yoshiharu; Kawamura, Hiroshi
2008-06-01
Piping condition was inspected form the view point of long term utilization before the renewal work of the secondary cooling system in the JMTR on FY 2008. As the result, it was confirmed that cracks, swellings and exfoliations in inner lining of the piping could be observed, and corrosion, which was reached by piping ingot, or decrease of piping thickness could hardly be observed. It was therefore confirmed that the strength or the functionality of the piping had been maintained by usual operation and maintenance. Repair of inner lining of the piping during the refurbishment of the JMTR is necessary to long term utilization of the secondary cooling system after restart of the JMTR from the view point of preventive maintenance. In addition, a periodic inspection of inner lining condition is necessary after repair of the piping. (author)
A study on autonomous maintenance robot, 7
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fukuda, Toshio; Hosokai, Hidemi; Shimasaka, Naoki; Kaneshige, Masanori; Iwasaki, Shinnosuke.
1990-01-01
This paper deals with the new mechanism of a new maintenance robot, Mark IV, following the previous reports on pipeline inspection and maintenance robots of Mark I, II, and III. The Mark IV has a mechanism capable of inspecting surfaces of storage tanks as well as pipeline outer surfaces, which is another capability of the maintenance robots, different from the previous ones. The main features of Mark IV are as follows, (i) The robot has a multijoint structure, so that it has better adaptability to the curvartures of pipelines and storage tanks. (ii) The joint of the robot has SMA actuators to make the robot lighter in weight. Some actuator shape characteristics are also examined for the robot structure and control. (iii) The robot has suckers at both ends so that the robot can climb up along the wall from the ground. (iv) A robot with the inch worm mechanisms has many functional motions, such that it can pass over flanges and T-joints, and transfer to adjacent pipelines with a wider range of pipe diameters. (v) A control method is given for the mobile motion control. Thus, the functional level of the maintenance robot has been greatly improved by the introduction of the Mark IV robot. (author)
Conditions of job performance quality during nuclear reactor maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Babos, K.; Takacs, J.
1991-01-01
The education and training programs of the maintenance personnel at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Hungary are described. In addition to well trained personnel, the conditions of job quality involves the preparation of job by proper check lists and availability of documentation, and the inspection and checking of the accomplishment of job tasks. Such an inspection procedure is proposed. (R.P.) 2 figs
Risk based inspection experience from the European chemical- and petrochemical industries
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kristensen, Hans; Jeppesen, Leif; Larsen, Bjarne; Kim, Na Yon
2001-01-01
As an inspection vendor with 60 years of experience and with more than 25 years of experience as manufacturer of the Automated Ultrasonic NDT systems, the P-scan systems, FORCE Institute is continuously analysing the market for NDT. This is done to assure that both the equipment product line and the service mix provided by FORCE Institute are meeting the requirements from the industry today and in the future. The concept of Risk Based Inspection Programmes were adopted early by the offshore industry and has in the recent years been adopted by many other industries as a reliable and cost efficient way of maintaining a production facility. A Risk/Reliability Based Inspection Programme is a 'living organism' that constantly needs information if it shall be of any value and NDT information is only one type of information that is required. The NDT information required is normally related to corrosion/base material information and weld integrity information. NDT as an integrated part of a plants maintenance system is, in Europe, currently influenced by the following tendencies which all are related to 'Risk Based Inspection': · Increased use of Base-Line Inspections · Reduction in the use of repeated inspections(qualitative- instead of quantitative Inspections). · Inspection results are fed directly into the plant maintenance system. · Fitness-for-Purpose acceptance criteria instead of conventional acceptance criteria. As repeatability and accuracy is a key issue for the data, automated ultrasonic inspection is increasingly used as an alternative to manual ultrasonic inspection, but due to the physical size of most automated ultrasonic inspection systems the gain in productivity has not been as significant as the gain in repeatability and accuracy. In this paper some of FORCE Institute's practical experiences with examinations carried out in connection with Risk Based Inspection is used to illustrate the above described tendencies. Not only examples using automated
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office; Bechtel Nevada
2004-04-01
This post-closure inspection report provides documentation of the semiannual inspection activities, maintenance and repair activities, and conclusions and recommendations for calendar year 2003 for eight corrective action units located on the Tonopah Test Range, Nevada.
Integrated inspection programs at Bruce Heavy Water Plant
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Brown, K C [Ontario Hydro, Tiverton, ON (Canada)
1993-12-31
Quality pressure boundary maintenance and an excellent loss prevention record at Bruce Heavy Water Plant are the results of the Material and Inspection Unit`s five inspection programs. Experienced inspectors are responsible for the integrity of the pressure boundary in their own operating area. Inspectors are part of the Technical Section, and along with unit engineering staff, they provide technical input before, during, and after the job. How these programs are completed, and the results achieved, are discussed. 5 figs., 1 appendix.
Integrated inspection programs at Bruce Heavy Water Plant
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Brown, K.C.
1992-01-01
Quality pressure boundary maintenance and an excellent loss prevention record at Bruce Heavy Water Plant are the results of the Material and Inspection Unit's five inspection programs. Experienced inspectors are responsible for the integrity of the pressure boundary in their own operating area. Inspectors are part of the Technical Section, and along with unit engineering staff, they provide technical input before, during, and after the job. How these programs are completed, and the results achieved, are discussed. 5 figs., 1 appendix
Using the system maintenance datastore to characterize lifetime maintenance for PLiM
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Watson, P.; Dam, R.; Nickerson, J.
2004-01-01
A comprehensive Plant Life Management (PLiM) program involves evaluating a large amount of information. For any plant, there are numerous maintenance, surveillance and inspection programs for the important systems, structures and components. There is extensive industry experience on component failure modes, degradation mechanisms and recommended maintenance practices. This information forms the basis of the aging assessment work, through which improvements to these plant programs are identified. AECL has developed several tools to manage the quantities of information required in aging assessment studies, such as the SYSTMS (SYtematic approach for the development of STrategy for Maintenance and Surveillance) tool and the System Maintenance Datastore (SMD). The SMD has been developed to serve as a hub to a Systematic based Adaptive Maintenance Program (SAMP), by storing maintenance resource requirements for recommended maintenance tasks for use by the other processes in a SAMP. The SMD can be used to (a) quantify the savings or cost of optimising a maintenance program, (b) characterize and understand long term trends in condition-based maintenance due to component aging, (c) quantify the resource savings due to optimum timing of component replacement or general plant refurbishment, and (d) provide aging assessment cost information for input to plant asset evaluation. The SMD contains data for regular maintenance program tasks, plant condition assessment recommendations, and equipment refurbishment costs. A prototype SMD has been developed with data tables populated with information from operating CANDU stations. The SMD is now available to be used either with a SYSTMS evaluation or with a plant's database of maintenance tasks. (author)
An Enhanced Preventive Maintenance Optimization Model Based on a Three-Stage Failure Process
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ruifeng Yang
2015-01-01
Full Text Available Nuclear power plants are highly complex systems and the issues related to their safety are of primary importance. Probabilistic safety assessment is regarded as the most widespread methodology for studying the safety of nuclear power plants. As maintenance is one of the most important factors for affecting the reliability and safety, an enhanced preventive maintenance optimization model based on a three-stage failure process is proposed. Preventive maintenance is still a dominant maintenance policy due to its easy implementation. In order to correspond to the three-color scheme commonly used in practice, the lifetime of system before failure is divided into three stages, namely, normal, minor defective, and severe defective stages. When the minor defective stage is identified, two measures are considered for comparison: one is that halving the inspection interval only when the minor defective stage is identified at the first time; the other one is that if only identifying the minor defective stage, the subsequent inspection interval is halved. Maintenance is implemented immediately once the severe defective stage is identified. Minimizing the expected cost per unit time is our objective function to optimize the inspection interval. Finally, a numerical example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed models.
PF-WFS Shell Inspection Update December 2016
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Vigil, Anthony Eugene [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Ledoux, Reina Rebecca [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Gonzales, Antonio R. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Montano, Joshua Daniel [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Savage, Lowell Curtis [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Randles, Wayne Alfred [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
2017-01-26
Since the last project update in FY16:Q2, PF-WFS personnel have advanced in understanding of shell inspection on Coordinate Measuring Machines {CMM} and refined the PF-WFS process to the point it was decided to convert shell inspection from the Sheffield #1 gage to Lietz CM Ms. As a part of introspection on the quality of this process many sets of data have been reviewed and analyzed. This analysis included Sheffield to CMM comparisons, CMM inspection repeatability, fixturing differences, quality check development, probing approach changes. This update report will touch on these improvements that have built the confidence in this process to mainstream it inspecting shells. In addition to the CMM programming advancements, the continuation in refinement of input and outputs for the CMM program has created an archiving scheme, input spline files, an output metafile, and inspection report package. This project will continue to mature. Part designs may require program modifications to accommodate "new to this process" part designs. Technology limitations tied to security and performance are requiring possible changes to computer configurations to support an automated process.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Graeber, U.
2003-01-01
The optimisation of maintenance activities observed in recent years can be attributed above all to the use and continuing development of testing and diagnostic techniques, to the increased level of system and component automation and to more efficient work organisation. Despite the considerable success of these efforts, the potential for further cost reductions is still far from exhausted. The risks connected to reliability, availability and safety need to be analysed in greater detail in order to ensure the sustainability of the savings already achieved as well as those yet to be realised. The systematic application of condition-based maintenance and the introduction of structured life cycle management are essential prerequisites. Within the framework of its ''Condition-Based Maintenance in Power Engineering'' research focus, the Energy Research Centre (ZES) has set up a specialist network in which experts from various institutes belonging to the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Informatic, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology can develop interdisciplinary solutions for advanced maintenance strategies. The ZES offers the industry a platform for cooperating on current issues relating to the supply of energy and supports the movement towards sustainable improvements to competitiveness through research and consulting activities. It applies professional project and quality management procedures to ensure that contracts covering interdisciplinary topics and projects are handled in a coherent manner. (orig.)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Numano, Masayoshi; Niwa, Yasuyuki; Itoh, Hiroko; Miyazaki, Keiko; Fukuto, Junji; Okazaki, Tadatsugi; Matsukura, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Kunihiko; Matsuoka, Takeshi; Liu, Qiao; Mitomo, Nobuo
2006-01-01
'Development of Intelligent Systems Technology for Advanced Human Cooperative Plants' was implemented as 'Nuclear Energy Fundamentals Crossover Research' by 3 institutes (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research; RIKEN, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology; AIST and National Maritime Research Institute; NMRI). Aiming at appropriate interaction between human and agents in Digital Maintenance Field which spreads widely in time and space, NMRI developed technologies on contraction of plant information, generalization and intuition of the information through visual presentation. Intuitive presentation gave on-site information for identifying the source of abnormalities to human operators. And a human-machine cooperation infrastructure for plant maintenance was proposed and developed, where an overview display was used to show position and state information of all the agents in the plant and each agent view was used to show the corresponding agent's information in detail. A part of this technology was implemented in a demonstration program. Two agents were developed to support human operators' plant maintenance activities in this program. This demonstration showed the effectiveness of human-agent cooperation for early plant abnormality detection. (author)
ARCHER-Advanced System for RPVH Inspection and Repair
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tomasic, Tomislav; Vukovic, Igor; Bakic, Ante
2014-01-01
The reactor pressure vessel head (RPVH) is an integral part of the reactor coolant pressure boundary. Its integrity is important for the safe and reliable operation of the nuclear power plant (NPP). After detection of the leakage and cracks in French NPP, followed by another that occurred in NPP in USA, methods and frequency of inspection were defined, and are strictly regulated by the US NRC Order EA-03-009 (substituted lately by ASME Code Case N-791-1) since 2003. Usual scope of inspection from inner side of RPVH comprises of visual inspection of the surface, ultrasonic testing (UT) and eddy current testing (ET) of the penetration nozzle and ET of the J-groove weld and nozzle outside surface below the weld. ARCHER, new INETEC's manipulator, is designed to provide full scope inspection of the RPVH, by use of various test modules and by performing the surface repair action on J-groove weld. It is adjustable to work with different types of penetration nozzles and thermal sleeves on both VVER and PWR type of NPP. Due to complex geometry each module is specially designed for particular type of examination. Modules are exchanged through the docking system without need for personnel to enter under the head region, thus reducing the personnel's exposure to the ionizing radiation. The end effectors are used to determine the surface flaws or cracks on inner diameter surface of penetration nozzle gap. It guides a slim sword-like probe which carries a pair of TOFD transducers for detection and sizing of circumferential and axial cracks, an eddy current cross-wounded coil, and a zero-degree UT probe through a gap between the penetration nozzle and thermal sleeve. In case of a non-sleeved penetration nozzle, an open housing module is used. J-groove module is designed to fit geometry of the J-groove weld of penetration nozzle, vent pipe and funnel guide. The whole weld area (2' mm on shell side and 1/2' on nozzle side) is covered by two specially designed
Value centric approaches to the design, operations and maintenance of wind turbines
Khadabadi, Madhur Aravind
Wind turbine maintenance is emerging as an unexpectedly high component of turbine operating cost, and there is an increasing interest in managing this cost. This thesis presents an alternative view of maintenance as a value-driver, and develops an optimization algorithm to evaluate the value delivered by different maintenance techniques. I view maintenance as an operation that moves the turbine to an improved state in which it can generate more power and, thus, earn more revenue. To implement this approach, I model the stochastic deterioration of the turbine in two dimensions: the deterioration rate, and the extent of deterioration, and then use maintenance to improve the state of the turbine. The value of the turbine is the difference between the revenue from to the power generation and the costs incurred in operation and maintenance. With a focus on blade deterioration, I evaluate the value delivered by implementing two different maintenance schemes, predictive maintenance and scheduled maintenance. An example of predictive maintenance technique is the use of Condition Monitoring Systems to precisely detect deterioration. I model Condition Monitoring System (CMS) of different degrees of fidelity, where a higher fidelity CMS would allow the blade state to be determined with a higher precision. The same model is then applied for the scheduled maintenance technique. The improved state information obtained from these techniques is then used to derive an optimal maintenance strategy. The difference between the value of the turbine with and without the inspection type can be interpreted as the value of the inspection. The results indicate that a higher fidelity (and more expensive) inspection method does not necessarily yield the highest value, and, that there is an optimal level of fidelity that results in maximum value. The results also aim to inform the operator of the impact of regional parameters such as wind speed, variance and maintenance costs to the optimal
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sekimura, Naoto
2006-01-01
The major research and development fields for ageing management of complex systems such as nuclear power plants are categorized into the following 4 items; 1) research and development of technologies for inspection, evaluation and repair in the components and materials, 2) engineering information systems, 3) development of codes and standards and 4) synthesized maintenance engineering. The 'synthesized maintenance engineering' field includes methodologies for optimum combination for inspection, maintenance actions and cost, definition of importance of components for maintenance, and performance indicates of a power plant system. Studying and learning these systematic approaches is also indicated in the Road Map as one of the important issues for collaboration of industries, regulatory bodies and universities to keep leading engineers and to improve regulatory systems. (author)
Enhanced InService Inspection system for BWR plant
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shouji, Hajime; Kobayashi, Teruo; Nagao, Tetsuya
1993-01-01
An enhanced InService Inspection system (ISI) has been developed, consisting of newly designed automated scanners, automated pipe inspection system and a high speed data acquisition/analysis station. This system uses a trackless magnetic crawler type nozzle inspection scanner attached to the nozzle shoulder by magnetic wheels. The automated pipe inspection system consists of an automated scanner, controller and high speed data acquisition station. These advanced automatic inspection systems are very useful for ISI, especially in reducing the radiation exposure and time required. (author)
Risk based maintenance to increase safety and decrease costs
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Phillips, J.H.
2000-01-01
Risk-Based techniques have been developed for commercial nuclear power plants for the last eight years by a team working through the ASME Center for Research and Technology Development (CRTD). System boundaries and success criteria is defined using the Probabilistic Risk Analysis or Probabilistic Safety Analysis developed to meet the Individual Plant Evaluation. Final ranking of components is by a plant expert panel similar to the one developed for the Maintenance Rule. Components are identified as being high risk-significant or low risk-significant. Maintenance and resources are focused on those components that have the highest risk-significance. The techniques have been developed and applied at a number of plants. Results from the first risk-based inspection pilot plant indicates safety due to pipe failure can be doubled while the inspection reduced to about 80% when compared with current inspection programs. Pilot studies on risk-based testing indicate that about 60% of pumps and 25 to 30% of valves in plants are high safety-significant The reduction in inspection and testing reduces the person-rem exposure and resulting in further increases in safety. These techniques have been documented in publications by the ASME CRTD which are referenced. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Dubord, R.M.
1993-05-01
Maintenance and inspection at nuclear power plants consumes a large portion of a utility's resources, making resource allocation for such procedures vital. The NRC Maintenance Rule, due to be implemented in July of 1996, requires utilities to select systems, structures, and components (SSCS) important to safety and to develop a monitoring program to ensure that these SSCs are capable of fulfilling their intended functions. In light of these concerns, two ratios were developed to compare the risk significance of individual components with the amount of plant staff time, or burden, associated with inspecting the component. These risk/burden ratios point out existing disparities between current inspection practices and safety concerns. These ratios can be used to develop new inspection schedules constituting a more equitable risk to burden distribution
Inspection, maintenance and voyage repair experiene during 10 years operation of the N.S. Savannah
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jackson, E.L. Jr.
1978-01-01
This paper covers the development and performance of annual inspections on the N.S. Savannah over a 10 year period. Modifications and revisions to the inspection criteria were made during this period without sacrificing the safe performance of the reactor plant. The inspection experience gained during this period provides a information for future safe nuclear ship operations
Optimal maintenance of a multi-unit system under dependencies
Sung, Ho-Joon
The availability, or reliability, of an engineering component greatly influences the operational cost and safety characteristics of a modern system over its life-cycle. Until recently, the reliance on past empirical data has been the industry-standard practice to develop maintenance policies that provide the minimum level of system reliability. Because such empirically-derived policies are vulnerable to unforeseen or fast-changing external factors, recent advancements in the study of topic on maintenance, which is known as optimal maintenance problem, has gained considerable interest as a legitimate area of research. An extensive body of applicable work is available, ranging from those concerned with identifying maintenance policies aimed at providing required system availability at minimum possible cost, to topics on imperfect maintenance of multi-unit system under dependencies. Nonetheless, these existing mathematical approaches to solve for optimal maintenance policies must be treated with caution when considered for broader applications, as they are accompanied by specialized treatments to ease the mathematical derivation of unknown functions in both objective function and constraint for a given optimal maintenance problem. These unknown functions are defined as reliability measures in this thesis, and theses measures (e.g., expected number of failures, system renewal cycle, expected system up time, etc.) do not often lend themselves to possess closed-form formulas. It is thus quite common to impose simplifying assumptions on input probability distributions of components' lifetime or repair policies. Simplifying the complex structure of a multi-unit system to a k-out-of-n system by neglecting any sources of dependencies is another commonly practiced technique intended to increase the mathematical tractability of a particular model. This dissertation presents a proposal for an alternative methodology to solve optimal maintenance problems by aiming to achieve the
Information managing in 60Co container inspection system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Wu Zhifang; Gu Bohua; Zhou Liye; An Jigang; Liu Yisi
1998-01-01
The design, maintenance and realization of information managing database in 60 Co container inspection system made by INET of Tsinghua University is introduced. The technique of Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is adopted to develop a general format database including text and graphic information. The database application is developed with Visual C ++ 5.0 programming language to run in 32-bit Windows operation system. It conforms to Client/Server model and supports network communication. It works very well in the laboratory emulator of 60 Co container inspection system
Equipment and special tool design for remote maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Northey, L.M.; Thomson, J.D.
1985-01-01
Maintenance tasks performed in locations with hostile environments and/or limited space accesses often require equipment that is operated remotely. This paper discusses considerations that should be addressed in the design of remote maintenance equipment. Some of the topics include proper material selection, interface identifications, operational feedback devices and cost limitations. These considerations add ''human engineering'' to the equipment design to assure protection of the tool and the operating personnel. Examples of remote maintenance and inspection systems that were developed by the Westinghouse Hanford Company and that utilize many of these design considerations are included
Advanced In-Service Inspection Approaches Applied to the Phenix Fast Breeder Reactor
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Guidez, J.; Martin, L.; Dupraz, R.
