SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Rolls-Royce Inspection
Technologies Enable Top to
Bottom Steam Generator
Inspection Capabilities
• Secondary moisture separators
• Primary moisture separators
• Swirl vanes
• Vents
• Tangential nozzles
• Downcomer barrel
• Feedwater ring thermal sleeve
• Intermediate deck
• J-nozzle feedwater ring
• Central drain
• Lower deck
• Transition cone girth weld
• U bend region
• Anti vibration bars
• Upper in-bundle
• Tube support plates
• Flow distribution baffle
• Tubesheet in-bundle region
• Tubesheet annulus region
Rolls-Royce
Inspection Experience
Rolls-Royce inspection personnel
perform nearly 200 steam generator
inspections for the nuclear power
generation industry on a yearly basis. Our
unique capabilities, knowledge of power
generation systems and experience
performing specialty inspections are
utilized at facilities around the world to
provide customers critical information
about plant health and operation.
Foreign Object Quick Facts
821 -
Average number of foreign objects
found in steam generator internals per
year.
78%
of all objects found are metal in
composition.
Metallic object makeup:
49% - Wire
20% - Gasket
18% - Machining Remnant
13% - Misc. Metal Objects
RE-DEFINING STEAM
GENERATOR INSPECTION
Based on existing Rolls-Royce manual In-bundle
inspection technology, the development of
REPTIL focused on the automation of the
following three inspection attributes:
%
Probe translation
– A robust cog assembly
utilises integrated rivets on the ultra slim
(2.4mm wide) Brooks In-bundle Camera
System (BICS) for probe deployment and
retraction; removing technicians from the
inspection platform for a large majority of
the inspection, maximising ALARA/ALARP
techniques to reduce technician radiation
exposure by up to 80% when compared to
manual inspection techniques.
%
Guidetube Translation
– the BICS probe
is automatically fed into new guidetube
sections for increased inspection range
within the steam generator; eliminating the
risk of foreign object intrusion associated
with manual techniques.
%
In-bundle Rotation
- Remotely operated
in-bundle rotation capabilities allow for
smoother inspection data collection, pro-
viding more reliable high quality data for
review by subject matter experts.
These unique remote capabilities have enabled
the majority of steam generator in-bundle
inspections to be completed from a low dose
area or outside of the containment building
entirely, significantly reducing radiation expo-
sure for plant personnel.
The REPTIL system has been successfully de-
ployed in over 16 steam generators in France
since its inception into the market in 2013.
2014 will mark a milestone for both Rolls-Royce
and the US nuclear industry when the system is
deployed in the US for the first time during the
autumn outage season.
Foreign Objects Search and Retrieval (FOSAR)
is used by the global nuclear industry to
ensure safe, reliable and predictable energy
generation. Foreign objects in the steam
generator of a pressurised water reactor
can lead to primary and secondary side
contamination leaks; increased radiation expo-
sure, forced outages and ultimately decreased
plant availability.
Reduced radiation exposure to plant personnel
is of paramount importance and continues to
drive the development of customised, ad-
vanced technical solutions for the inspection of
steam generators around the world.
In 2012, Rolls-Royce was asked by a customer
to develop remote in-bundle inspection capa-
bilities that would not only enhance inspection
quality and further reduce potential equipment
damage; but most importantly would mini-
mise
the
radiological
hazards
for
inspection personnel posed by manual insp-
ection techniques.
Project requirements included:
%
The delivery of remote inspection capabilities
to minimise exposure reduction when com-
pared to typical manual inspection techniques
%
The provision of the same high quality
inspection images as the currently accept-
ed industry standard
%
The ability to inspect square pitched
steam generator
Through technical innovation, and drawing
from proven industry experience in the devel-
opment and delivery of bespoke inspection
and retrieval technology for areas with limited
access and complex geometries, Rolls-Royce
developed the REPTIL remote in-bundle in-
spection system.
