Page 25 - Nuclear Plant Journal Digital Edition: January - February 2013
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Enhancing
Safety
Performance
By Christophe Leveque, Rolls-Royce.
Christophe Leveque
Chris holds a Ph.D. in Physics. He
has 20 years of experience in value
management through innovation; he
elaborates and implements competitive
and innovative ways to serve customers,
solidifying the
company’s position
and boosting its
profit and turnover.
After setting up
his first successful
start up focused
on security and
safety solutions
that protect
people, he joined
AREVA where
he held various
executive positions
in its Nuclear
Instrumentation
Business Unit for
12 years (8 years in
the US). Chris set
up his second start-up (US) focused on
innovative distributed energy solutions
that generate clean power through
innovation and technology.
Chris joined Rolls-Royce I&C business
in 2010 to serve I&C Customers as Vice
President of Sales.
An interview by Newal Agnihotri, Editor
of Nuclear Plant Journal at Rolls-Royce,
Civil Nuclear Offices in Meylan, France
on September 10, 2012.
1.
What are the main I&C products and
services of Rolls-Royce?
Rolls-Royce is a world leader in
the delivery of nuclear Instrumentation
& Control (I&C) systems, with more
than 40 years of successful operations
across 200 nuclear reactors worldwide.
Our integrated I&C solutions are based
on world-class engineering and state-of-
the-art technology. Hardware, electronic
and software components are combined
to produce a unique digital I&C platform
for new nuclear power plants and the
refurbishment of existing plants.
For 40 years,
Rolls-Royce
has
been designing and
manufacturing digi-
tal safety systems,
control and moni-
toring systems, and
safety-critical
in-
strumentation spe-
cifically for com-
mercial nuclear re-
actors.
Safety systems,
such as reactor pro-
tection system and
neutron instrumen-
tation system, use
Rolls-Royce patent-
ed Spinline
TM
tech-
nology to ensure the
safety of nuclear reactors, meeting the
demanding functional and safety require-
ments for digital safety I&C systems.
The control and monitoring systems,
such as the rod control system, plant
monitoring system and boron meter,
improve the availability of the plant and
reduce operational, maintenance and
training costs.
Safety-critical instrumentation, such
as ex-core neutron detectors and Bibloc
pressure transmitters, designed and
manufactured by Rolls-Royce, provide
safe, reliable and accurate measurements
in all type of conditions.
In parallel, Rolls-Royce is committed
to providing its customers with long-term
support services to ensure the maximum
operational performance of its solutions,
and in turn, optimal availability of the
plant.
The long-term support agreements
that Rolls-Royce establishes with its
customers spans from finding solutions
to hardware aging, technology evolution,
skills through to tools maintenance.
2.
What are post Fukushima activities
at Rolls-Royce?
Rolls-Royce continuously develops
solutions to satisfy customer requirements
and to meet the most stringent safety
regulations.
Anticipating
further
requirements as a result of Fukushima
events, we have developed a full range
of solutions to address the need for post-
accident and severe accident systems.
Basedonmore robust instrumentation
and cabinets designed to meet such
stringent requirements in term of seismic,
temperature and pressure requirements,
unparalleled modularity and processing
capabilities, combining analogue and
digital technologies, these systems
implement a broad range of functionalities
for the monitoring and actuation of the
main parameters during and after an
accident.
For example, we are currently
working with Electricité de France (EDF)
to provide rugged pressure transmitters,
called Bibloc. In fact, EDF investigated
this type of pressure transmitters and
the feedback from EDF’s engineers was
very positive. To date, Bibloc pressure
transmitters are the only transmitters
that meet French Safety Authority post-
Fukushima requirements.
This product is made of two parts: the
sensor, installed inside the containment,
and the electronics located outside the
containment. Operators may use this
pressure transmitter for post Fukushima
applications, because these transmitters
can withstand extreme conditions, such
as very high level of radiation.
Nuclear Plant Journal, January-February 2013
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