2006-01-01
The safety upgrading of the Phenix plant undertaken between 1994 and 1997 involved a vast inspection programme of the reactor, the external storage drum and the secondary sodium circuits in order to meet the requirements of the defence-in-depth safety approach. The three lines of defence were analysed for every safety related component: demonstration of the quality of design and construction, appropriate in-service inspection and controlling the consequences of an accident. The in-service reactor block inspection programme consisted in controlling the core support structures and the high-temperature elements. Despite the fact that limited consideration had been given to inspection constraints during the design stage of the reactor in the 1960's, as compared to more recent reactor projects such as the European Fast Reactor (EFR), all the core support line elements were able to be inspected. The three following main operations are described: Ultrasonic inspection of the upper hangers of the main vessel, using small transducers able to withstand temperatures of 130 deg. C, Inspection of the conical shell supporting the core dia-grid. A specific ultrasonic method and a special implementation technique were used to control the under sodium structure welds, located up to several meters away from the scan surface. Remote inspection of the hot pool structures, particularly the core cover plug after partial sodium drainage of the reactor vessel. Other inspections are also summarized: control of secondary sodium circuit piping, intermediate heat exchangers, primary sodium pumps, steam generator units and external storage drum. The pool type reactor concept, developed in France since the 1960's, presents several favourable safety and operational features. The feedback from the Phenix plant also shows real potential for in-service inspection. The design of future generation IV sodium fast reactors will benefit from the experience acquired from the Phenix plant. (authors)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Gallardo-Lancho gonzalez, J. F.
2010-07-01
In recent years, development has addressed Enusa a second generation robot for automatic inspection of tablets incorporating the following advances: more advanced systems that improve vision quality inspection equipment, conducting the inspection in line with the grinding operation, increased productivity of the inspection process to be unnecessary pills buildup in trays and lay-out of the most rational equipment allowing cleaning it easier and faster. This second generation machine is already part of the automatic inspection equipment developed by Enusa and is an example of the ongoing commitment to the development Enusa and innovation in nuclear technology.
Utility based maintenance analysis using a Random Sign censoring model
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Andres Christen, J.; Ruggeri, Fabrizio; Villa, Enrique
2011-01-01
Industrial systems subject to failures are usually inspected when there are evident signs of an imminent failure. Maintenance is therefore performed at a random time, somehow dependent on the failure mechanism. A competing risk model, namely a Random Sign model, is considered to relate failure and maintenance times. We propose a novel Bayesian analysis of the model and apply it to actual data from a water pump in an oil refinery. The design of an optimal maintenance policy is then discussed under a formal decision theoretic approach, analyzing the goodness of the current maintenance policy and making decisions about the optimal maintenance time.
Advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR). Design, construction, operation and maintenance experience
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Idesawa, M.
1998-01-01
The ABWR has experienced all phases of design, construction, operation and maintenance at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station Units No.6 and 7 and confirmed that originally intended development targets have been achieved with highly satisfactory results. This is the fruit of a project that collected wisdom from various sources under a international cooperative organization, with Tokyo Electric Power Company taking the leading role from the onset. These two units have not only demonstrated that ABWRs have superior performance as the first standard units of advanced light water reactor but also aroused a hope for the big potential advantages that ABWRs can provide us. The ABWR has already been awarded a U.S. standard license for having proved that it can comply with the requirements of international regulatory systems with an ample margin. There are also many construction programs with ABWRs progressing both domestically and abroad, suggesting that it has won recognition as an international standard plant. We will do our utmost to perfect the operation and maintenance records of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Units No.6 and 7, which is the top runner among ABWRs, and to make known the superiority of this reactor to the world. (J.P.N.)
Residual life management. Maintenance improvement
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sainero Garcia, J.; Hevia Ruperez, F.
1995-01-01
The terms Residual Life Management, Life Cycle Management and Long-Term Management are synonymous with a concept which aims to establish efficient maintenance for the profitable and safe operation of a power plant for as long as possible. A Residual Life Management programme comprises a number of stages, of which Maintenance Evaluation focuses on how power plant maintenance practices allow the mitigation and control of component ageing. with this objective in mind, a methodology has been developed for the analysis of potential degradative phenomena acting on critical components in terms of normal power plant maintenance practices. This methodology applied to maintenance evaluation enables the setting out of a maintenance programme based on the Life Management concept, and the programme's subsequent up-dating to allow for new techniques and methods. Initial applications have shown that although, in general terms, power plant maintenance is efficient, the way in which Residual Life Management is approached requires changes in maintenance practices. These changes range from modifications to existing inspection and surveillance methods or the establishment of new ones, to the monitoring of trends or the performance of additional studies, the purpose of which is to provide an accurate evaluation of the condition of the installations and the possibility of life extension. (Author)
Opinions of the well-informed persons about the nuclear reactor facility periodical inspection
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Aeba, Yoichi; Ishikawa, Michio; Enomoto, Toshiaki; Oomori, Katsuyoshi
2005-01-01
Falsifications of self-inspection records in the shrouds and of leakage rates for containment vessels at TEPCO nuclear power plants destroyed public trust in nuclear safety. The Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law and Electric Utility Law were amended to enhance the nuclear safety regulation system. The major improvements are that operators are legally required to conduct inspection (periodical operator inspection) and recording and keeping inspection results. The operator performs 'periodical operator inspection' regularly, and Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) performs periodical inspection' about particularly important facilities/function in safety. Sixteen opinions of well-informed persons about the nuclear reactor facility periodical inspection were presented in this special number. Interval of periodical inspection less than thirteen months was disputed. Maintenance activities should be more rationalized based on risk information. (T. Tanaka)
Advanced monitoring, fault diagnostics, and maintenance of cryogenic systems
Girone, Mario; Pezzetti, Marco
In this Thesis, advanced methods and techniques of monitoring, fault diagnostics, and predictive maintenance for cryogenic processes and systems are described. In particular, in Chapter 1, mainstreams in research on measurement systems for cryogenic processes are reviewed with the aim of dening key current trends and possible future evolutions. Then, in Chapter 2, several innovative methods are proposed. A transducer based on a virtual ow meter is presented for monitoring helium distribution and consumption in cryogenic systems for particle accelerators [1]. Furthermore, a comprehensive metrological analysis of the proposed transducer for verifying the metrological performance and pointing out most critical uncertainty sources is described [2]. A model-based method for fault detection and early-stage isolation, able to work with few records of Frequency Response Function (FRF) on an unfaulty compressor, is then proposed [3]. To enrich the proposal, a distributed diagnostic procedure, based on a micro-genetic...
Risk-Based Operation and Maintenance Planning for Offshore Wind Turbines
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nielsen, Jannie Jessen; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
2010-01-01
Operation and maintenance (O&M) are large contributors to the cost of energy for offshore wind turbines. Optimal planning of O&M should include use of inspections and monitoring results to make decisions that minimize the expected costs through the lifetime of the structures. For offshore...... structures it is especially important because of the dependence on weather windows for inspections and repairs to be possible. A model has been developed to estimate the expected costs to corrective and condition based maintenance for a wind turbine with a single component. The deterioration of the component...... is simulated, and the expected costs are found for different strategies. An application example shows that condition based maintenance has the potential of reducing the costs, and a risk based approach can be used to find the optimal strategy for O&M. Further the influence of failure rate and damage parameters...
Optical surface contouring for non-destructive inspection of turbomachinery
Modarress, Dariush; Schaack, David F.
1994-03-01
Detection of stress cracks and other surface defects during maintenance and in-service inspection of propulsion system components, including turbine blades and combustion compartments, is presently performed visually. There is a need for a non-contact, miniaturized, and fully fieldable instrument that may be used as an automated inspection tool for inspection of aircraft engines. During this SBIR Phase 1 program, the feasibility of a ruggedized optical probe for automatic and nondestructive inspection of complex shaped objects will be established. Through a careful analysis of the measurement requirements, geometrical and optical constraints, and consideration of issues such as manufacturability, compactness, simplicity, and cost, one or more conceptual optical designs will be developed. The proposed concept will be further developed and a prototype will be fabricated during Phase 2.
American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia
2003-01-01
1.1 This practice covers installation, inspection, and maintenance of valve body cavity pressure relief methods for valves used in geothermal and other high-temperature liquid service. The valve type covered by this practice is a design with an isolated body cavity such that when the valve is in either the open or closed position pressure is trapped in the isolated cavity, and there is no provision to relieve the excess pressure internally. 1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1985-01-01
Separate abstracts were prepared for the papers presented in the following topical sessions: (1) Formal Availability Improvement Programs; (2) Maintenance Aids and Diagnostics; (3) Nuclear Plant Inspection and Testing; (4) Secondary Cycle Improvement to Programs; (5) Recent Plant Experiences; (6) Training, Research, and Test Reactors; (7) Impact of Plant Maintenance on Availability; (8) Intragranular Stress Corrosion Cracking: Repair, Inspection, and Mitigating Techniques; (9) Availability Improvement - Recent Development and Trends; (10) Water Chemistry and Corrosion Control; and (11) ALARA: Experiences with Dose Reduction
Probabilistic Fatigue Life Updating for Railway Bridges Based on Local Inspection and Repair.
Lee, Young-Joo; Kim, Robin E; Suh, Wonho; Park, Kiwon
2017-04-24
Railway bridges are exposed to repeated train loads, which may cause fatigue failure. As critical links in a transportation network, railway bridges are expected to survive for a target period of time, but sometimes they fail earlier than expected. To guarantee the target bridge life, bridge maintenance activities such as local inspection and repair should be undertaken properly. However, this is a challenging task because there are various sources of uncertainty associated with aging bridges, train loads, environmental conditions, and maintenance work. Therefore, to perform optimal risk-based maintenance of railway bridges, it is essential to estimate the probabilistic fatigue life of a railway bridge and update the life information based on the results of local inspections and repair. Recently, a system reliability approach was proposed to evaluate the fatigue failure risk of structural systems and update the prior risk information in various inspection scenarios. However, this approach can handle only a constant-amplitude load and has limitations in considering a cyclic load with varying amplitude levels, which is the major loading pattern generated by train traffic. In addition, it is not feasible to update the prior risk information after bridges are repaired. In this research, the system reliability approach is further developed so that it can handle a varying-amplitude load and update the system-level risk of fatigue failure for railway bridges after inspection and repair. The proposed method is applied to a numerical example of an in-service railway bridge, and the effects of inspection and repair on the probabilistic fatigue life are discussed.
30 CFR 250.516 - Blowout preventer system tests, inspections, and maintenance.
2010-07-01
... seal in the wellhead or BOP stack assembly; (e) Postponing BOP tests. You may postpone a BOP test if... sea conditions permit. You may use television cameras to inspect this equipment. The District Manager...
Analysis and modeling of rail maintenance costs
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Amir Ali Bakhshi
2012-01-01
Full Text Available Railroad maintenance engineering plays an important role on availability of roads and reducing the cost of railroad incidents. Rail is of the most important parts of railroad industry, which needs regular maintenance since it covers a significant part of total maintenance cost. Any attempt on optimizing total cost of maintenance could substantially reduce the cost of railroad system and it can reduce total cost of the industry. The paper presents a new method to estimate the cost of rail failure using different cost components such as cost of inspection and cost of risk associated with possible accidents. The proposed model of this paper is used for a real-world case study of railroad transportation of Tehran region and the results have been analyzed.
Remote maintenance in the building of the reactor of power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bonin, R.
1984-01-01
Examples describing the different operations requiring remote control for reactor maintenance are given. These operations include: refueling machines (for closure stud, vessel flange cleaning, screwing plug for channel head, swimming pool decontamination) in-service inspection machines (MIS, spider for eddy current testing of steam generator, television) and routine or accidental maintenance (leak detection in water boxes, maintenance spider, opening or closing primary manways, decontamination manipulators and various automatic control devices) [fr
The EBR-II steam generating system - operation, maintenance, and inspection
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Buschman, H.W.; Penney, W.H.; Longua, K.J.
2002-01-01
The Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II) has operated for 20 years at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory near Idaho Falls. EBR-II is a Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) with integrated power producing capability. EBR-II has operated at a capacity factor over 70% in the past few years. Superheated steam is produced by eight natural circulation evaporators, two superheaters, and a conventional steam drum. Steam throttle conditions are 438 C and 8.62 MPa. The designs of the evaporators and superheaters are essentially identical; both are counterflow units with low pressure nonradioactive sodium on the shell side. During the 20 years of operation, components of the steam generator have been subjected to a variety of inspections including visual, dimensional, and ultrasonic. One superheater was removed from service because of anomalous performance and was replaced with an evaporator which was removed, examined, and converted into a superheater. Overall operating experience of the system has been excellent and essentially trouble free. Inspections have not revealed any conditions that are performance or life limiting. (author)
Method and apparatus for inspecting tires
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fox, R.L.T.
1975-01-01
A method and apparatus for inspecting tires by the use of x-rays is disclosed in which a tire is advanced to an inspection station, engaged along opposite bead rims and inflated to axially spread the bead rims and side walls. An x-ray source is advanced axially into the tire and the tire is eccentrically rotated relative to the x-ray source to enable radial positioning of the source relative to the tire near the tire bead rim diameter without requiring radial movement of the x-ray source. The x-ray source produces an x-ray beam which sweeps about the interior of the expanded tire from bead rim to bead rim while the tire is rotated about its centerline. An x-ray detection system detects x-rays which have penetrated the wall and produces inspection information concerning the tire construction. (Patent Office Record)
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hamid A.H.A
2014-03-01
Full Text Available Buildings will be weary, decaying and dirty as time goes by; but with highquality maintenance management we can prolong the life-span of building, provide building services and keep the building performance at its ultimate level. The importance of carrying out a systematic and routine maintenance is to conserve building performance. However, this task is often neglected due to various factors including misunderstanding the needs of the maintenance works and lack of budget allocation. This paper highlights the current practice of maintenance management that are being implemented in 6 office buildings located in Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Kedah and Pulau Pinang. Using the responses of questionnaire answered by 150 respondents employed from these selected offices, personal interviews and visual inspection the following findings were made: the occupants were satisfied with the maintenance management of their buildings elements and the delivery characteristics of maintenance works. Visual inspection however showed that some elements are not in a good condition. In conclusion, some recommendations are made to improve the existing system including the establishment of a maintenance plan, selection of experienced contractors and the provision of a service desk.
Remote repair and inspection technics in Tokai reprocessing plant
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Koyama, Kenji; Ishibashi, Yuzo; Otani, Yosikuni
1986-01-01
Tokai reprocessing plant of Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. is the only factory in Japan which treats 0.7 t/day of the spent fuel from LWR power stations and recovers remaining uranium and newly produced plutonium. Since the reprocessing plant started the hot test in September, 1977, about eight years have elapsed, and 233 t of spent fuel was treated as of August, 1985. During this period, the development of various remote working techniques have been carried out to cope with the failure of equipment and to strengthen the preventive maintenance of equipment. In this report, the development of the techniques for the remote repair of leaking dissolving tanks and the development of the remote inspection system for confirming the soundness of equipment in cells are described. In nuclear facilities, from the viewpoint of the reduction of radiation exposure accompanying the works under high radiation, labor saving, the increase of capacity factor by shortening the period of repair works, the improvement of safety and reliability of the facilities by perfecting checkup and inspection and so on, it is strongly desired to put robots in practical use for maintenance and inspection. (Kako, I.)
POST-CLOSURE INSPECTION REPORT FOR THE TONOPAH TEST RANGE, NEVADA, FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2004
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
BECHTEL NEVADA
2005-04-01
This Post-Closure Inspection Report provides an analysis and summary of the semi-annual inspections conducted at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) during Calendar Year 2004. The report includes the inspection and/or repair activities completed at the following nine Corrective Action Units (CAUs) located at TTR, Nevada: (1) CAU 400: Bomblet Pit and Five Points Landfill (TTR); (2) CAU 404: Roller Coaster Lagoons and Trench (TTR); (3) CAU 407: Roller Coaster RadSafe Area (TTR); (4) CAU 423: Area 3 Underground Discharge Point, Building 0360 (TTR) (5) CAU 424: Area 3 Landfill Complexes (TTR); (6) CAU 426: Cactus Spring Waste Trenches (TTR); (7) CAU 427: Area 3 Septic Waste Systems 2,6 (TTR); (8) CAU 453: Area 9 UXO Landfill (TTR); and (9) CAU 487: Thunderwell Site (TTR). Site inspections were conducted on July 7,2004, and November 9-10,2004. All inspections were conducted according to the post-closure plans in the approved Closure Reports (CRs). The post-closure inspection plan for each CAU is included in Appendix B, with the exception of CAU 400 and CAU 423. CAU 400 does not require post-closure inspections, but inspections of the vegetation and fencing are conducted as a best management practice. In addition, post-closure inspections are not currently required at CAU 423; however, the CR is being revised to include inspection requirements. The inspection checklists for each site inspection are included in Appendix C, the field notes are included in Appendix D, and the site photographs are included in Appendix E. Vegetation monitoring of CAU 400, CAU 404, CAU 407, and CAU 426 was performed in June 2004, and the vegetation monitoring report is included in Appendix F. In addition, topographic survey results of two repaired landfill cells in CAU 424 are included in Appendix G. Maintenance and/or repairs were performed at the CAU 400 Five Points Landfill, CAU 407, CAU 424, CAU 427, and CAU 487. CAU 400 repairs included mending the fence, reseeding of a flood damaged area, and
Computer-aided ultrasonic inspection of steam turbine rotors
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Mayer, K H; Weber, M; Weiss, M [GEC ALSTHOM Energie GmbH, Nuremberg (Germany)
1999-12-31
As the output and economic value of power plants increase, the detection and sizing of the type of flaws liable to occur in the rotors of turbines using ultrasonic methods assumes increasing importance. An ultrasonic inspection carried out at considerable expense is expected to bring to light all safety-relevant flaws and to enable their size to be determined so as to permit a fracture-mechanics analysis to assess the reliability of the rotor under all possible stresses arising in operation with a high degree of accuracy. The advanced computer-aided ultrasonic inspection of steam turbine rotors have improved reliability, accuracy and reproducibility of ultrasonic inspection. Further, there has been an improvement in the resolution of resolvable group indications by applying reconstruction and imagine methods. In general, it is also true for the advanced computer-aided ultrasonic inspection methods that, in the case of flaw-affected forgings, automated data acquisition provides a substantial rationalization and a significant documentation of the results for the fracture mechanics assessment compared to manual inspection. (orig.) 8 refs.
Computer-aided ultrasonic inspection of steam turbine rotors
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Mayer, K.H.; Weber, M.; Weiss, M. [GEC ALSTHOM Energie GmbH, Nuremberg (Germany)
1998-12-31
As the output and economic value of power plants increase, the detection and sizing of the type of flaws liable to occur in the rotors of turbines using ultrasonic methods assumes increasing importance. An ultrasonic inspection carried out at considerable expense is expected to bring to light all safety-relevant flaws and to enable their size to be determined so as to permit a fracture-mechanics analysis to assess the reliability of the rotor under all possible stresses arising in operation with a high degree of accuracy. The advanced computer-aided ultrasonic inspection of steam turbine rotors have improved reliability, accuracy and reproducibility of ultrasonic inspection. Further, there has been an improvement in the resolution of resolvable group indications by applying reconstruction and imagine methods. In general, it is also true for the advanced computer-aided ultrasonic inspection methods that, in the case of flaw-affected forgings, automated data acquisition provides a substantial rationalization and a significant documentation of the results for the fracture mechanics assessment compared to manual inspection. (orig.) 8 refs.
Role of erlotinib in first-line and maintenance treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Noemí Reguart
2010-06-01
Full Text Available Noemí Reguart1, Andrés Felipe Cardona2, Rafael Rosell31Medical Oncology Service, ICMHO, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; 2Clinical and Translational Oncology Group, Institute of Oncology, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia; 3Medical Oncology Service, Catalan Institute of Oncology, ICO, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, SpainAbstract: Erlotinib hydrochloride (Tarceva® is a member of a class of small molecule inhibitors that targets the tyrosine kinase domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, with anti-tumor activity in preclinical models. Erlotinib represents a new-generation of agents known as “targeted therapies” designed to act upon cancer cells by interfering with aberrant specific activated pathways needed for tumor growth, angiogenesis and cell survival. Since its approval in November 2004 for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC after the failure of at least one prior chemotherapy regimen and with a view to improving patients’ outcomes and prevent symptoms, the scientific community has evaluated the potential role of erlotinib in other scenarios such as in maintenance therapy and, in first-line setting for a selected population based on biological markers of response such as mutations of the EGFR. The convenient once-a-day pill administration and the good toxicity profile of erlotinib make it a reasonable candidate for testing in this context. This report provides a review of the role of erlotinib therapy in advanced NSCLC. It summarizes current data and perspectives of erlotinib in upfront treatment and maintenance for advanced NSCLC as well as looking at candidate biomarkers of response to these new targeted-agents.Keywords: erlotinib, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, first line, maintenance, non-small-cell lung cancer
Optimal maintenance policy incorporating system level and unit level for mechanical systems
Duan, Chaoqun; Deng, Chao; Wang, Bingran
2018-04-01
The study works on a multi-level maintenance policy combining system level and unit level under soft and hard failure modes. The system experiences system-level preventive maintenance (SLPM) when the conditional reliability of entire system exceeds SLPM threshold, and also undergoes a two-level maintenance for each single unit, which is initiated when a single unit exceeds its preventive maintenance (PM) threshold, and the other is performed simultaneously the moment when any unit is going for maintenance. The units experience both periodic inspections and aperiodic inspections provided by failures of hard-type units. To model the practical situations, two types of economic dependence have been taken into account, which are set-up cost dependence and maintenance expertise dependence due to the same technology and tool/equipment can be utilised. The optimisation problem is formulated and solved in a semi-Markov decision process framework. The objective is to find the optimal system-level threshold and unit-level thresholds by minimising the long-run expected average cost per unit time. A formula for the mean residual life is derived for the proposed multi-level maintenance policy. The method is illustrated by a real case study of feed subsystem from a boring machine, and a comparison with other policies demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach.
Maintenance of the Hanford cone penetrometer platform during fiscal year 1999
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
IWATATE, D.F.
1998-01-01
This SOW describes services requested of Applied Research and Associates, Inc. (ARA), as a commercial provider of cone penetrometer equipment and services, to provide routine inspection and minimum preventive maintenance on the Hanford CP Platform (CPP) during Fiscal Year 1999. This SOW specifically pertains to the maintenance of the CPP and associated support equipment and is limited in scope to routine preventive maintenance and identification of any deficiencies. ARA is the original manufacturer of the CPP and will conduct this work following the vendor-prepared maintenance schedule
Quality assurance inspections in the transportation packaging supplier industry
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jankovich, J.P.
1991-01-01
In this paper the quality assurance inspections of the transportation packaging supplier industry, conducted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on a routine basis since 1989 are discussed. The term supplier is used to include designers, fabricators, and distributors that hold NRC approved Quality Assurance Programs and Certificates of Compliance for packagings to transport radioactive materials. The objective of the inspections is to provide assurance that transportation packagings are fabricated and procured in accordance with 10 CFR Parts 21 and 71 requirements. The inspections are conducted in a systematic and comprehensive manner, utilizing uniform inspection techniques in order to assure uniformity and comparability. During the April 1989 and May 1991 period approximately 21 inspections were conducted by the Transportation Branch, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards of the NRC. The majority of the findings were identified in the areas of quality assurance procedures, control of special processes (e.g. welding, radiography), and maintenance of QA records
Results from a new 193nm die-to-database reticle inspection platform
Broadbent, William H.; Alles, David S.; Giusti, Michael T.; Kvamme, Damon F.; Shi, Rui-fang; Sousa, Weston L.; Walsh, Robert; Xiong, Yalin
2010-05-01
A new 193nm wavelength high resolution reticle defect inspection platform has been developed for both die-to-database and die-to-die inspection modes. In its initial configuration, this innovative platform has been designed to meet the reticle qualification requirements of the IC industry for the 22nm logic and 3xhp memory generations (and shrinks) with planned extensions to the next generation. The 22nm/3xhp IC generation includes advanced 193nm optical lithography using conventional RET, advanced computational lithography, and double patterning. Further, EUV pilot line lithography is beginning. This advanced 193nm inspection platform has world-class performance and the capability to meet these diverse needs in optical and EUV lithography. The architecture of the new 193nm inspection platform is described. Die-to-database inspection results are shown on a variety of reticles from industry sources; these reticles include standard programmed defect test reticles, as well as advanced optical and EUV product and product-like reticles. Results show high sensitivity and low false and nuisance detections on complex optical reticle designs and small feature size EUV reticles. A direct comparison with the existing industry standard 257nm wavelength inspection system shows measurable sensitivity improvement for small feature sizes
Development of the pellet grinding and inspection system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Yamaguchi, Toshihiro; Kawasaki, Takao; Inui, Toshihiko; Yamada, Hiroyuki.
1996-01-01
The pellet grinding and inspection system is the facility of producing the MOX fuel for FBRs, and it was delivered in March, 1996 to the No. 3 Development Office of the plutonium fuel shop in Tokai of Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation. This facility realized the high speed processing using the compact facility by combining the grinding of pellets, the inspection of outer density and appearance, the rationalization of the facility and the high performance automation equipment. The production processes of MOX comprise the processes of powder, sinter, finish and inspection, fabrication and assembling. The requirement for developing these facilities is shown. The features of this pellet grinding and inspection system are the compact facility by the combination of functions, high speed processing, the reduction of holdup in processes and the improvement of maintenance. These features are explained. The main components are simple sorting equipment, grinder, grinding dust recovering equipment, outside diameter and density sorting equipment and appearance inspection equipment. The constitution and the main functions of the control facility are described. The operational process is explained. (K.I.)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zhu, Jun; Li, Te; Wang, Xiaohui; Ye, Ming; Cai, Jian; Xu, Yuejuan; Wu, Bin
2013-01-01
Maintenance therapy with gefitinib notably improves survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and EGFR mutation-positive tumors, but the economic impact of this practice is unclear. A decision-analytic model was developed to simulate 21-day patient transitions in a 10-year time horizon. The clinical data were primarily obtained from the results of a pivotal phase III trial that assessed gefitinib maintenance treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC. The cost data were derived from the perspective of the Chinese health care system. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of 3 times the per capita GDP of China. Sensitivity analyses were used to explore the impact of uncertainty regarding the results. The impact of the gefitinib patient assistance program (GPAP) was evaluated. After EGFR genotyping, gefitinib maintenance treatment for advanced NSCLC with EGFR mutations increased the life expectancy by 0.74 years and 0.46 QALYs compared with routine follow-up at an additional cost of $26,149.90 USD ($7,178.20 with the GPAP). The ICER for gefitinib maintenance was $57,066.40 and $15,664.80 per QALY gained (at a 3% discount rate) without and with the GPAP, respectively. The utility of progression free survival, the hazard ratio of progression-free survival for gefitinib treatment and the cost of gefitinib per dose were the three factors that had the greatest influence on the results. These results indicate that gene-guided maintenance therapy with gefitinib with the GPAP might be a cost-effective treatment option
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Zhu Jun
2013-01-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Maintenance therapy with gefitinib notably improves survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC and EGFR mutation-positive tumors, but the economic impact of this practice is unclear. Methods A decision-analytic model was developed to simulate 21-day patient transitions in a 10-year time horizon. The clinical data were primarily obtained from the results of a pivotal phase III trial that assessed gefitinib maintenance treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC. The cost data were derived from the perspective of the Chinese health care system. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER at a willingness-to-pay (WTP threshold of 3 times the per capita GDP of China. Sensitivity analyses were used to explore the impact of uncertainty regarding the results. The impact of the gefitinib patient assistance program (GPAP was evaluated. Results After EGFR genotyping, gefitinib maintenance treatment for advanced NSCLC with EGFR mutations increased the life expectancy by 0.74 years and 0.46 QALYs compared with routine follow-up at an additional cost of $26,149.90 USD ($7,178.20 with the GPAP. The ICER for gefitinib maintenance was $57,066.40 and $15,664.80 per QALY gained (at a 3% discount rate without and with the GPAP, respectively. The utility of progression free survival, the hazard ratio of progression-free survival for gefitinib treatment and the cost of gefitinib per dose were the three factors that had the greatest influence on the results. Conclusions These results indicate that gene-guided maintenance therapy with gefitinib with the GPAP might be a cost-effective treatment option.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ellingwood, B.R.; Mori, Y.
1993-01-01
The degradation in strength of a component with random damage is evaluated using a growth model for individual damages which can be obtained from experimental data. The distribution function of damage intensity after inspection and repair is updated using a Bayesian analysis that takes the quality of inspection into account. With this posterior distribution, the time-dependent strength after the inspection and repair can be evaluated. Time-dependent reliability analysis can be used to determine inspection/repair strategies that are necessary to keep the failure probability of the component lower than an established target. (author)
46 CFR 109.301 - Operational readiness, maintenance, and inspection of lifesaving equipment.
2010-10-01
... and cleaning each fuel tank, and refilling it with fresh fuel. (2) Each davit, winch, fall and other...(e); (ii) Maintenance and repair instructions; (iii) A schedule of periodic maintenance; (iv) A... repair equipment. Spare parts and repair equipment must be provided for each lifesaving appliance and...
Neutron radiography at the Institut de Maintenance Aeronautique
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cluzeau, S.
1999-01-01
Recently the French Institut de Maintenance Aeronautique (IMA) decided to open a new field of research specially devoted to the inspection methods that should be used by the aircraft overhauling industry. Taking into account its proved ability for an early corrosion detection, neutron radiography (NR) was selected as an inspection method to be appraised. This paper presents the approach that IMA intends to follow for achieving this objective and involving selection of equipment, design of the facility and research program.(author)
Intelligent Automated Nuclear Fuel Pellet Inspection System
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Keyvan, S.
1999-01-01
At the present time, nuclear pellet inspection is performed manually using naked eyes for judgment and decisionmaking on accepting or rejecting pellets. This current practice of pellet inspection is tedious and subject to inconsistencies and error. Furthermore, unnecessary re-fabrication of pellets is costly and the presence of low quality pellets in a fuel assembly is unacceptable. To improve the quality control in nuclear fuel fabrication plants, an automated pellet inspection system based on advanced techniques is needed. Such a system addresses the following concerns of the current manual inspection method: (1) the reliability of inspection due to typical human errors, (2) radiation exposure to the workers, and (3) speed of inspection and its economical impact. The goal of this research is to develop an automated nuclear fuel pellet inspection system which is based on pellet video (photographic) images and uses artificial intelligence techniques
The Offering, Scheduling and Maintenance of Elective Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rex O. Brown
2015-12-01
Full Text Available The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE provides standards for colleges of pharmacy to assist in the provision of pharmacy education to student pharmacists. An integral part of all college educational programs includes the provision of experiential learning. Experiential learning allows students to gain real-world experience in direct patient care during completion of the curriculum. All college of pharmacy programs provide several Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs, which include a balance between the four required experiences and a number of other required or elective APPEs. Required APPEs include advanced community, advanced institutional, ambulatory care, and general medicine. The elective APPEs include a myriad of opportunities to help provide a balanced education in experiential learning for student pharmacists. These unique opportunities help to expose student pharmacists to different career tracks that they may not have been able to experience otherwise. Not all colleges offer enough elective APPEs to enable the student pharmacist to obtain experiences in a defined area. Such an approach is required to produce skilled pharmacy graduates that are capable to enter practice in various settings. Elective APPEs are scheduled logically and are based upon student career interest and site availability. This article describes the offering, scheduling and maintenance of different elective APPEs offered by The University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy.
Experience of in-cell visual inspection using CCD camera in hot cell of Reprocessing Plant
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Reddy, Padi Srinivas; Amudhu Ramesh Kumar, R.; Geo Mathews, M.; Ravisankar, A.
2013-01-01
This paper describes the selection, customization and operating experience of the visual inspection system for the hot cell of a Reprocessing Plant. For process equipment such as fuel chopping machine, dissolver, centrifuge, centrifugal extractors etc., viewing of operations and maintenance using manipulators is required. For this, the service of in-cell camera is essential. The ambience of the hot cell of Compact facility for Reprocessing of Advanced fuels in Lead cell (CORAL) for the reprocessing of fast reactor spent fuel has high gamma radiation and acidic vapors. Black and white Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera has been used in CORAL incorporating in-house modifications to suit the operating ambient conditions, thereby extending the operating life of the camera. (author)
Paranal maintenance and CMMS experience
Montano, Nelson
2004-10-01
During the last four years of operations, low technical downtime has been one of the relevant records of the Paranal Observatory. From the beginning of the Very Large Telescope (VLT) project, European Southern Observatory (ESO) has considered the implementation of a proper maintenance strategy a fundamental point in order to ensure low technical down time and preserve the Observatory's assets. The implementation of the maintenance strategy was based on the following aspects: - Strong maintenance sense during the design stage. Line Replacement Unit (LRU) concept, standardization and modularity of the Observatory equipment - Creation of a dedicated team for Maintenance - The implementation of a Computerized Maintenance Management System After four operational years, the result of these aspects has exceeded the expectations; the Observatory has been operating with high availability under a sustainable strategy. The strengths of the maintenance strategy have been based on modern maintenance concepts applied by regular production companies, where any minute of down time involves high cost. The operation of the actual Paranal Maintenance System is based mainly on proactive activities, such as regular inspections, preventive maintenance (PM) and predictive maintenance (PdM) plans. Nevertheless, it has been necessary to implement a strong plan for corrective maintenance (CM). The Spare Parts Strategy has also been an important point linked to the Maintenance Strategy and CMMS implementation. At present, almost 4,000 items related to the Observatory spare parts are loaded into the CMMS database. Currently, we are studying the implementation of a Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) project in one of our critical systems The following document presents the actual status of the Paranal Maintenance Strategy and which have been the motivations to implement the established strategy.
Noncontacting Optical Measurement And Inspection Systems
Asher, Jeffrey A.; Jackson, Robert L.
1986-10-01
Product inspection continues to play a growing role in the improvement of quality and reduction of scrap. Recent emphasis on precision measurements and in-process inspection have been a driving force for the development of noncontacting sensors. Noncontacting sensors can provide long term, unattended use due to the lack of sensor wear. Further, in applications where, sensor contact can damage or geometrically change the part to be measured or inspected, noncontacting sensors are the only technical approach available. MTI is involved in the development and sale of noncontacting sensors and custom inspection systems. This paper will review the recent advances in noncontacting sensor development. Machine vision and fiber optics sensor systems are finding a wide variety of industrial inspection applications. This paper will provide detailed examples of several state-of-the-art applications for these noncontacting sensors.
Risk-based maintenance-Techniques and applications
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Arunraj, N.S.; Maiti, J.
2007-01-01
Plant and equipment, however well designed, will not remain safe or reliable if it is not maintained. The general objective of the maintenance process is to make use of the knowledge of failures and accidents to achieve the possible safety with the lowest possible cost. The concept of risk-based maintenance was developed to inspect the high-risk components usually with greater frequency and thoroughness and to maintain in a greater manner, to achieve tolerable risk criteria. Risk-based maintenance methodology provides a tool for maintenance planning and decision making to reduce the probability of failure of equipment and the consequences of failure. In this paper, the risk analysis and risk-based maintenance methodologies were identified and classified into suitable classes. The factors affecting the quality of risk analysis were identified and analyzed. The applications, input data and output data were studied to understand their functioning and efficiency. The review showed that there is no unique way to perform risk analysis and risk-based maintenance. The use of suitable techniques and methodologies, careful investigation during the risk analysis phase, and its detailed and structured results are necessary to make proper risk-based maintenance decisions
Modular robotic applications in nuclear power plant maintenance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Glass, S.W.; Ranson, C.C.; Reinholtz, C.F.; Calkins, J.M.
1996-01-01
General-purpose factory automation robots have experienced limited use in nuclear maintenance and hazardous-environment work spaces due to demanding requirements on size, weight, mobility and adaptability. Robotic systems in nuclear power plants are frequently custom designed to meet specific space and performance requirements. Examples of these custom configurations include Framatome Technologies COBRA trademark Steam Generator Manipulator and URSULA trademark Reactor Vessel Inspection Manipulator. The use of custom robots in nuclear plants has been limited because of the lead time and expense associated with custom design. Developments in modular robotics and advanced robot control software coupled with more powerful low-cost computers, however, are helping to reduce the cost and schedule for deploying custom robots. A modular robotic system allows custom robot configurations to be implemented using standard (modular) joints and adaptable controllers. This paper discusses Framatome Technologies (FTI) current and planned developments in the area of modular robot system design
Selecting Suitable Candidates for Predictive Maintenance
Tiddens, Wieger Willem; Braaksma, Anne Johannes Jan; Tinga, Tiedo
2018-01-01
Predictive maintenance (PdM) or Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) assists in better predicting the future state of physical assets and making timely and better-informed maintenance decisions. Many companies nowadays ambition the implementation of such an advanced maintenance policy. However,
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Graeber, U.
2003-07-01
The optimisation of maintenance activities observed in recent years can be attributed above all to the use and continuing development of testing and diagnostic techniques, to the increased level of system and component automation and to more efficient work organisation. Despite the considerable success of these efforts, the potential for further cost reductions is still far from exhausted. The risks connected to reliability, availability and safety need to be analysed in greater detail in order to ensure the sustainability of the savings already achieved as well as those yet to be realised. The systematic application of condition-based maintenance and the introduction of structured life cycle management are essential prerequisites. Within the framework of its ''Condition-Based Maintenance in Power Engineering'' research focus, the Energy Research Centre (ZES) has set up a specialist network in which experts from various institutes belonging to the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Informatic, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology can develop interdisciplinary solutions for advanced maintenance strategies. The ZES offers the industry a platform for cooperating on current issues relating to the supply of energy and supports the movement towards sustainable improvements to competitiveness through research and consulting activities. It applies professional project and quality management procedures to ensure that contracts covering interdisciplinary topics and projects are handled in a coherent manner. (orig.)
A study on an autonomous pipeline maintenance robot, 8
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fukuda, Toshio; Hosokai, Hidemi; Niitsu, Shunichi; Kaneshige, Masanori; Iwasaki, Shinnosuke.
1990-01-01
This paper deals with the path planning and sensing planning expert system with learning functions for the pipeline inspection and maintenance robot, Mark IV. The robot can carry out inspection tasks to autonomously detect malfunctions in a plant pipeline system. Furthermore, the robot becomes more intelligent by adding the following functions: (1) the robot, Mark IV, is capable of inspecting surfaces of storage tanks as well as pipeline outer surfaces; (2) in path planning, the robot has a learning function using information generated in the past such as a moving path, task level and control commands of the robot; (3) in inspecting a pipeline system with plant equipment such as valves, franges, T- and L-joints, the robot is capable of inspecting continuous surfaces in pipeline. Thus, together with the improved path planning expert system (PPES) and the sensing planning expert system (SPES), the Mark IV robot becomes intelligent enough to automatically carry out given inspection tasks. (author)
Optimal non-periodic inspection for a multivariate degradation model
Barker, C.T.; Newby, M.J.
2009-01-01
We address the problem of determining inspection and maintenance strategy for a system whose state is described by a multivariate stochastic process. We relax and extend the usual approaches. The system state is a multivariate stochastic process, decisions are based on a performance measure defined
Optimal Inspection Planning for Fatigue Damage of Offshore Structures
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Madsen, H.O.; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard; Olesen, R.
1990-01-01
A formulation of optimal design, inspection and maintenance against damage caused by fatigue crack growth is formulated. A stochastic model for fatigue crack growth based on linear elastic fracture mechanics Is applied. Failure is defined by crack growth beyond a critical crack size. The failure ...
Robotics for waste storage inspection: A user's perspective
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Hazen, F.B.
1994-01-01
Self-navigating robotic vehicles are now commercially available, and the technology supporting other important system components has also matured. Higher reliability and the obtainability of system support now make it practical to consider robotics as a way of addressing the growing operational requirement for the periodic inspection and maintenance of radioactive, hazardous, and mixed waste inventories. This paper describes preparations for the first field deployment of an autonomous container inspection robot at a Department of Energy (DOE) site. The Stored Waste Autonomous Mobile Inspector (SWAMI) is presently being completed by engineers at the Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC). It is a modified version of a commercially available robot. It has been outfitted with sensor suites and cognition that allow it to perform inspections of drum inventories and their storage facilities
TRUPACT-II Container Maintenance Program Plan
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1991-05-01
This document details the maintenance, repair, and replacement of components, as well as the documentation required and the procedures to be followed to maintain the integrity of the TRUPACT-II container in accordance with OM-134, TRUPACT-II Container Operations and Maintenance Manual; and the TRUPACT-II Container Certificate of Compliance (Number 9218). The routine shipping and receiving inspections required by the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Energy (DOE), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and other regulations are not addressed in this document. This document applies to all DOE shipping and receiving sites that use the TRUPACT-II containers
Software evolution and maintenance
Tripathy, Priyadarshi
2014-01-01
Software Evolution and Maintenance: A Practitioner's Approach is an accessible textbook for students and professionals, which collates the advances in software development and provides the most current models and techniques in maintenance.Explains two maintenance standards: IEEE/EIA 1219 and ISO/IEC14764Discusses several commercial reverse and domain engineering toolkitsSlides for instructors are available onlineInformation is based on the IEEE SWEBOK (Software Engineering Body of Knowledge)
Present status of maintenance in nuclear power stations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Fueki, Kensuke
1982-01-01
For nuclear power stations, the improvement of the rate of facility utilization is indispensable. As its means, the shortening of regular inspection period, the adoption of long term cycle operation, the shortening of plant shutdown period by the improvement of the reliability of installed equipment and so on are conceivable. In this paper, the maintenance techniques in nuclear power stations which constitute the basis of reliability improvement are explained. In nuclear power stations, the use of nuclear fuel, accordingly the existence of radioactivity are the remarkable features. At the time of an accident, the nuclear reaction in a reactor must be stopped, and the excessive heat must be removed. The radioactivity in nuclear fuel must not be released outside. The regular inspection of once a year is provided by the law, and routine tests are performed during normal operation. The check-up by operators also is a part of the safety measures. For the early detection of abnormality, the diagnosis system is developed, and the maintenance techniques during operation are examined for being taken into the safety test and standard. The improvement of reliability is attempted by the redundancy of systems. The activity of quality assurance, the organization for the maintenance of nuclear power stations and maintenance works, and the measures to raise the rate of operation are reported. (Kako, I.)
Risk-Based Inspection and Maintenance Planning Optimization of Offshore Wind Turbines
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ramírez, José G. Rangel; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
2009-01-01
A risk-based inspection planning (RBI) approach applied to offshore wind turbines (OWT) is presented, based on RBI methodology developed in the last decades in the oil and gas industry. In wind farm (IWF) and single-alone locations are considered using a code-established turbulence models including...
Depot Maintenance: Executed Workload and Maintenance Operations at DOD Depots
2017-02-03
in turn enable testing of helicopter rotor blades. The Army has also made investments in logistics software at all of its depots. According to the...maintenance and repair of structural helicopter airframes and blades; advanced composite technologies; flight controls and control surfaces; and...level maintenance on a wide range of vehicles and other military assets, including helicopters , combat vehicles, ships, aircraft, engines, and software
Development of advanced-RCCA in PWR (2). Design of advanced-RCCA and verification test
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kitagawa, T.; Naitou, T.; Suzuki, S.; Kawahara, H. [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Kobe (Japan); Tanaka, T. [Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. (Japan); Kuriyama, H. [Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc., Sapporo (Japan); Fujii, S. [Shikoku Electric Power Co., Inc., Takamatsu (Japan); Murakami, S. [Kyusyu Electric Power Co., Inc. (Japan); Murota, M. [Japan Atomic Power Co., Tokyo (Japan)
2001-07-01
Advanced-RCCA enhances control rod worth by adopting boron carbide (B{sub 4}C) with enriched {sup 10}B (hybrid structure B{sub 4}C/Ag-In-Cd). In APWR, advanced-RCCA result in the reduction of the number of RCCA. In conventional PWR, large MOX or high burn-up fuel loading could be introduced without the additional RCCAs. The duplex cladding structure with Cr plating on each outside surface increases the reliability against the RCCA-wear and results in reduction of inspection cost (inspection-equipment, and inspection-interval). Design of advanced-RCCA and verification are also discussed. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Jakabe, Hideo; Maruyama, Yoshinaga
1996-01-01
The development program of KEPCO on outage-free maintenance techniques for distribution line work since 1984 is overviewed. It has succeeded in eliminating maintenance outages since 1989. The original aim was to improve customer satisfaction. However, in all, four benefits were realised through the development. These are cost reduction, securing of worker safety, improvement of customer service, and advancement of distribution techniques and morale in KEPCO. The introduction of robotic techniques for maintenance work and manipulator techniques for repair work is planned for further modernization. These new techniques are helping in both work safety and work efficiency improvement. Cost reduction and advancement of distribution line work techniques is also considered. (R.P.)
Industrial Maintenance Strategies
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sajjad Akbar
2006-01-01
Industrial plants have become more complex due to technological advancement. This has made the task of maintenance more difficult. The maintenance costs in terms of resources and downtime loss are so high that maintenance function has become a critical factor in a plant's profitability. Industry should devote as much forethought to the management of maintenance function as to production. Maintenance has grown from an art to a precise, technical engineering science. Planning, organizing scheduling and control of maintenance using modern techniques pays dividends in the form of reduced costs and increased reliability. The magnitude and the dimension of maintenance have multiplied due to development in the engineering technologies. Production cost and capacities are directly affected by the breakdown time. Total operating cost including the maintenance cost plays an important role in replacement dimension. The integrated system approach would bring forth the desired results of high maintenance standards. The standards once achieved and sustained, would add to the reliability of the plan and relieve heavy stresses and strains on the engineering logistic support. (author)
2010-01-01
... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Aging airplane inspections and records reviews for multiengine airplanes certificated with nine or fewer passenger seats. 135.422 Section 135.422... Maintenance, and Alterations § 135.422 Aging airplane inspections and records reviews for multiengine...
Improvement of the reliability on nondestructive inspection
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Song, Sung Jin; Kim, Young H.; Lee, Hyang Beom; Shin, Young Kil; Jung, Hyun Jo; Park, Ik Keun; Park, Eun Soo
2002-03-01
Retaining reliabilities of nondestructive testing is essential for the life-time maintenance of Nuclear Power Plant. The nondestructive testing methods which are frequently used in the Nuclear Power Plant are eddy current testing for the inspection of steam generator tubes and ultrasonic testing for the inspection of weldments. In order to improve reliabilities of ultrasonic testing and eddy current testing, the subjects carried out in this study are as follows : development of BEM analysis technique for ECT of SG tube, development of neural network technique for the intelligent analysis of ECT flaw signals of SG tubes, development of RFECT technology for the inspection of SG tube, FEM analysis of ultrasonic scattering field, evaluation of statistical reliability of PD-RR test of ultrasonic testing and development of multi-Gaussian beam modeling technique to predict accurate signal of signal beam ultrasonic testing with the efficiency in calculation time
Improvement of the reliability on nondestructive inspection
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Song, Sung Jin; Kim, Young H. [Sungkyunkwan Univ., Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Hyang Beom [Soongsil Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Young Kil [Kunsan National Univ., Gunsan (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Hyun Jo [Wonkwang Univ., Iksan (Korea, Republic of); Park, Ik Keun; Park, Eun Soo [Seoul Nationl Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)
2002-03-15
Retaining reliabilities of nondestructive testing is essential for the life-time maintenance of Nuclear Power Plant. The nondestructive testing methods which are frequently used in the Nuclear Power Plant are eddy current testing for the inspection of steam generator tubes and ultrasonic testing for the inspection of weldments. In order to improve reliabilities of ultrasonic testing and eddy current testing, the subjects carried out in this study are as follows : development of BEM analysis technique for ECT of SG tube, development of neural network technique for the intelligent analysis of ECT flaw signals of SG tubes, development of RFECT technology for the inspection of SG tube, FEM analysis of ultrasonic scattering field, evaluation of statistical reliability of PD-RR test of ultrasonic testing and development of multi-Gaussian beam modeling technique to predict accurate signal of signal beam ultrasonic testing with the efficiency in calculation time.
Joint optimal inspection and inventory for a k-out-of-n system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bjarnason, Erik T.S.; Taghipour, Sharareh; Banjevic, Dragan
2014-01-01
Purpose: The objective of this paper is to develop a model, which optimizes jointly the inspection frequency and the inventory level for a k-out-of-n system with repairable components whose failures are hidden. Scope: The system is periodically inspected to detect failed components, and the components are either minimally repaired or replaced with spares from the inventory. The system fails between periodic inspections if n−k+1 components are down; in that case, all failed components are inspected and rectified if possible. Otherwise, the failed components are rectified at periodic inspections. An emergency spare is ordered at a system failure, if the inventory is empty and all failed components require replacement. Methodology: Using analytical approach to find the optimal solution is computationally intensive and not practical; a simulation model is developed to solve the problem. Results: The proposed model harmonizes the maintenance and inventory policies and finds the joint optimal solution which results in a minimum total cost. Conclusion: The joint optimization model results in a lower cost compared to separate maintenance and inventory optimization models. Novelty: Few joint models for k-out-of-n systems exist, and none of them investigate repairable components whose failures are hidden and follow a non-homogeneous Poisson process. - Highlights: • We model a k-out-of-n system with hidden failures and inventory. • The system is periodically inspected and the inventory is periodically replenished. • Failed components are either replaced or minimally repaired. • A simulation model is developed to calculate the total expected cost. • The inspection interval and inventory level that minimizes the total cost is found
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Arai, Masanobu; Kunogi, Kosuke; Aizawa, Kosuke; Chikazawa, Yoshitaka; Takaya, Shigeru; Kubo, Shigenobu; Kotake, Shoji; Ito, Takaya; Yamaguchi, Akira
2017-01-01
A maintenance program on piping support of prototype fast breeder reactor Monju are studied. Based on degradation mechanism, snubbers in Monju primary cooling system showed lifetime more than the plant lifetime of 30 years by experiments conservatively. For the first step during construction, visual inspection on accessible all supports could be available. In that visual inspection, mounting conditions and damages of all accessible supports could be monitored. One of major features of the Monju primary piping system is large thermal expansion due to large temperature difference between maintenance and operation conditions. Thanks to that large thermal expansion, integrity of piping supports could be monitored by measuring piping displacement. When technologies of piping displacement monitoring are matured in Monju, visual inspection on piping support could be shifted to piping displacement monitoring. At that stage, the visual inspection could be limited only on representative supports. (author)
Water Distribution System Operation and Maintenance. A Field Study Training Program. Second Edition.
Kerri, Kenneth D.; And Others
Proper installation, inspection, operation, maintenance, repair and management of water distribution systems have a significant impact on the operation and maintenance cost and effectiveness of the systems. The objective of this manual is to provide water distribution system operators with the knowledge and skills required to operate and maintain…
A summary of maintenance policies for a finite interval
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Nakagawa, T.; Mizutani, S.
2009-01-01
It would be an important problem to consider practically some maintenance policies for a finite time span, because the working times of most units are finite in actual fields. This paper converts the usual maintenance models to finite maintenance models. It is more difficult to study theoretically optimal policies for a finite time span than those for an infinite time span. Three usual models of periodic replacement with minimal repair, block replacement and simple replacement are transformed to finite replacement models. Further, optimal periodic and sequential policies for an imperfect preventive maintenance and an inspection model for a finite time span are considered. Optimal policies for each model are analytically derived and are numerically computed
Advanced Visualization Software System for Nuclear Power Plant Inspection
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kukic, I.; Jambresic, D.; Reskovic, S.
2006-01-01
Visualization techniques have been widely used in industrial environment for enhancing process control. Traditional techniques of visualization are based on control panels with switches and lights, and 2D graphic representations of processes. However, modern visualization systems enable significant new opportunities in creating 3D virtual environments. These opportunities arise from the availability of high end graphics capabilities in low cost personal computers. In this paper we describe implementation of process visualization software, developed by INETEC. This software is used to visualize testing equipment, components being tested and the overall power plant inspection process. It improves security of the process due to its real-time visualization and collision detection capabilities, and therefore greatly enhances the inspection process. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Choi, Woo Sung; Song, Gee Wook; Kim, Bum Shin; Chang, Sung Ho; Lee, Sang Min
2015-01-01
Risk-Risk-based inspection (RBI) has been developed in order to identify risky equipment that can cause major accidents or damages in large-scale plants. This assessment evaluates the equipment's risk, categorizes their priorities based on risk level, and then determines the urgency of their maintenance or allocates maintenance resources. An earlier version of the risk-based assessment software is already installed within the equipment management system; however, the assessment is based on examination by an inspector, and the results can be influenced by his subjective judgment, rather than assessment being based on failure probability. Moreover, the system is housed within a server, which limits the inspector's work space and time, and such a system can be used only on site. In this paper, the development of independent risk-based assessment software is introduced; this software calculates the failure probability by an analytical method, and analyzes the field inspection results, as well as inspection effectiveness. It can also operate on site, since it can be installed on an independent platform, and has the ability to generate an I/O function for the field inspection results regarding the period for an optimum maintenance cycle. This program will provide useful information not only to the field users who are participating in maintenance, but also to the engineers who need to decide whether to extend the life cycle of the power machinery or replace only specific components
Natural Gas Vehicle Cylinder Safety, Training and Inspection Project
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hank Seiff
2008-12-31
Under the auspices of the National Energy Technology Laboratory and the US Department of Energy, the Clean Vehicle Education Foundation conducted a three-year program to increase the understanding of the safe and proper use and maintenance of vehicular compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel systems. High-pressure fuel systems require periodic inspection and maintenance to insure safe and proper operation. The project addressed the needs of CNG fuel containers (cylinders) and associated high-pressure fuel system components related to existing law, codes and standards (C&S), available training and inspection programs, and assured coordination among vehicle users, public safety officials, fueling station operators and training providers. The program included a public and industry awareness campaign, establishment and administration of a cylinder inspector certification training scholarship program, evaluation of current safety training and testing practices, monitoring and investigation of CNG vehicle incidents, evaluation of a cylinder recertification program and the migration of CNG vehicle safety knowledge to the nascent hydrogen vehicle community.
MODULAR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT FOR ON-LINE INSPECTION IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Davrajh, S.
2012-11-01
Full Text Available The significance of inspection processes increases when producing parts with high levels of customer input. These processes must adapt to variations in significant product characteristics. Mass customisation and reconfigurable manufacturing are currently being researched as ways to respond to high levels of customer input. This paper presents the research and development of modular inspection equipment that was designed to meet the on-line quality requirements of mass customisation and reconfigurable manufacturing environments. Simulated results were analysed for application in an industrial environment. The implementation of the equipment in South Africa is briefly discussed. The research indicates that manufacturers need only invest in the required equipment configurations when they are needed for on-line inspection.
Developments in mechanical ultrasonic inspection and qualification of NDE
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kauppinen, P.; Pitkaenen, J.; Kuusinen, P.
2001-01-01
Reliability of non-destructive testing results has a direct influence on structural integrity assessment and safety of the inspected structures e.g. NPP primary circuit pressure boundaries. Advanced technology together with highly skilled and experienced personnel is required. One of the current trends is automation. Mechanised equipment can replace tedious manual work in positioning and moving of the transducers. Large areas can be scanned, analysed and numerically documented for direct comparison of eventual later repeated inspections. Another major trend is qualification, which aims to ensure that the inspection results are correct and fit the purpose. The suitability and proper operation of equipment, methods and personnel i.e. the whole chain shall be proven. This presentation summarises the advances in automation and qualification of non-destructive inspection during the second project year, Monitoring of material degradation was included in the studied topics and will also be shortly described. (author)
Pacific Northwest Laboratory Maintenance Implementation plan
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Bright, J.D.
1992-06-01
This Maintenance Implementation plan has been developed for Pacific Northwest Laboratory's (PNL) Nuclear Facilities: 306W, 324, 325, 327 and 329NMF. It is based on a graded approach, self-assessment of the existing maintenance program(s) per the requirements specified by US Department of Energy (DOE) Order 4330.4A, Chapter II, Change number-sign 3. The results of this assessment were evaluated to determine needed improvements in PNL Craft Services' current maintenance program. The objective of this implementation plan is to provide baseline information for compliance to the DOE 4330.4A, and for needed improvements. The prime consideration in applying a graded approach to the Order has been to maintain safe and reliable operations, environmental compliance, safeguards and security, programmatic mission, facility preservation, and/or other facility-specific requirements. Using the results of the self-assessment, PNL has selected nine of the 18 elements of the Maintenance Program defined by DOE Order 4330.4A for improvement. The elements selected for improvement are Training and Qualification of Maintenance Personnel; Maintenance Procedures; Planning, Scheduling, and Coordination of Maintenance; Control of Maintenance Activities; Post-Maintenance Testing; Facility Condition Inspection; Management Involvement; Maintenance History; and Additional Maintenance Requirements. Based upon graded approach and current funding, those elements considered most important have been selected as goals for earliest compliance. Commitment dates for these elements have been established for compliance. The remaining elements of noncompliance will be targeted for implementation during later budget periods
Report of the Service for maintenance of mechanical structures - Annex 2
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Radivojevic, J.
1976-01-01
This Annex 2 describes the organizational structure and activities of the Service for maintenance of the mechanical structures of the RA reactor, inspection and maintenance of of reactor components, workshop and storage of spare parts at the reactor. Mechanical structures of the RA reactor included are: heavy water system, gas systems, technical water system, reactor core, and transportation equipment [sr
Acoustic tool for leak inspections in steam generator divider plates
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kowalewski, J.; Maak, P.; Colbert, M.
1997-01-01
Cross flow leakage through divider plates in the primary head of steam generators, may be a contributor to RIHT rise which can have a negative effect on the operation of a plant. A method to provide quick and reliable inspection of divider plate leakage can be very useful in helping make timely and effective maintenance decisions. A novel acoustic tool for performing inspections in drained steam generators during shutdowns has been developed by OH Technologies and successfully demonstrated in a field application. The technique, referred as ALIS (acoustic leak inspection system), performs a scan of the divider plate face and presents a graphic image of the leakage paths and an estimate of the total leakage area. (author)
Integration of design and inspection
Simmonds, William H.
1990-08-01
Developments in advanced computer integrated manufacturing technology, coupled with the emphasis on Total Quality Management, are exposing needs for new techniques to integrate all functions from design through to support of the delivered product. One critical functional area that must be integrated into design is that embracing the measurement, inspection and test activities necessary for validation of the delivered product. This area is being tackled by a collaborative project supported by the UK Government Department of Trade and Industry. The project is aimed at developing techniques for analysing validation needs and for planning validation methods. Within the project an experimental Computer Aided Validation Expert system (CAVE) is being constructed. This operates with a generalised model of the validation process and helps with all design stages: specification of product requirements; analysis of the assurance provided by a proposed design and method of manufacture; development of the inspection and test strategy; and analysis of feedback data. The kernel of the system is a knowledge base containing knowledge of the manufacturing process capabilities and of the available inspection and test facilities. The CAVE system is being integrated into a real life advanced computer integrated manufacturing facility for demonstration and evaluation.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shimizu, Kazuyuki; Tomita, Tsuneo; Sakai, Katsumi
2008-01-01
The maintenance work of many equipments such as mechanical, electrical and instrumentations installed in Tokai reprocessing plant has been performed more then 10,000 times per year and about 90% of maintenances were preventive work. For the maintenance management, optimization of maintenance information is required. Therefore, Tokai Reprocessing Plant Maintenance Support System (TORMASS) was developed from 1985 to 1992 as the aim of construction for suitable maintenance management system. About 24,000 equipments of specifications and about 261,000 maintenance detail were registered in this system. TORMASS has been used for the repair, inspection and replacement of equipment since 1992. (author)
Development of maintenance engineering system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1995-03-01
Department of JMTR project has developed the Maintenance Engineering System which evaluates the aging tendency of the facilities. The system is used for the repair plan and the replace period of parts, components, equipments or facilities. The system has the data-base which consists of the check data, the inspection data, the trouble data and the repair data at the JMTR since the virgin criticality. The system is utilized maintenance works and concludes the maintenance procedures for the failure components, equipments and facilities. This system has the following characteristics. (1) Anybody can operate the system as easily as word processor. (2) Data are put into by man-machine-interface. (3) The data sheets are with light color and the recognizable arrangements. (4) The system is cost-efficient using commercial personal computers and applications. The research card and the layouts of the input data sheet had been formatted. Data has been begun to be put into the system and to check its functions. The result demonstrates that the system is available for preventive maintenance at the JMTR. (author)
Point-based POMDP Risk Based Inspection of Offshore Wind Substructures
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Morato, Pablo G.; Mai, Quang A.; Rigo, Philippe
2018-01-01
This article presents a novel methodology to select the optimal maintenance strategy of an offshore wind structural component, providing a flexible and reliable support to decision-making and balancing inspection, repair and failure costs. The procedure to create a “Point-Based” Partially...
Development of the module inspection system for new standardized radiation monitoring modules
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Furukawa, Masami; Shimizu, Kazuaki; Hiruta, Toshihito; Mizugaki, Toshio; Ohi, Yoshihiro; Chida, Tooru.
1994-10-01
This report mentions about the module inspection system which does the maintenance check of the monitoring modules adapted the new monitoring standard, as well as the result of the verification of the modules. The module inspection system is the automatic measurement system with the computer. The system can perform the functional and the characteristic examination of the monitoring modules, the calibration with radiation source and inspection report. In the verification of the monitoring module, three major items were tested, the adaptability for the new monitoring standard, the module functions and each characteristics. All items met the new monitoring standard. (author)
46 CFR 131.545 - Maintenance in general.
2010-10-01
... points with the recommended lubricants. (5) A list of replaceable parts. (6) A list of sources of spare parts. (7) A log for records of inspections, maintenance, and repair. (b) The master shall ensure that... test in subchapter Q of this chapter. (g) The master shall report each emergency repair or alteration...
Reactor installation and maintenance for the Advanced Neutron Source
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Smith, B.R.
1993-01-01
Advanced Neutron Source (ANS) reactor assembly components have been modeled in great detail in IGRIP in order to realistically simulate preliminary installation and maintenance processes. Animation of these processes has been captured in a 15-minute video with narration. Approximately 90% of the parts were initially translated from CADAM (a two-dimensional drawing package) to IGRIP and then revolved or extruded. IGRIP's IGES translator greatly reduced the time required to perform this operation. The interfacing of devices in the work cell has identified numerous design inconsistencies. Most of the modeled reactor components are devices with a single degree of freedom (DOF) however, some of the slanted experiments required 6 DOF so that they could be removed at an angle in order to clear the reflector vessel flanges. IGRIP's collision detection feature proved to be extremely helpful in determining interferences when removing the experiments. The combination of three-dimensional visualization and collision detection allows engineers to clearly and easily visualize potential design problems before the construction phase of the project
VNIIEF NMPC and A Maintenance Management Conference video surveillance
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Malone, T.
1997-08-01
This paper is part of ongoing Nuclear Materials Protection, Control and Accountability (NMPC and A) work with the All Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Physics (VNIIEF), Sarov, Russia. The material presented in the paper is to provide guidance for the preparation of maintenance management for NMPC and A video assessment and surveillance subsystems being installed at VNIIEF. This paper discusses maintenance philosophies, performance testing, equipment inspection/setup, and record keeping for a video assessment and surveillance subsystem
Steele, John W.; Rector, Tony; Bue, Grant C.; Campbell, Colin; Makinen, Janice
2012-01-01
A dual-bed device to maintain the water quality of the Advanced Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporation (SWME) water recirculation loop has been designed and is undergoing testing. The SWME is a heat rejection device under development at the NASA Johnson Space Center to perform thermal control for advanced spacesuits. One advantage to this technology is the potential for a significantly greater degree of tolerance to contamination when compared to the existing sublimator technology. The driver for the development of a water recirculation maintenance device is to further enhance this advantage through the leveraging of fluid loop management lessons learned from the International Space Station (ISS). A bed design that was developed for a Hamilton Sundstrand military application, and considered for a potential ISS application with the Urine Processor Assembly, provides a low pressure drop means for water maintenance in a recirculation loop. The bed design is coupled with high-capacity ion exchange resins, organic adsorbents, and a cyclic methodology developed for the Extravehicular Mobility Unit Transport Water Loop. The bed design further leverages a sorbent developed for the ISS that introduces a biocide in a microgravity-compatible manner for the Internal Active Thermal Control System. The leveraging of these water maintenance technologies to the SWME recirculation loop is a unique demonstration of applying the valuable lessons learned on the ISS to the next generation of crewed spaceflight Environmental Control and Life Support System hardware.
Steele, John W.; Rector, Tony; Bue, Grant C.; Campbell, Colin; Makinen, Janice
2013-01-01
A dual-bed device to maintain the water quality of the Advanced Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporation (SWME) water recirculation loop has been designed and is undergoing testing. The SWME is a heat rejection device under development at the NASA Johnson Space Center to perform thermal control for advanced spacesuits. One advantage to this technology is the potential for a significantly greater degree of tolerance to contamination when compared to the existing Sublimator technology. The driver for the development of a water recirculation maintenance device is to further enhance this advantage through the leveraging of fluid loop management lessons-learned from the International Space Station (ISS). A bed design that was developed for a Hamilton Sundstrand military application, and considered for a potential ISS application with the Urine Processor Assembly, provides a low pressure drop means for water maintenance in a recirculation loop. The bed design is coupled with high capacity ion exchange resins, organic adsorbents, and a cyclic methodology developed for the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Transport Water loop. The bed design further leverages a sorbent developed for ISS that introduces a biocide in a microgravity-compatible manner for the Internal Active Thermal Control System (IATCS). The leveraging of these water maintenance technologies to the SWME recirculation loop is a unique demonstration of applying the valuable lessons learned on the ISS to the next generation of manned spaceflight Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) hardware.
Steele, John W.; Rector, Tony; Bue, Grant C.; Campbell, Colin; Makinen, Janice
2011-01-01
A dual-bed device to maintain the water quality of the Advanced Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporation (SWME) water recirculation loop has been designed and is undergoing testing. The SWME is a heat rejection device under development at the NASA Johnson Space Center to perform thermal control for advanced spacesuits. One advantage to this technology is the potential for a significantly greater degree of tolerance to contamination when compared to the existing Sublimator technology. The driver for the development of a water recirculation maintenance device is to further enhance this advantage through the leveraging of fluid loop management lessons-learned from the International Space Station (ISS). A bed design that was developed for a Hamilton Sundstrand military application, and considered for a potential ISS application with the Urine Processor Assembly, provides a low pressure drop means for water maintenance in a recirculation loop. The bed design is coupled with high capacity ion exchange resins, organic adsorbents, and a cyclic methodology developed for the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Transport Water loop. The bed design further leverages a sorbent developed for ISS that introduces a biocide in a microgravity-compatible manner for the Internal Active Thermal Control System (IATCS). The leveraging of these water maintenance technologies to the SWME recirculation loop is a clear demonstration of applying the valuable lessons learned on the ISS to the next generation of manned spaceflight Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) hardware.
Coke drums inspection and evaluation using stress and strain analysis techniques
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Haraguchi, Marcio Issamu [Tricom Tecnologia e Servicos de Manutencao Industrial Ltda., Piquete, SP (Brazil); Samman, Mahmod [Houston Engineering Solutions, Houston, TX (United States); Tinoco, Ediberto Bastos; Marangone, Fabio de Castro; Silva, Hezio Rosa da; Barcelos, Gustavo de Carvalho [Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (PETROBRAS), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)
2012-07-01
Coke drums deform due to a complex combination of mechanical and thermal cyclic stresses. Bulges have progressive behavior and represent the main maintenance problem related to these drums. Bulge failure typically result in through-wall cracks, leaks, and sometimes fires. Such failures generally do not represent a great risk to personnel. Repairs needed to maintain reliability of these vessels might require extensive interruption to operation which in turn considerably impacts the profitability of the unit. Therefore the condition, progression and severity of these bulges should be closely monitored. Coke drums can be inspected during turnaround with 3D Laser Scanning and Remote Visual Inspection (RVI) tools, resulting in a detailed dimensional and visual evaluation of the internal surface. A typical project has some goals: inspect the equipment to generate maintenance or inspection recommendations, comparison with previous results and baseline data. Until recently, coke drum structural analysis has been traditionally performed analyzing Stress Concentration Factors (SCF) thought Finite Element Analysis methods; however this technique has some serious technical and practical limitations. To avoid these shortcomings, the new strain analysis technique PSI (Plastic Strain Index) was developed. This method which is based on API 579/ ASME FFS standard failure limit represents the state of the art of coke drum bulging severity assessment has an excellent correlation with failure history. (author)
Reliability prediction for structures under cyclic loads and recurring inspections
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Alberto W. S. Mello Jr
2009-06-01
Full Text Available This work presents a methodology for determining the reliability of fracture control plans for structures subjected to cyclic loads. It considers the variability of the parameters involved in the problem, such as initial flaw and crack growth curve. The probability of detection (POD curve of the field non-destructive inspection method and the condition/environment are used as important factors for structural confidence. According to classical damage tolerance analysis (DTA, inspection intervals are based on detectable crack size and crack growth rate. However, all variables have uncertainties, which makes the final result totally stochastic. The material properties, flight loads, engineering tools and even the reliability of inspection methods are subject to uncertainties which can affect significantly the final maintenance schedule. The present methodology incorporates all the uncertainties in a simulation process, such as Monte Carlo, and establishes a relationship between the reliability of the overall maintenance program and the proposed inspection interval, forming a “cascade” chart. Due to the scatter, it also defines the confidence level of the “acceptable” risk. As an example, the damage tolerance analysis (DTA results are presented for the upper cockpit longeron splice bolt of the BAF upgraded F-5EM. In this case, two possibilities of inspection intervals were found: one that can be characterized as remote risk, with a probability of failure (integrity nonsuccess of 1 in 10 million, per flight hour; and other as extremely improbable, with a probability of nonsuccess of 1 in 1 billion, per flight hour, according to aviation standards. These two results are compared with the classical military airplane damage tolerance requirements.
TRUPACT-II container maintenance program plan
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
1990-11-01
This document details the maintenance/repair and replacement of components, as well as the documentation required and the procedures to be followed to maintain the integrity of the TRUPACT-II container, in accordance with requirements of the TRUPACT-II Container Operations and Maintenance Manual, OM-134, the TRUPACT-II Container Safety Analysis Report (SARP), and the TRUPACT-II Container Certificate of Compliance (Number 9218). The routine shipping and receiving inspections required by the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Energy (DOE), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and other regulations are not addressed in this document. This document applies to all DOE shipping and receiving sites that use the TRUPACT-II containers
Inspection of Candu Nuclear Reactor Fuel Channels
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Baron, J.; Jarvis, G.N.; Dolbey, M.P.; Hayter, D.M.
1986-01-01
The Channel Inspection and Gauging Apparatus of Reactors (CIGAR) is a fully atomated, remotely operated inspection system designed to perform multi-channel, multi-task inspection of CANDU reactor fuel channels. Ultrasonic techniques are used for flaw detection, (with a sensitivity capable of detecting a 0.075 mm deep notch with a signal to noise ratio of 10 dB) and pressure tube wall thickness and diameter measurements. Eddy currrent systems are used to detect the presence of spacers between the coaxial pressure tube and calandria tube, as well as to measure their relative spacing. A servo-accelerometer is used to estimate the sag of the fuel channels. This advanced inspection system was commissioned and declared in service in September 1985. The paper describes the inspection systems themselves and discussed the results achieved to-date. (author) [pt
Critical appraisal of rituximab in the maintenance treatment of advanced follicular lymphoma
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Aguiar-Bujanda D
2015-10-01
Full Text Available David Aguiar-Bujanda, María Jesús Blanco-Sánchez, María Hernández-Sosa, Saray Galván-Ruíz, Samuel Hernández-Sarmiento Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Doctor Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain Abstract: Rituximab is an IgG1, chimeric monoclonal antibody specifically designed to recognize the CD20 antigen expressed on the surface of normal and malignant B-lymphocytes, from the B-cell precursor to the mature B-cells of the germinal center, and by most neoplasms derived from B-cells. After 2 decades of use, rituximab is firmly positioned in the treatment of follicular lymphoma (FL, both in the front line and in the relapsing disease, improving previous results by including it in classical chemotherapy regimens. However, the pharmacology of rituximab continues to generate controversial issues especially regarding the mechanisms of action in vivo. The contribution of rituximab as a maintenance treatment in FL has been significant progress in the management of this disease without an increase in side effects or a decrease in the quality of life of patients. With the widespread use of rituximab, there are new security alerts and side effects not previously detected in the pivotal trials that clinicians should learn to recognize and manage. In this article, we will review the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of rituximab, the management issues in the treatment of advanced FL focusing on maintenance rituximab, its long-term efficacy and safety profile, and its effect on the quality of life. Keywords: follicular lymphoma, long-term efficacy, maintenance, rituximab, toxicity
Development of support system for maintenance and administration of reprocessing plant equipment
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Iwasaki, Syogo; Taniguchi, Takayuki; Shiraishi, Yoshihiko; Isaka, Kazuo
1998-01-01
Each year, maintenance work is carried out for about 10,000 pieces of equipment, including mechanical devices, electric equipment and instruments, at the Tokai Reprocessing Plant. Ninety percent of such maintenance work is preventive maintenance. In order to manage the information about the maintenance work, a computer support system was developed between 1985 and 1992. Twenty-seven thousand pieces of equipment and 180,000 maintenance histories have already been registered in the system. The system has been used for planning inspections and replacement of equipment as well as checking their maintenance histories. Actual usage of the system has shown that some auxiliary functions need to be added. The system will therefore be improved and extended. (author)
Performance-based maintenance of gas turbines for reliable control of degraded power systems
Mo, Huadong; Sansavini, Giovanni; Xie, Min
2018-03-01
Maintenance actions are necessary for ensuring proper operations of control systems under component degradation. However, current condition-based maintenance (CBM) models based on component health indices are not suitable for degraded control systems. Indeed, failures of control systems are only determined by the controller outputs, and the feedback mechanism compensates the control performance loss caused by the component deterioration. Thus, control systems may still operate normally even if the component health indices exceed failure thresholds. This work investigates the CBM model of control systems and employs the reduced control performance as a direct degradation measure for deciding maintenance activities. The reduced control performance depends on the underlying component degradation modelled as a Wiener process and the feedback mechanism. To this aim, the controller features are quantified by developing a dynamic and stochastic control block diagram-based simulation model, consisting of the degraded components and the control mechanism. At each inspection, the system receives a maintenance action if the control performance deterioration exceeds its preventive-maintenance or failure thresholds. Inspired by realistic cases, the component degradation model considers random start time and unit-to-unit variability. The cost analysis of maintenance model is conducted via Monte Carlo simulation. Optimal maintenance strategies are investigated to minimize the expected maintenance costs, which is a direct consequence of the control performance. The proposed framework is able to design preventive maintenance actions on a gas power plant, to ensuring required load frequency control performance against a sudden load increase. The optimization results identify the trade-off between system downtime and maintenance costs as a function of preventive maintenance thresholds and inspection frequency. Finally, the control performance-based maintenance model can reduce
Robots take a hand in inspection, maintenance and repair
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Cruickshank, A.
1985-01-01
In the search for better economic performance through higher availability, utilities are beginning to look with interest at the uses of robotics. However, while some routine surveillance jobs may be amenable to existing commercial robot technology, most maintenance and repair tasks are not. A lot of work still needs to be done to develop robotic devices that can be employed effectively in the sometimes congested and inaccessible environments inside containments. (author)
Robots take a hand in inspection, maintenance and repair
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cruickshank, A
1985-04-01
In the search for better economic performance through higher availability, utilities are beginning to look with interest at the uses of robotics. However, while some routine surveillance jobs may be amenable to existing commercial robot technology, most maintenance and repair tasks are not. A lot of work still needs to be done to develop robotic devices that can be employed effectively in the sometimes congested and inaccessible environments inside containments.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Krause, T. W.; Babbar, V. K.; Underhill, P. R.
2014-01-01
Support plate degradation and fouling in nuclear steam generators (SGs) can lead to SG tube corrosion and loss of efficiency. Inspection and monitoring of these conditions can be integrated with preventive maintenance programs, thereby advancing station-life management processes. A prototype pulsed eddy current (PEC) probe, targeting inspection issues associated with SG tubes in SS410 tube support plate structures, has been developed using commercial finite element (FE) software. FE modeling was used to identify appropriate driver and pickup coil configurations for optimum sensitivity to changes in gap and offset for Alloy-800 SG tubes passing through 25 mm thick SS410 support plates. Experimental measurements using a probe that was manufactured based on the modeled configuration, were used to confirm the sensitivity of differential PEC signals to changes in relative position of the tube within the tube support plate holes. Models investigated the effect of shift and tilt of tube with respect to hole centers. Near hole centers and for small shifts, modeled signal amplitudes from the differentially connected coil pairs were observed to change linearly with tube shift. This was in agreement with experimentally measured TEC coil response. The work paves the way for development of a system targeting the inspection and evaluation of support plate structures in steam generators
Krause, T. W.; Babbar, V. K.; Underhill, P. R.
2014-02-01
Support plate degradation and fouling in nuclear steam generators (SGs) can lead to SG tube corrosion and loss of efficiency. Inspection and monitoring of these conditions can be integrated with preventive maintenance programs, thereby advancing station-life management processes. A prototype pulsed eddy current (PEC) probe, targeting inspection issues associated with SG tubes in SS410 tube support plate structures, has been developed using commercial finite element (FE) software. FE modeling was used to identify appropriate driver and pickup coil configurations for optimum sensitivity to changes in gap and offset for Alloy-800 SG tubes passing through 25 mm thick SS410 support plates. Experimental measurements using a probe that was manufactured based on the modeled configuration, were used to confirm the sensitivity of differential PEC signals to changes in relative position of the tube within the tube support plate holes. Models investigated the effect of shift and tilt of tube with respect to hole centers. Near hole centers and for small shifts, modeled signal amplitudes from the differentially connected coil pairs were observed to change linearly with tube shift. This was in agreement with experimentally measured TEC coil response. The work paves the way for development of a system targeting the inspection and evaluation of support plate structures in steam generators.
Reliability study: maintenance facilities Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Post, B.E.; Sikorski, P.A.; Fankell, R.; Johnson, O.; Ferryman, D.S.; Miller, R.L.; Gearhart, E.C.; Rafferty, M.J.
1981-08-01
A reliability study of the maintenance facilities at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant has been completed. The reliability study team analyzed test data and made visual inspections of each component contributing to the overall operation of the facilities. The impacts of facilities and equipment failures were given consideration with regard to personnel safety, protection of government property, health physics, and environmental control. This study revealed that the maintenance facilities are generally in good condition. After evaluating the physical condition and technology status of the major components, the study team made several basic recommendations. Implementation of the recommendations proposed in this report will help assure reliable maintenance of the plant through the year 2000
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Noakes, M.W.; Petterson, B.J.; Werner, J.C.
1990-01-01
The transportation of objects using overhead cranes can induce pendular motion of the object, which usually must be damped or allowed to decay before the next process can take place. Recent work at Sandia National Laboratories has shown that oscillation-damped transport and swing-free stops are possible by properly programming the acceleration of the transporting crane. Initial studies have been completed using a CIMCORP XR6100 gantry robot. The Advanced Integrated Maintenance System (AIMS) is an engineering and operations test bed developed for remote maintenance and handling studies within the Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program (CFRP) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The goal of CFRP has been to advanced the technology of in-cell systems planned for future nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The AIMS provides the capabilities to examine the needs and constraints necessary for hot-cell remote maintenance and includes a force-reflecting master/slave teleoperator and overhead transporter system. The associated control system provides a flexible programming environment conducive to controls experimentation. This paper reviews the theory associated with oscillation-damped trajectories for simply suspended objects and describes a specific implementation of the oscillation damping methods for the AIMS transporter. Hardware and software requirements and constraints for proper operation are discussed
Final report on the maintenance asset management project : phase II.
2013-07-01
Iowa Department of Transportation (IA DOT) is finalizing research to streamline field inventory/inspection of culverts by Maintenance and Construction staff while maximizing the use of tablet technologies. The project began in 2011 to develop some ne...
Maintenance and management of refills NPP Cofrentes
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Salar, J.; Blanquer, N.
2014-01-01
Maintenance in a nuclear power plant is a discipline that requires considering multiple criteria. Many risks can be involved during the jobs execution, and the preparation of activities needs an important knowledge and experience. During outages, many pieces of equipment are reviewed and inspected, and there is a huge increase of the number of risks and variables needed to perform and adequate preparation, coordination and execution of the maintenance activities. Cofrentes Nuclear Power Plant has improved the Outage preparation organization, in order to get more people involved, and make sure that all the critical parameters have been considered for each outage work. (Author)
Fuel channel in-service inspection programs program design for maximum cost effectiveness
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Van den Brekel, N.C.
1995-01-01
Inspection is an integral part of fuel channel life management strategy. Inspection data is used to assess the state of reactor core integrity and provide the information necessary to optimize long term maintenance programs. This paper will provide an overview of the structured approach to developing fuel channel inspection programs within OHN. The inspection programs are designed to balance the resources utilized (cost, outage time, and dose expenditure) with the benefits provided by the inspection data obtained (improved knowledge of component status, degradation mechanisms and rates, etc..). The CANDU community has yet to have a fuel channel operate for a full 30 year design life. Since research programs can not fully simulate reactor operating conditions, inspections become an essential feature of the life management strategy as the components age. Inspection programs often include activities designed to develop predictive capability for long term fuel channel behaviour and provide early warning of changes in behaviour. It should be noted that although this paper addresses the design of fuel channel inspection programs, the basic principles presented can be applied to the design of inspection programs for any major power plant component or system. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lundeen, J.E.
1994-01-01
The purpose of this report is to compile date generated during the first annual tests and inspections of the Benificiai Uses Shipping System (BUSS) Cask. In addition, this report will verify that the testing criteria identified in chapter 8 of the BUSS Cask Safety Analysis Report for Packaging (SARP) was met. Section 8.2 ''Maintenance and Periodic Inspection Program'' of the BUSS Cask SARP requires that the following tests and inspections be performed on an annual basis: Hydrostatic pressure test; helium leak test; dye penetrant test on the trunnions and lifting lugs; and torque test on all bolts; impact limiter inspection and weight test. The first annual inspections and testing of the BUSS Cask were completed on May 5, 1994, and met the SARP criteria
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ruiz-Castro, Juan Eloy
2016-01-01
In this paper, a discrete complex reliability system subject to internal failures and external shocks, is modelled algorithmically. Two types of internal failure are considered: repairable and non-repairable. When a repairable failure occurs, the unit goes to corrective repair. In addition, the unit is subject to external shocks that may produce an aggravation of the internal degradation level, cumulative damage or extreme failure. When a damage threshold is reached, the unit must be removed. When a non-repairable failure occurs, the device is replaced by a new, identical one. The internal performance and the external damage are partitioned in performance levels. Random inspections are carried out. When an inspection takes place, the internal performance of the system and the damage caused by external shocks are observed and if necessary the unit is sent to preventive maintenance. If the inspection observes minor state for the internal performance and/or external damage, then these states remain in memory when the unit goes to corrective or preventive maintenance. Transient and stationary analyses are performed. Markov counting and reward processes are developed in computational form to analyse the performance and profitability of the system with and without preventive maintenance. These aspects are implemented computationally with Matlab. - Highlights: • A multi-state device is modelled in an algorithmic and computational form. • The performance is partitioned in multi-states and degradation levels. • Several types of failures with repair times according to degradation levels. • Preventive maintenance as response to random inspection is introduced. • The performance-profitable is analysed through Markov counting and reward processes.
Monitoring Interior and Exterior Wall Inspections within a Virtual Environment
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
A. Z. Sampaio
2012-01-01
Full Text Available This paper describes two prototype applications based on the Virtual Reality (VR technology for use in maintenance planning of buildings. In a building, the paint coating applied to interior walls and the different types of materials applied to façades convey their aesthetic character and also perform an important function of protection. This a construction component which is exposed to agents of deterioration related to its use, needing the regular evaluation of its state of repair. The applications support the performance of such periodic inspections and the monitoring of interior and exterior wall maintenance, using the VR technology. Used during an inspection visit, the applications allow users to consult a database of irregularities, normally associated with the coating, classified by the most probable causes and by the recommended repair methodologies. In addition, a chromatic scale related to the degree of deterioration of the coating, defined as a function of the time between the dates of the application of the paint and the scheduled repainting, can be attributed to each element of coating monitored. This use of the VR technology allows inspections and the evaluation of the degree of wear and tear of materials to be carried out in a highly direct and intuitive manner.
Evaluation of modular robot system for maintenance tasks in hot cell
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Pagala, Prithvi Sekhar, E-mail: ps.pagala@upm.es [Centre for Automation and Robotics UPM-CSIC (Spain); Ferre, Manuel, E-mail: m.ferre@upm.es [Centre for Automation and Robotics UPM-CSIC (Spain); Orona, Luis, E-mail: l.orona@gsi.de [GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (Germany)
2014-10-15
Highlights: •Modular robot deployment inside hot cell for remote manipulation evaluated. •Flexible and adaptable system for variety of tasks presented. •Uses in large workspaces and evolving requirements shown. -- Abstract: This work assesses the use of a modular robot system to perform maintenance and inspection tasks such as, remote flexible inspection, manipulation and cooperation with deployed systems inside the hot cell. A flexible modular solution for the inclusion in maintenance operations is presented. The proposed heterogeneous modular robotic system is evaluated using simulations of the prototype across selected robot configuration to perform tasks. Results obtained show the advantages and ability of the modular robot to perform the necessary tasks as well as its ability to adapt and evolve depending on the need. The simulation test case inside hot cell shows modular robot configuration, a two modular arm to perform tele-operation tasks in the workspace and a wheeled platform for inspection collaborating to perform tasks. The advantage of using re-configurable modular robot over conventional robot platforms is shown.
Overview of steam generator tube-inspection technology
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Obrutsky, L.; Renaud, J.; Lakhan, R.
2014-01-01
Degradation of steam generator (SG) tubing due to both mechanical and corrosion modes has resulted in extensive repairs and replacement of SGs around the world. The variety of degradation modes challenges the integrity of SG tubing and, therefore, the stations' reliability. Inspection and monitoring aimed at timely detection and characterization of the degradation is a key element for ensuring tube integrity. Up to the early-70's, the in-service inspection of SG tubing was carried out using single-frequency eddy current testing (ET) bobbin coils, which were adequate for the detection of volumetric degradation. By the mid-80's, additional modes of degradation such as pitting, intergranular attack, and axial and circumferential inside or outside diameter stress corrosion cracking had to be addressed. The need for timely, fast detection and characterization of these diverse modes of degradation motivated the development in the 90's of inspection systems based on advanced probe technology coupled with versatile instruments operated by fast computers and remote communication systems. SG inspection systems have progressed in the new millennium to a much higher level of automation, efficiency and reliability. Also, the role of Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE) has evolved from simple detection tools to diagnostic tools that provide input into integrity assessment decisions, fitness-far-service and operational assessments. This new role was motivated by tighter regulatory requirements to assure the safety of the public and the environment, better SG life management strategies and often self-imposed regulations. It led to the development of advanced probe technologies, more reliable and versatile instruments and robotics, better training and qualification of personnel and better data management and analysis systems. This paper provides a brief historical perspective regarding the evolution of SG inspections and analyzes the motivations behind that evolution. It presents an
Surface Casting Defects Inspection Using Vision System and Neural Network Techniques
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Świłło S.J.
2013-12-01
Full Text Available The paper presents a vision based approach and neural network techniques in surface defects inspection and categorization. Depending on part design and processing techniques, castings may develop surface discontinuities such as cracks and pores that greatly influence the material’s properties Since the human visual inspection for the surface is slow and expensive, a computer vision system is an alternative solution for the online inspection. The authors present the developed vision system uses an advanced image processing algorithm based on modified Laplacian of Gaussian edge detection method and advanced lighting system. The defect inspection algorithm consists of several parameters that allow the user to specify the sensitivity level at which he can accept the defects in the casting. In addition to the developed image processing algorithm and vision system apparatus, an advanced learning process has been developed, based on neural network techniques. Finally, as an example three groups of defects were investigated demonstrates automatic selection and categorization of the measured defects, such as blowholes, shrinkage porosity and shrinkage cavity.
Optimal Inspection and Repair Strategies for Structural Systems
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Sommer, A. M.; Nowak, A. S.; Thoft-Christensen, Palle
1992-01-01
and a design variable as optimization variables. A model for estimating the total expected costs for structural systems is given including the costs associated with the loss of individual structural members as well as the costs associated with the loss of at least one element of a particular group......A model for reliability-based repair and maintenance strategies of structural systems is described. The total expected costs in the lifetime of the structure are minimized with the number of inspections, the number and positions of the inspected points, the inspection efforts, the repair criteria...... of structural members and the costs associated with the simultaneous loss of all members of a specific group of structural members. The approach is based on the pre-posteriori analysis from the classical decision theory. Special emphasis is given to the problem of selecting the number of points in the structure...
Integration of infrared thermography into various maintenance methodologies
Morgan, William T.
1993-04-01
Maintenance methodologies are in developmental stages throughout the world as global competitiveness drives all industries to improve operational efficiencies. Rapid progress in technical advancements has added an additional strain on maintenance organizations to progressively change. Accompanying needs for advanced training and documentation is the demand for utilization of various analytical instruments and quantitative methods. Infrared thermography is one of the primary elements of engineered approaches to maintenance. Current maintenance methodologies can be divided into six categories; Routine ('Breakdown'), Preventive, Predictive, Proactive, Reliability-Based, and Total Productive (TPM) maintenance. Each of these methodologies have distinctive approaches to achieving improved operational efficiencies. Popular though is that infrared thermography is a Predictive maintenance tool. While this is true, it is also true that it can be effectively integrated into each of the maintenance methodologies for achieving desired results. The six maintenance strategies will be defined. Infrared applications integrated into each will be composed in tabular form.
Inspection systems for valves monitoring at EDF
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Germain, J.L.; Granal, L.; Provost, D.; Touillez, M.
1997-01-01
Electricite de France (EDF) makes increasing use of valve inspection systems to guarantee safety in its pressurized water reactor plants, improve plant availability and facilitate condition-based maintenance. A portable system known as SAMIR has been developed for inspection of motor-operated valves, and is now used on EDF's 900-MW sites. For its 1300-MW units, EDF has chosen a more complete system which enables measuring thrust on the valve stem during a maneuver, using a sensor mounted on the yoke. To detect internal vale leaks, an on-site assessment has demonstrated the economic benefits of acoustic emission techniques. EDF has equipped its sites with analog leak detection systems which may soon be replaced by a digital model now being developed. (authors)
A portable solution to enable guided ultrasonic inspection
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Enenkel, Laurent; Buechler, Johannes; Poirier, Jerome; Jervis David
2012-01-01
This paper describes the development and application of an innovative ultrasonic (UT) inspection system, which is 100% guided and menu-driven to reduce human error and ensure both inspection accuracy and productivity in the reliable and accurate non-destructive testing (NDT) of shafts, tubes, pipes, and other components and structures. Set-up is menu-directed with the minimum of instrument-specific training, allowing the integral operating software to calculate all the ultrasonic parameters for each task according to the inspection procedure and create an easy-to-follow inspection plan, using either phased array or conventional UT. The operator then scans the work piece, with an encoded scanner, which ensures that the inspection plan is strictly followed. Inspection data is transmitted to a review station in the industry-accepted, non-proprietary DICONDE protocol, allowing advanced analysis tools, such as real time, volume corrected imaging, to allow easier and more reliable image interpretation. By using GEs Rhythm software platform, inspection data can be reviewed and shared, reports generated and inspection results archived for traceability, tracking or further analysis.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ambühl, Simon; Kramer, Morten Mejlhede; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
2016-01-01
Inspection and maintenance costs are significant contributors to the cost of energy for wave energy converters. Maintenance can be performed after failure (corrective) or before a breakdown (preventive) occurs. Furthermore, helicopter and boat can be used to transport equipment and personnel to t...
Predictive maintenance policy for a gradually deteriorating system subject to stress
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Deloux, E. [IRCCyN/Ecole des Mines de Nantes, Nantes (France); Castanier, B. [IRCCyN/Ecole des Mines de Nantes, Nantes (France)], E-mail: bruno.castanier@emn.fr; Berenguer, C. [Universite de Technologie de Troyes/CNRS, Troyes (France)
2009-02-15
This paper deals with a predictive maintenance policy for a continuously deteriorating system subject to stress. We consider a system with two failure mechanisms which are, respectively, due to an excessive deterioration level and a shock. To optimize the maintenance policy of the system, an approach combining statistical process control (SPC) and condition-based maintenance (CBM) is proposed. CBM policy is used to inspect and replace the system according to the observed deterioration level. SPC is used to monitor the stress covariate. In order to assess the performance of the proposed maintenance policy and to minimize the long-run expected maintenance cost per unit of time, a mathematical model for the maintained system cost is derived. Analysis based on numerical results are conducted to highlight the properties of the proposed maintenance policy in respect to the different maintenance parameters.
Predictive maintenance policy for a gradually deteriorating system subject to stress
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Deloux, E.; Castanier, B.; Berenguer, C.
2009-01-01
This paper deals with a predictive maintenance policy for a continuously deteriorating system subject to stress. We consider a system with two failure mechanisms which are, respectively, due to an excessive deterioration level and a shock. To optimize the maintenance policy of the system, an approach combining statistical process control (SPC) and condition-based maintenance (CBM) is proposed. CBM policy is used to inspect and replace the system according to the observed deterioration level. SPC is used to monitor the stress covariate. In order to assess the performance of the proposed maintenance policy and to minimize the long-run expected maintenance cost per unit of time, a mathematical model for the maintained system cost is derived. Analysis based on numerical results are conducted to highlight the properties of the proposed maintenance policy in respect to the different maintenance parameters
Remote maintenance concepts for the Compact Ignition Tokamak
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Davis, F.C.; Hager, E.R.
1988-01-01
Because deuterium-tritium fuel will be used in the Compact Ignition Tokamak (CIT), remote handling technology is needed to carry out some maintenance operations on the machine. In keeping with the compact, low-cost nature of CIT, remote maintenance is provided only for systems with the highest probability of failure. Remote operations include removing, repairing (if feasible), and replacing such components as thermal protection tiles on the first wall, radio-frequency (rf) heating modules, and diagnostic modules. For maintenance inside the vacuum vessel, major pieces of equipment under development include an articulated boom manipulator with servomanipulators, an inspection manipulator, and special tooling. For maintenance outside the cryostat, remote equipment includes a bridge-mounted manipulator system, equipment for decontamination and hot cell activities, and for handling and packaging solid radioactive waste. The conceptual design phase of the CIT project is nearing completion; research and development activities in support of the project include demonstrations of remote maintenance operations on full-size partial mock-ups. 9 figs
An advanced dispatching technology for large container inspection system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chen Zhiqiang; Zhang Li; Kang Kejun; Gao Wenhuan
2001-01-01
The author describes the transmitting and dispatching technology of large container inspection system. It introduces the structure of the double buffer graded pipe lining used in the system. Strategies of queue mechanism and waiting dispatch policy are illustrated
Unique systems for inspection and repair of VVER steam generators
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kovalyk, Adrian; Pilat, Peter; Jablonicky, Pavol
2014-01-01
During over 30 years, VUJE Trnava has developed a series of remote control manipulators for in-service inspection and maintenance of steam generator collectors. The manipulators have been widely used on WWER type reactors in Slovakia and abroad. Some of the manipulators for non-destructive testing are shown.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Sagisaka, Mitsuyuki; Isobe, Yoshihiro; Yoshimura, Shinobu; Yagawa, Genki
2004-01-01
As an application of probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) and a financial method, risk-benefit analyses were performed for the purpose of optimizing maintenance activities of steam generator (SG) tubes used in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Parameters such as in-service inspection (ISI) detection accuracy, ISI interval, sampling inspection, replacement of SGs and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) allowance operation were selected for sensitivity analyses. In the analysis of the operation introducing maintenance criteria, the effect of quantitative accuracy of the inspection was also taken into account. Although the analyses were mainly conducted for SG tubes made of Inconel 600 mill anneal (MA) materials, the analyses were also performed for SCC-resistant materials with making assumptions on their crack initiation probabilities and crack propagation laws. To justify whether or not it is worth while implementing the selected maintenance strategies in terms of an economic point of view, net present value (NPV) was calculated as an index which is one of the most fundamental financial indices for decision-making based on the discounted cash flow (DCF) method. (author)
Shielding repair and comprehensive safety inspection of the nuclear-powered ship Mutsu
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Takada, Etsuo
1982-01-01
Eight years after the radiation leakage accident, the nuclear-powered ship Mutsu returned again to its home port Ominato. During the period, for four years, the n.s. Mutsu was subjected to shielding repair and comprehensive inspection at Sasebo port. In the future, the ship will start on experimental navigation after its functional and power-up tests. The works of shielding repair and the comprehensive inspection with subsequent repair are described in technical aspects. The basic policy of the repair was two points, i.e. the usage of shielding materials excellent in shielding capacity, less in radioactivation and enduring operating temperature, and structural strength resisting ship-hull acceleration, shock and vibration, enabling easy maintenance and inspection. Comprehensive inspection was made on not only machinery integrity but also the design itself. (Mori, K.)
Remote operation and automation of the maintenance works under the radiation field
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Asai, T; Koga, A; Shirasu, I; Miida, T
1983-06-01
More than ninety per cent of the personnel radiation exposure at the nuclear power station is attributable to the maintenance works during the plant shutdown. The maintenance robots have effectively contributed in reducing the annual inspection and refueling schedule and the personnel radiation exposure. Future prospects of robotics depend on the grade of development in robot technology and plant engineering itself to accommodate such robot tools, since plant facilities and maintenance procedure today is difficult to replace with machines due to their diversified and complex nature.
Remote operation and automation of the maintenance works under the radiation field
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Asai, Takashi; Koga, Akihiko; Shirasu, Isao; Miida, Toshiro [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)
1983-08-01
More than ninety per cent of the personnel radiation exposure at the nuclear power station is attributable to the maintenence works during the plant shutdown. The maintenance robots have effectively contributed in reducing the annual inspection and refueling schedule and the personnel radiation exposure. Future prospects of robotics depend on the grade of development in robot technology and plant engineering itself to accommodate such robot tools, since plant facilities and maintenance procedure today are so difficult to replace with machines due to their deversified and complexed nature.
Remote operation and automation of the maintenance works under the radiation field
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Asai, Takashi; Koga, Akihiko; Shirasu, Isao; Miida, Toshiro [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)
1983-01-01
More than ninety per cent of the personnel radiation exposure at the nuclear power station is attributable to the maintenance works during the plant shutdown. The maintenance robots have effectively contributed in reducing the annual inspection and refueling schedule and the personnel radiation exposure. Future prospects of robotics depend on the grade of development in robot technology and plant engineering itself to accommodate such robot tools, since plant facilities and maintenance procedure today is so defficult to replace with machines due to their diversified and complexed nature.
SICOM: On-site inspection systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Serna, J.J.; Quecedo, M.; Fernandez, J.R.
2002-01-01
As the irradiation conditions become more demanding for the fuel than in the past, there is a need for surveillance programs to gather in-reactor operating experience. The data obtained in these programs can be used to assess the performance of current fuel designs and the improvements incorporated to the fuel assembly design, the performance of the advanced cladding alloys, etc. In these regards, valuable data is obtained from on-site fuel inspections. These on-site data comprise fuel assembly dimensional data such as length and distortion (tilt, twist and bow) and fuel rod data such as length and oxide thickness. These data have to be reliable and accurate to be useful thus, demanding a high precision inspection equipment. However, the inspection equipment has to be also robust and flexible enough to operate in the plant spent fuel pool and, sometimes, without interfering in the works carried out during a plant outage. To meet these requirements, during the past years ENUSA and TECNATOM have developed two on-site inspection systems. While the first system can perform most of the typical measurements in a stand-alone manner thus, without interfering with the critical path of the reload, the second one reduces the inspection time but requires using the plant capabilities. The paper describes both equipment for fuel on-site inspection, their characteristics and main features. (author)
33 CFR 106.255 - Security systems and equipment maintenance.
2010-07-01
... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Security systems and equipment... Shelf (OCS) Facility Security Requirements § 106.255 Security systems and equipment maintenance. (a) Security systems and equipment must be in good working order and inspected, tested, calibrated, and...
15 CFR 716.5 - Notification, duration and frequency of inspections.
2010-01-01
..., facilities that request advance team assistance are not required to reimburse the U.S. Government for costs... inspected 1-2 days after OPCW notification for logistical and administrative preparations If advance team...
Risk-based optimization of pipe inspections in large underground networks with imprecise information
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Mancuso, A.; Compare, M.; Salo, A.; Zio, E.; Laakso, T.
2016-01-01
In this paper, we present a novel risk-based methodology for optimizing the inspections of large underground infrastructure networks in the presence of incomplete information about the network features and parameters. The methodology employs Multi Attribute Value Theory to assess the risk of each pipe in the network, whereafter the optimal inspection campaign is built with Portfolio Decision Analysis (PDA). Specifically, Robust Portfolio Modeling (RPM) is employed to identify Pareto-optimal portfolios of pipe inspections. The proposed methodology is illustrated by reporting a real case study on the large-scale maintenance optimization of the sewerage network in Espoo, Finland. - Highlights: • Risk-based approach to optimize pipe inspections on large underground networks. • Reasonable computational effort to select efficient inspection portfolios. • Possibility to accommodate imprecise expert information. • Feasibility of the approach shown by Espoo water system case study.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Xiaohui Zeng
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Maintenance gefitinib significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS compared with placebo in patients from eastern Asian with locally advanced/metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC after four chemotherapeutic cycles (21 days per cycle of first-line platinum-based combination chemotherapy without disease progression. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of maintenance gefitinib therapy after four chemotherapeutic cycle's stand first-line platinum-based chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with unknown EGFR mutations, from a Chinese health care system perspective. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A semi-Markov model was designed to evaluate cost-effectiveness of the maintenance gefitinib treatment. Two-parametric Weibull and Log-logistic distribution were fitted to PFS and overall survival curves independently. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the stability of the model designed. The model base-case analysis suggested that maintenance gefitinib would increase benefits in a 1, 3, 6 or 10-year time horizon, with incremental $184,829, $19,214, $19,328, and $21,308 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY gained, respectively. The most sensitive influential variable in the cost-effectiveness analysis was utility of PFS plus rash, followed by utility of PFS plus diarrhoea, utility of progressed disease, price of gefitinib, cost of follow-up treatment in progressed survival state, and utility of PFS on oral therapy. The price of gefitinib is the most significant parameter that could reduce the incremental cost per QALY. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated that the cost-effective probability of maintenance gefitinib was zero under the willingness-to-pay (WTP threshold of $16,349 (3 × per-capita gross domestic product of China. The sensitivity analyses all suggested that the model was robust. CONCLUSIONS: Maintenance gefitinib
Advanced Ground Systems Maintenance Physics Models For Diagnostics Project
Perotti, Jose M.
2015-01-01
The project will use high-fidelity physics models and simulations to simulate real-time operations of cryogenic and systems and calculate the status/health of the systems. The project enables the delivery of system health advisories to ground system operators. The capability will also be used to conduct planning and analysis of cryogenic system operations. This project will develop and implement high-fidelity physics-based modeling techniques tosimulate the real-time operation of cryogenics and other fluids systems and, when compared to thereal-time operation of the actual systems, provide assessment of their state. Physics-modelcalculated measurements (called “pseudo-sensors”) will be compared to the system real-timedata. Comparison results will be utilized to provide systems operators with enhanced monitoring ofsystems' health and status, identify off-nominal trends and diagnose system/component failures.This capability can also be used to conduct planning and analysis of cryogenics and other fluidsystems designs. This capability will be interfaced with the ground operations command andcontrol system as a part of the Advanced Ground Systems Maintenance (AGSM) project to helpassure system availability and mission success. The initial capability will be developed for theLiquid Oxygen (LO2) ground loading systems.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Witzel, Andre; Schulz, Olav
2013-01-01
Especially for nuclear technological plants, periodic inspections of lightning protection systems are of great importance. This article shows the sequence of maintenance programs using the examples of the intermediate storage facilities of the nuclear technological plants Grohnde and Unterweser as well as the central intermediate storage facility in Gorleben and gives a description of the extensive measures of inspecting the external and internal lightning protection and the global earth termination system.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Caballé, N.C.; Castro, I.T.; Pérez, C.J.; Lanza-Gutiérrez, J.M.
2015-01-01
This paper proposes a condition-based maintenance strategy for a system subject to two dependent causes of failure: degradation and sudden shocks. The internal degradation is reflected by the presence of multiple degradation processes in the system. Degradation processes start at random times following a Non-homogeneous Poisson process and their growths are modelled by using a gamma process. When the deterioration level of a degradation process exceeds a predetermined value, we assume that a degradation failure occurs. Furthermore, the system is subject to sudden shocks that arrive at the system following a Doubly Stochastic Poisson Process. A sudden shock provokes the total breakdown of the system. Thus, the state of the system is evaluated at inspection times and different maintenance tasks can be carried out. If the system is still working at an inspection time, a preventive maintenance task is performed if the deterioration level of a degradation process exceeds a certain threshold. A corrective maintenance task is performed if the system is down at an inspection time. A preventive (corrective) maintenance task implies the replacement of the system by a new one. Under this maintenance strategy, the expected cost rate function is obtained. A numerical example illustrates the analytical results. - Highlights: • A condition-based maintenance model is proposed. • Two dependent causes of failure are considered: deterioration and external shocks. • Deterioration is given by multiple degradation processes growing by a gamma process. • The initiation of degradation processes follows a Non-homogeneous Poisson process. • External shocks arrive at the system by using a Doubly Stochastic Poisson Process
A dynamic predictive maintenance policy for complex multi-component systems
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Van Horenbeek, Adriaan; Pintelon, Liliane
2013-01-01
The use of prognostic methods in maintenance in order to predict remaining useful life is receiving more attention over the past years. The use of these techniques in maintenance decision making and optimization in multi-component systems is however a still underexplored area. The objective of this paper is to optimally plan maintenance for a multi-component system based on prognostic/predictive information while considering different component dependencies (i.e. economic, structural and stochastic dependence). Consequently, this paper presents a dynamic predictive maintenance policy for multi-component systems that minimizes the long-term mean maintenance cost per unit time. The proposed maintenance policy is a dynamic method as the maintenance schedule is updated when new information on the degradation and remaining useful life of components becomes available. The performance, regarding the objective of minimal long-term mean cost per unit time, of the developed dynamic predictive maintenance policy is compared to five other conventional maintenance policies, these are: block-based maintenance, age-based maintenance, age-based maintenance with grouping, inspection condition-based maintenance and continuous condition-based maintenance. The ability of the predictive maintenance policy to react to changing component deterioration and dependencies within a multi-component system is quantified and the results show significant cost savings
R and D work in maintenance and repair in DeBeNe
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Westenbrugge, J.K. van; Visbach, D.
2002-01-01
The research and development work on maintenance and repair of steam generators in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands (DeBeNe), specifically in the Netherlands, covers three different fields: inspection techniques, cleaning and repair. In this paper each field is discussed and, where applicable, references to more detailed papers on each topic are given. Inspection tools for the steam generators constructed in ferritic steels, used in DeBeNe are: visual test; pressure test; helium test; dye-penetrant/magnetic crack detection; X-ray testing; and ultrasonic testing. All tools are used during fabrication and for inservice inspection
Short and long term maintenance strategy for reactor vessel head penetrations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Teissier, A.; Heuze, A.
1995-01-01
This paper presents elements based on : surveys, operating inspection, theoretical studies, safety analysis, laboratory results, that enabled to determine maintenance options and short and long term strategies for processing on reactor vessel head leaks. (TEC). 1 tab
Cost-risk optimization of nondestructive inspection level
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Johnson, D.P.
1978-01-01
This paper develops a quantitative methodology for determining the nondestructive inspection (NDI) level that will result in a minimum cost product considering both type one inspection errors, acceptance of defective material units, and type two inspection errors, rejection of sound material units. This methodology represents an advance over fracture mechanics - nondestructive inspection (FM-NDI) design systems that do not consider type two inspection errors or the pre-inspection material quality. The inputs required for the methodology developed in this paper are (1) the rejection probability as a function of inspection size and imperfection size, (2) the flaw frequency (FF), as a function of imperfection size, (3) the probability of failure given the material unit contains an imperfection of a given size as a function of that given size, (4) the manufacturing cost per material unit, (5) the inspection cost per material unit, and (6) the average cost per failure including indirect costs. Four methods are identified for determining the flaw-frequency and three methods are identified for determining the conditional failure probability (one of these methods is probabilistic fracture mechanics). Methods for determining the rejection probability are discussed elsewhere. The NDI-FF methodology can have significant impact where the cost of failures represents a significant fraction of the manufacturing costs, or when a significant fraction of the components are being rejected by the inspection. (Auth.)
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cenci, V.; Ghironi, M.; Guidi, L.; Lauro, M.; Pestonesi, D. [ENEL (Italy). Generation and Energy Management Division
2007-07-01
This paper reviews the ENEL Generation and Energy Management strategy for diagnostics and predictive maintenance of power plants and provides a comprehensive description of effective applications and systems. Exploiting the most advanced information and communication technologies makes it possible to capture weak and hidden signals and powerful processing can be used to discover forewarning symptoms and identify anomalies both in the process and, above all, inside the devices. The following systems and applications are presented together with results and impact on plant profitability: expert system for the diagnostics of plant main machinery; advanced diagnostics of 'intelligent' fieldbus devices such as on/off valve motor-driven actuators, control-valve positioners and pneumatic actuators, transmitters; control loop and control valve diagnostics in order to investigate valve friction with an estimation of the residual time to failure; multisensorial diagnostics for coal transport and storage systems aimed at preventing firing and structural damages; and wireless sensor networks for the diagnostics of medium and small size components. 4 refs., 14 figs., 1 tab.
Vora, Jeenal; Nair, Santosh; Gramopadhye, Anand K; Duchowski, Andrew T; Melloy, Brian J; Kanki, Barbara
2002-11-01
The aircraft maintenance industry is a complex system consisting of several interrelated human and machine components. Recognizing this, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has pursued human factors related research. In the maintenance arena the research has focused on the aircraft inspection process and the aircraft inspector. Training has been identified as the primary intervention strategy to improve the quality and reliability of aircraft inspection. If training is to be successful, it is critical that we provide aircraft inspectors with appropriate training tools and environment. In response to this need, the paper outlines the development of a virtual reality (VR) system for aircraft inspection training. VR has generated much excitement but little formal proof that it is useful. However, since VR interfaces are difficult and expensive to build, the computer graphics community needs to be able to predict which applications will benefit from VR. To address this important issue, this research measured the degree of immersion and presence felt by subjects in a virtual environment simulator. Specifically, it conducted two controlled studies using the VR system developed for visual inspection task of an aft-cargo bay at the VR Lab of Clemson University. Beyond assembling the visual inspection virtual environment, a significant goal of this project was to explore subjective presence as it affects task performance. The results of this study indicated that the system scored high on the issues related to the degree of presence felt by the subjects. As a next logical step, this study, then, compared VR to an existing PC-based aircraft inspection simulator. The results showed that the VR system was better and preferred over the PC-based training tool.
Safety constraints applied to an adaptive Bayesian condition-based maintenance optimization model
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Flage, Roger; Coit, David W.; Luxhøj, James T.; Aven, Terje
2012-01-01
A model is described that determines an optimal inspection and maintenance scheme for a deteriorating unit with a stochastic degradation process with independent and stationary increments and for which the parameters are uncertain. This model and resulting maintenance plans offers some distinct benefits compared to prior research because the uncertainty of the degradation process is accommodated by a Bayesian approach and two new safety constraints have been applied to the problem: (1) with a given subjective probability (degree of belief), the limiting relative frequency of one or more failures during a fixed time interval is bounded; or (2) the subjective probability of one or more failures during a fixed time interval is bounded. In the model, the parameter(s) of a condition-based inspection scheduling function and a preventive replacement threshold are jointly optimized upon each replacement and inspection such as to minimize the expected long run cost per unit of time, but also considering one of the specified safety constraints. A numerical example is included to illustrate the effect of imposing each of the two different safety constraints.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
NONE
1984-07-01
The Specialists` Meeting on "Maintenance and Repair of LMFBR Steam Generators" was held in Oarai, Japan, from 4-8 June 1984. The meeting was sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency on the recommendation of the IAEA International Working Group on Fast Reactors and was hosted by the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation of Japan. The purpose of the meeting was to review and discuss the experience accumulated in various countries on the general design philosophy of LMFBR steam generators from the view point of maintenance and repair, in-service inspection of steam generator tube bundles, identification and inspection of failed tubes and the cleaning and repairing of failed steam generators. The following main topical areas were discussed by participants: national review presentations on maintenance and repair of LMFBR steam generators - design philosophy for maintenance and repair; research and development work on maintenance and repair; and experience on steam generator maintenance and repair.
Remote operation and automation of the maintenance works under the radiation field
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Asai, Takashi; Koga, Akihiko; Shirasu, Isao; Miida, Toshiro
1983-01-01
More than ninety per cent of the personnel radiation exposure at the nuclear power station is attributable to the maintenence works during the plant shutdown. The maintenance robots have effectively contributed in reducing the annual inspection and refueling schedule and the personnel radiation exposure. Future prospects of robotics depend on the grade of development in robot technology and plant engineering itself to accommodate such robot tools, since plant facilities and maintenance procedure today is so difficult to replace with machines due to their deversified and complexed nature. (author)
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zaiss, W.; Reuschle, K.; Baier, B.
2002-01-01
The increasingly more expensive maintenance measures, cuts in the cost budget, and the loss of know-how on the part of vendors all require a change of policy with respect to maintenance concepts of the part of operators. This also applies to the existing valve concepts, the drives included. Under these aspects, the current drive, which is self-actuated and actuated by outside media, for a parallel-plate valve of a nomial width of 700 was reconsidered. The effort served to reduce maintenance costs and, at the same time, simplify the drive concept as well as cut back on the number of in-service inspections. Moreover, the number of active components were to be minimized and installation conditions in the plant were to be improved. When the boundary conditions to be observed with respect to process technology had been laid down, the competent technical department developed a concept of modification of the drive. A major constituent part was the demonstration of the functioning capability of the new drive under accident conditions. It was achieved mainly by an analytical approach. In the resultant drive concept, the same control valves are employed to actuate a driving cylinder by means of self-actuation or by an outside medium as a function of pressure. (orig.) [de
Advanced decision support for winter road maintenance
2008-01-01
This document provides an overview of the Federal Highway Administration's winter Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS). The MDSS is a decision support tool that has the ability to provide weather predictions focused toward the road surface. The...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Antonaccio, Carlos; Conde, Alberto; Fittipaldi, Andres H.; Maniotti, Jorge; Moliterno, Gabriel E.
2000-01-01
During the August 1998 and the August 1999 Atucha 1 outages, two areas were inspected on the Reactor Pressure Vessel: the nozzle inner radii and the nozzle shell welds on all 3 moderator nozzles and all 4 main coolant nozzles. The inspections themselves were carried out by Mitsui Babcock Energy Limited from Scotland. The coordination, maintenance assistant and mounting of the manipulator devices over the nozzles were carried out by NASA personnel. Although it was not the first time the nozzle shell welds were inspected, due to the technologies advances in the ultrasonic field and in the inspection manipulators (magnetic ones), it was possible to inspect more volume than in previous inspections. In the other hand, it was the first time NASA was able to inspect the inner radii. In this last case the mayor problems to inspect them were the nozzles geometry and the small space available to install manipulators. The result of the inspections were: 1) There were no reportable indications at any of the inner radii inspected; 2) The inspection of nozzle to shell welds in main-coolant nozzles R3 and R4 detected flaws (one in each nozzle) which were reported as exceeding the dimensions specified as the acceptance level under Table IWB 3512-1, Section XI of the ASME code. Subsequent analysis requested by NASA and performed by Mitsui Babcock, demonstrated that the flaws were over dimensioned and could be explained as due to 'point' flaws. The analysis was based on theoretical mathematic model and experimental trials. Therefore their dimension were under the acceptance level of the ASME XI code. Although the Mitsui Babcock analysis, and at the same time it was in progress, it was assumed that the flaws were as they were originally presented (exceeding the acceptance level). NASA asked SIEMENS/KWU, the designer of the plant, to perform the fracture assessment according to ASME XI App. A. The assessment shows that the expected crack growth is negligibly small and the safety
Enhancement of the reliability of automated ultrasonic inspections using tools of quantitative NDT
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kappes, W.; Baehr, W.; Kroening, M.; Schmitz, V.
1994-01-01
To achieve reliable test results from automated ultrasonic inspection of safety related components, optimization and integral consideration of the various inspection stages - inspection planning, inspection performance and evaluation of results - are indispensable. For this purpose, a large potential of methods is available: advanced measurement techniques, mathematical-numerical modelling processes, artificial intelligence tools, data bases and CAD systems. The potential inherent in these methods to enhance inspection reliability is outlined by way of different applications. (orig.) [de
Inspections of CRDM Nozzle Penetrations in Paks NPP
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Doszpod, B.; Doczi, M.
2008-01-01
During the maintenance outage of Unit 2 of Paks Nuclear Power Plant in 2002, performing the regular drop-test of Control Rod Driving Mechanisms (CRDM) reduced drop-speed was observed in case of one CRDM. In spite of the measured value of speed was inside the acceptance limit, so it was still satisfactory, decision was made to disassemble the CRDM to clarify the cause of the speed-anomaly. After removal of the CRDM, by means of visual inspection deformation (bulge) was observed on the inside surface of the heat protection tube of the CRDM nozzle penetration. Deformation was big enough to obstruct the free movement of CRDM. After the deformed heat protection tube was removed, significant bulge was observed also on the corrosion protection tube, at the same elevation. As the root cause of these deformations, presence of water in the space between the CRDM nozzle and the corrosion protection tube was assumed. Non destructive inspection procedures were worked out and utilized to detect the presence of water in the space in question and to find the possible way of water inlet. Performed inspections successfully localized the place of water inlet. Developed inspection program of CRDM nozzles has to be performed during each outage on each unit. Paper deals with introduction of the phenomenon, the cause of damage, inspection the procedures which were worked out and applied, summarize the results of inspections performed.(author)
Robotic inspection of fiber reinforced composites using phased array UT
Stetson, Jeffrey T.; De Odorico, Walter
2014-02-01
Ultrasound is the current NDE method of choice to inspect large fiber reinforced airframe structures. Over the last 15 years Cartesian based scanning machines using conventional ultrasound techniques have been employed by all airframe OEMs and their top tier suppliers to perform these inspections. Technical advances in both computing power and commercially available, multi-axis robots now facilitate a new generation of scanning machines. These machines use multiple end effector tools taking full advantage of phased array ultrasound technologies yielding substantial improvements in inspection quality and productivity. This paper outlines the general architecture for these new robotic scanning systems as well as details the variety of ultrasonic techniques available for use with them including advances such as wide area phased array scanning and sound field adaptation for non-flat, non-parallel surfaces.
Remote maintenance system technology development for nuclear fuel cycle plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kashihara, Hidechiyo
1984-01-01
The necessity of establishing the technology of remote maintenance, the kinds of maintenance techniques and the change, the image of a facility adopting remote maintenance canyon process, and the outline of the R and D plan to put remote maintenance canyon process in practical use are described. As the objects of development, there are twin arm type servo manipulator system, rack system, remote tube connectors, solution sampling system, inspection system for in-cell equipment, and large plugs for wall penetration. The outline of those are also reported. The development of new remote maintenance technology has been forwarded in the Tokai Works aiming at the application to a glass solidification pilot plant and a FBR fuel recycling test facility. The lowering of the rate of utilization of cells due to poor accessibility and the increase of radiation exposure of workers must be overcome to realize nuclear fuel cycle technology. The maintenance technology is classified into crane canyon method, direct maintenance cell method, remote maintenance cell method and remote maintenance canyon method, and those are described briefly. The development plan of remote maintenance technology is outlined. (Kako, I.)
Chapter 4. Assessment and inspection of nuclear installations
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
2001-01-01
inspections: (1) Routine inspections performed mainly by site inspectors. They look whether the nuclear safety conditions and requirements are met. They also examine technical condition of nuclear equipment, performing surveillance testing of nuclear safety related equipment, observation of fulfilment of approved limits and conditions, selected operating procedures and programmes of quality assurance during construction and commissioning, operation and maintenance as well as in decommissioning nuclear installations. (2) Special inspections are focused on specific profession areas (such as fire safety, qualification and training of NPP personnel, etc.), especially on inspection of meeting specific requirements of nuclear safety. Team inspections are aimed at complex inspection of relevant nuclear equipment safety and they usually are being conducted simultaneously in several professional areas. The inspection of readiness of the nuclear installation for individual phases of commissioning is a typical example of a team inspection. This is the inspection of fulfilment of conditions imposed by UJD to the licensee to operate the nuclear power plant for issuing an approval to start up the unit after refuelling. Team inspections during operation are normally oriented to the areas, which are set based on long-term evaluation of results of nuclear installation's operator. (3) Extraordinary inspections are unplanned, evoked by unexpected operational events on nuclear installations, or the regulator responds by them to the situation in the organisation under supervision. In compliance with the 'Atomic Act' UJD performs inspections also during construction, reconstruction, repair and maintenance of nuclear installations in a form of participation of UJD inspectors at tests of selected equipment after its assembly is completed. The inspection activity of UJD has been performed by nuclear safety inspectors, the most of them having long-term experience in the relevant area. Inspectors
Conceptualization of an intellectual maintenance management system
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Suda, Kazunori; Yonekawa, Tsuyoshi; Yoshikawa, Shinji; Ozawa, Kenji
1997-04-01
It is studied in many research institute to enhance availability and safety of nuclear power plants operation and maintenance. On this account, development of autonomous plants has been carried out to replace the role of operators with artificial intelligence and autonomous robots. We have been developing an intellectual maintenance management system since 1994. As the first step, concept of an intellectual maintenance management system was constructed. The intellectual maintenance managerial system is in charge of maintenance function of an autonomous plant. The intellectual maintenance managerial system has three functions which is monitoring state and judging abnormal machine and deciding maintenance plan by autonomy. This system has an important role of indication and communication of the result to an autonomous operation system and autonomous robot. In this examination, we adopted the distributed and cooperative system technique by multi-agent of AI technology and examined a method to enforce problem solving by cooperation of sensor and actuator. In this report, we examined trouble detection and troubleshooting evaluation and maintenance plan decision function by the distributed and cooperative system technology, the distributed and cooperative system communication-function that these information releases functions was taken on. In conceptualization of the intellectual maintenance managerial system, we clarified of major functions to constitute this system and relation between autonomous operation system and autonomous robots. We clarified the information exchange scheme between this system and an outside system furthermore. In future, we will prototype each function and inspect the total system. (author)
Optimizing and joining future safeguards efforts by 'remote inspections'
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Zendel, M.; Khlebnikov, N.
2009-01-01
Full-text: Remote inspections have a large potential to save inspection effort in future routine safeguards implementation. Such inspections involve remote activities based on the analysis of data acquired in the field without the physical presence of an inspector, shifting the inspectors' priorities further toward unannounced inspections, complementary access activities and data evaluation. Large, automated and complex facilities require facility resident and specific safeguards equipment systems with features for unattended and remotely controlled operation as well as being integrated in the nuclear process. In many instances the use of such equipment jointly with the SSAC/RSAC and the operator is foreseen to achieve affordable effectiveness with a minimum level of intrusiveness to the facility operation. Where it becomes possible to achieve independent conclusions by this approach, the IAEA would make full use of the SSAC/RSAC, involving State inspectors and/or facility operators to operate inspection systems under remotely controlled IAEA mechanisms. These mechanisms would include documented procedures for routine joint-use, defining arrangements for data sharing, physical security and authentication mechanisms, recalibration and use of standards and software, maintenance, repair, storage and transportation. The level of cooperation and willingness of a State to implement such measures requested and properly justified by the IAEA will demonstrate its commitment to full transparency in its nuclear activities. Examples of existing remote inspection activities, including joint-use activities will be discussed. The future potential of remote inspections will be assessed considering technical developments and increased needs for process monitoring. Enhanced cooperation with SSAC/RSAC within the framework of remote inspections could further optimize the IAEA's inspection efforts while at the same time maintaining effective safeguards implementation. (author)
Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) Analysis of Laser Machine in Filling Lithos at PT X
Suryono, M. A. E.; Rosyidi, C. N.
2018-03-01
PT. X used automated machines which work for sixteen hours per day. Therefore, the machines should be maintained to keep the availability of the machines. The aim of this research is to determine maintenance tasks according to the cause of component’s failure using Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) and determine the amount of optimal inspection frequency which must be performed to the machine at filling lithos process. In this research, RCM is used as an analysis tool to determine the critical component and find optimal inspection frequencies to maximize machine’s reliability. From the analysis, we found that the critical machine in filling lithos process is laser machine in Line 2. Then we proceed to determine the cause of machine’s failure. Lastube component has the highest Risk Priority Number (RPN) among other components such as power supply, lens, chiller, laser siren, encoder, conveyor, and mirror galvo. Most of the components have operational consequences and the others have hidden failure consequences and safety consequences. Time-directed life-renewal task, failure finding task, and servicing task can be used to overcome these consequences. The results of data analysis show that the inspection must be performed once a month for laser machine in the form of preventive maintenance to lowering the downtime.
9 CFR 381.176 - Place of maintenance of records.
2010-01-01
....176 Section 381.176 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF....176 Place of maintenance of records. Every person engaged in any business described in § 381.175(a) shall maintain the records required by § 381.175 at the place of business where such business is...
Verification tests for remote controlled inspection system in nuclear power plants
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Kohno, Tadaaki
1986-01-01
Following the increase of nuclear power plants, the total radiation exposure dose accompanying inspection and maintenance works tended to increase. Japan Power Engineering and Inspection Corp. carried out the verification test of a practical power reactor automatic inspection system from November, 1981, to March, 1986, and in this report, the state of having carried out this verification test is described. The objects of the verification test were the equipment which is urgently required for reducing radiation exposure dose, the possibility of realization of which is high, and which is important for ensuring the safety and reliability of plants, that is, an automatic ultrasonic flaw detector for the welded parts of bend pipes, an automatic disassembling and inspection system for control rod driving mechanism, a fuel automatic inspection system, and automatic decontaminating equipments for steam generator water chambers, primary system crud and radioactive gas in coolant. The results of the verification test of these equipments were judged as satisfactory, therefore, the application to actual plants is possible. (Kako, I.)
Wafer plane inspection with soft resist thresholding
Hess, Carl; Shi, Rui-fang; Wihl, Mark; Xiong, Yalin; Pang, Song
2008-10-01
Wafer Plane Inspection (WPI) is an inspection mode on the KLA-Tencor TeraScaTM platform that uses the high signalto- noise ratio images from the high numerical aperture microscope, and then models the entire lithographic process to enable defect detection on the wafer plane[1]. This technology meets the needs of some advanced mask manufacturers to identify the lithographically-significant defects while ignoring the other non-lithographically-significant defects. WPI accomplishes this goal by performing defect detection based on a modeled image of how the mask features would actually print in the photoresist. There are several advantages to this approach: (1) the high fidelity of the images provide a sensitivity advantage over competing approaches; (2) the ability to perform defect detection on the wafer plane allows one to only see those defects that have a printing impact on the wafer; (3) the use of modeling on the lithographic portion of the flow enables unprecedented flexibility to support arbitrary illumination profiles, process-window inspection in unit time, and combination modes to find both printing and non-printing defects. WPI is proving to be a valuable addition to the KLA-Tencor detection algorithm suite. The modeling portion of WPI uses a single resist threshold as the final step in the processing. This has been shown to be adequate on several advanced customer layers, but is not ideal for all layers. Actual resist chemistry has complicated processes including acid and base-diffusion and quench that are not consistently well-modeled with a single resist threshold. We have considered the use of an advanced resist model for WPI, but rejected it because the burdensome requirements for the calibration of the model were not practical for reticle inspection. This paper describes an alternative approach that allows for a "soft" resist threshold to be applied that provides a more robust solution for the most challenging processes. This approach is just
Evaluation of Hands-Free Devices for the Display of Maintenance Procedures
Whitmore, Mihriban; Hoffman, Ronald B.; Litaker, Harry, Jr.; Solem, Jody; Holden, Kritina; Twyford, Evan; Conlee, Carl
2007-01-01
Over the past year, NASA's focus has turned to crewed long duration and exploration missions. On these journeys, crewmembers will be required to execute thousands of procedures to maintain life support systems, check out space suits, conduct science experiments, and perform medical exams. To support the many complex tasks crewmembers undertake in microgravity, NASA is interested in providing crewmembers a hands-free work environment to promote more efficient operations. The overarching objective is to allow crewmembers to use both of their hands for tasks related to their mission, versus holding a paper manual or interacting with a display. The use of advanced, hands-free tools will undoubtedly make the crewmembers task easier, but they can also add to overall task complexity if not properly designed. A leading candidate technology for supporting a hands-free environment is the Head-Mounted Display (HMD). A more recent technology (e-book reader) that could be easily temp-stowed near the work area is also a potential hands-free solution. Previous work at NASA involved the evaluation of several commercially available HMDs for visual quality, comfort, and fit, as well as suitability for use in microgravity. Based on results from this work, three HMDs were selected for further evaluation (along with an e-book reader), using International Space Station (ISS)-like maintenance procedures. Two evaluations were conducted in the Space Station Mockup and Trainer Facility (SSMTF) located at the NASA Johnson Space Center (building 9). The SSMTF is a full scale, medium fidelity replica of the pressurized portions of the ISS. It supports crew training such as ingress and egress, habitability, and emergency procedures. In each of the two evaluations, the participants performed two maintenance procedures. One maintenance procedure involved inspecting air filters in a life support system and replacing them with a clean filter if one were found to be contaminated. The second
Overview of steam generator tube-inspection technology
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Obrutsky, L.; Renaud, J.; Lakhan, R., E-mail: obrutskl@aecl.ca, E-mail: renaudj@aecl.ca, E-mail: lakhanr@aecl.ca [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, Ontario (Canada)
2014-03-15
Degradation of steam generator (SG) tubing due to both mechanical and corrosion modes has resulted in extensive repairs and replacement of SGs around the world. The variety of degradation modes challenges the integrity of SG tubing and, therefore, the stations' reliability. Inspection and monitoring aimed at timely detection and characterization of the degradation is a key element for ensuring tube integrity. Up to the early-70's, the in-service inspection of SG tubing was carried out using single-frequency eddy current testing (ET) bobbin coils, which were adequate for the detection of volumetric degradation. By the mid-80's, additional modes of degradation such as pitting, intergranular attack, and axial and circumferential inside or outside diameter stress corrosion cracking had to be addressed. The need for timely, fast detection and characterization of these diverse modes of degradation motivated the development in the 90's of inspection systems based on advanced probe technology coupled with versatile instruments operated by fast computers and remote communication systems. SG inspection systems have progressed in the new millennium to a much higher level of automation, efficiency and reliability. Also, the role of Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE) has evolved from simple detection tools to diagnostic tools that provide input into integrity assessment decisions, fitness-far-service and operational assessments. This new role was motivated by tighter regulatory requirements to assure the safety of the public and the environment, better SG life management strategies and often self-imposed regulations. It led to the development of advanced probe technologies, more reliable and versatile instruments and robotics, better training and qualification of personnel and better data management and analysis systems. This paper provides a brief historical perspective regarding the evolution of SG inspections and analyzes the motivations behind that
Remote maintenance in nuclear fuel reprocessing
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Herndon, J.N.
1985-01-01
Remote maintenance techniques applied in large-scale nuclear fuel reprocessing plants are reviewed with particular attention to the three major maintenance philosophy groupings: contact, remote crane canyon, and remote/contact. Examples are given, and the relative success of each type is discussed. Probable future directions for large-scale reprocessing plant maintenance are described along with advanced manipulation systems for application in the plants. The remote maintenance development program within the Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is also described. 19 refs., 19 figs
Mechatronics Design of an Autonomous Pipe-Inspection Robot
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Abdellatif Mohamed
2018-01-01
Full Text Available Pipelines require periodical inspection to detect corrosion, deformation and congestion with obstacles in the network. Autonomous mobile robots are good solutions for this task. Visual information from the pipe interior associated with a location stamp is needed for inspection. In this paper, the previous designs of autonomous robots are reviewed and a new robot is developed to ensure simple design and smooth motion. Images are processed online to detect irregularity in pipe and then start capturing high resolution pictures to conserve the limited memory size. The new robot moves in pipes and provides video stream of pipe interior with location stamp. The visual information can later be processed offline to extract more information of pipeline condition to make maintenance decisions.
Computer vision system R&D for EAST Articulated Maintenance Arm robot
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lin, Linglong, E-mail: linglonglin@ipp.ac.cn; Song, Yuntao, E-mail: songyt@ipp.ac.cn; Yang, Yang, E-mail: yangy@ipp.ac.cn; Feng, Hansheng, E-mail: hsfeng@ipp.ac.cn; Cheng, Yong, E-mail: chengyong@ipp.ac.cn; Pan, Hongtao, E-mail: panht@ipp.ac.cn
2015-11-15
Highlights: • We discussed the image preprocessing, object detection and pose estimation algorithms under poor light condition of inner vessel of EAST tokamak. • The main pipeline, including contours detection, contours filter, MER extracted, object location and pose estimation, was carried out in detail. • The technical issues encountered during the research were discussed. - Abstract: Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) is the first full superconducting tokamak device which was constructed at Institute of Plasma Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP). The EAST Articulated Maintenance Arm (EAMA) robot provides the means of the in-vessel maintenance such as inspection and picking up the fragments of first wall. This paper presents a method to identify and locate the fragments semi-automatically by using the computer vision. The use of computer vision in identification and location faces some difficult challenges such as shadows, poor contrast, low illumination level, less texture and so on. The method developed in this paper enables credible identification of objects with shadows through invariant image and edge detection. The proposed algorithms are validated through our ASIPP robotics and computer vision platform (ARVP). The results show that the method can provide a 3D pose with reference to robot base so that objects with different shapes and size can be picked up successfully.
Management of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion in Risk-Based Inspection Analysis
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Skovhus, Torben Lund; Andersen, Erlend S.; Hillier, Elisabeth
2018-01-01
Operating offshore oil and gas production facilities is often associated with high risk. To manage the risk, operators commonly use aids to support decision making in the establishment of a maintenance and inspection strategy. Risk-based inspection (RBI) analysis is widely used in the offshore...... industry as a means to justify the inspection strategy adopted. The RBI analysis is a decision-making technique that enables asset managers to identify the risk related to failure of their most critical systems and components, with an effect on safety, environmental, and business-related issues. Risk...... influenced corrosion (MIC) is a degradation mechanism that has received increased attention from corrosion engineers and asset operators in the past decades. In this paper, the most recent models that have been developed to assess the impact of MIC on asset integrity will be presented and discussed. From...
Dynamic contracting mechanism for pavement maintenance management
Demirel, H.C.; De Ridder, H.A.J.
2013-01-01
Technological advances, financial possibilities and changes of demands have increasingly affected the pavement maintenance environment for outsourcing in recent years. This induces complexity in the contracting methods of pavement maintenance activities. Despite the fact that current contracting
Risk Based Maintenance of Offshore Wind Turbines Using Bayesian Networks
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nielsen, Jannie Jessen; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard
2010-01-01
This paper presents how Bayesian networks can be used to make optimal decisions for repairs of offshore wind turbines. The Bayesian network is an efficient tool for updating a deterioration model whenever new information becomes available from inspections/monitoring. The optimal decision is found...... such that the preventive maintenance effort is balanced against the costs to corrective maintenance including indirect costs to reduced production. The basis for the optimization is the risk based Bayesian decision theory. The method is demonstrated through an application example....
High-speed railway signal trackside equipment patrol inspection system
Wu, Nan
2018-03-01
High-speed railway signal trackside equipment patrol inspection system comprehensively applies TDI (time delay integration), high-speed and highly responsive CMOS architecture, low illumination photosensitive technique, image data compression technique, machine vision technique and so on, installed on high-speed railway inspection train, and achieves the collection, management and analysis of the images of signal trackside equipment appearance while the train is running. The system will automatically filter out the signal trackside equipment images from a large number of the background image, and identify of the equipment changes by comparing the original image data. Combining with ledger data and train location information, the system accurately locate the trackside equipment, conscientiously guiding maintenance.
Routine check and annual maintenance for industrial radiography gamma projector
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Shaharudin Sayuti; Abdul Nassir Ibrahim; Sukhri Ahmad; Arshad Yassin; Mohd Junaidi Jaapar; Khairul Anuar Mohd Salleh; Abdul Razak Hamzah
2009-04-01
The main objective of this paper is to share some experience pertaining to gamma projector maintenance programme. In Malaysia there are more than 100 gamma projectors, which need to be maintenance annually. Most of these projectors are Tech-Ops 660 series portable gamma radiography systems, which are used primarily for industrial radiography. The portability feature of the system provides both a safe means of transporting the radioactive source and operating flexibility, particularly useful in areas where access is limited. Generally, the national authorised service centre carries out the annual inspection of this system. In Malaysia, Malaysian Nuclear Agency has been recognised as the National Gamma Projector Maintenance Centre by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB). In this paper, a brief review of the design and operation is included in the discussion of the maintenance procedure, limitations and improvements of the gamma projector maintenance programme. (author)
Maintenance and life assessment of steam generators at Embalse Nuclear Station
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Luna, P.; Diaz, G.; Sveruga, H.; Sainz, R.
2006-01-01
The Embalse Nuclear Generating Station (ENGS) has four vertical I-800 U-tubes Steam Generators (SGs) manufactured by Babcock and Wilcox (B and W). They are one of the most important components from the point of view of safety and cost-related elements for potential life extensions in case of a replacement thereof. A Life Management program has been started covering the entire plant and starting with the Life Assessment (LA) of this component which consists in a systematic way to evaluate aging mechanisms focused on the plant refurbishment and life extension. Because of this, maintenance-based ageing assessment from beginning of operation is analyzed and current LA-frame maintenance and inspections programs are carried out in order to maintain a high availability of the SGs then to enable the planning for the plant life extension. The most important taken actions have been the Eddy Current (EC) In Service Inspection program which performs 100% of the tubes of two SG every 1.5 years started in 1992, the mechanical cleaning by blasting of the internal tube surface, the sludge removal from the secondary side tubesheet, the divider plate replacement, the installation of antivibration bars (AVB's), installation of TSP inspection ports and an exhaustive inspection of the secondary internals as a preliminary result of the Life Assessment started during early 2000. The most relevant aging mechanism up to 2004 was the Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) of U-bend supports and consequent fretting of tubes. The eddy current inspections allowed the fretting degradation to be detected and mitigated by installing AVB's. Currently, efficiency of this mitigating action is being performed by vibration measurements and visual inspections. However, other degradation mechanism that could have origin due to the U-bend FAC like loose part damage (LPD) is being to be analyzed since could be an issue in the future. At present, FAC degradation on the cold leg side and sludge deposition on the
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Harris, J.E.; Gorman, J.A.; Turner, A.P.L.
1997-03-01
The objectives of this project were to develop a computer-based method for probabilistic assessment of inspection strategies for steam generator tubes, and to document the source code and to provide a user's manual for it. The program CANTIA was created to fulfill this objective, and the documentation and verification of the code is provided in this volume. The user's manual for CANTIA is provided as a separate report. CANTIA uses Monte Carlo techniques to determine approximate probabilities of steam generator tube failures under accident conditions and primary-to-secondary leak rates under normal and accident conditions at future points in time. The program also determines approximate future flaw distributions and non-destructive examination results from the input data. The probabilities of failure and leak rates and the future flaw distributions can be influenced by performing inspections of the steam generator tubes at some future points in time, and removing defective tubes from the population. The effect of different inspection and maintenance strategies can therefore be determined as a direct effect on the probability of tube failure and primary-to-secondary leak rate