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NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, January-February 2016
Post Fukushima...
groundwork for improvements in the
areas of system specification, system
design, on-site management, system
installation, and test support resulting
in significant savings to our customers.
Zachry
has
established
unique
relationships with some digital platform
vendors that have allowed us to gain a
valuable and thorough understanding of
their platform design, control functions
and system architecture. This has
provided us the ability to more effectively
assess common cause failures (CCF)
and to develop more thorough hazard
analysis. We are also actively engaged
with industry working groups focused on
digital I&C in order to remain current with
issues and concerns as well as to allow a
venue to contribute and influence digital
progress. Zachry has demonstrated the
ability to effectively combine our unique
skills in digital technologies with our
extensive experience in the I&C arena.
This combination has allowed Zachry
to be recognized as an industry leader in
digital upgrades and has allowed us to be
sought out by numerous organizations
including those involved with new reactor
technology designs.
5.
What
are
Zachry’s
major
accomplishments in Plant Life Extension,
plant-up-rate, and refueling outages in
the last two years?
Brinkman:
Zachry has extensive
experience in providing a full range
of Analysis and Engineering services.
We possess all of the traditional skills
required to analyze and modify the
plant engineering configurations, and
are extremely well-equipped to analyze
systems and structures to understand the
root cause of a particular technical issue,
and to present a variety of solutions. Time
and again, we have provided solutions
that have successfully avoided costly
modifications, provided clear justification
for continued operation to the regulator,
and identified the most effective solution
given several competing options.
In support of the US operating fleet
we have performed thousands of plant
design changes, engineering evaluations,
studies, and calcula-
tions addressing the
full spectrum of cli-
ent needs including,
Plant Life Extension
and refueling out-
ages.
Zachry has an
accomplished his-
tory regarding plant
up rate. We have as-
sisted clients in the
process of evaluat-
ing plant NSSS and
BOP interface sys-
tems for proposed
higher power oper-
ating limits. Our capabilities regarding
power uprate projects include: Feedwater
Flow Measurement Upgrades, Thermal
Hydraulic Flow Analysis, I&C Setpoint
Evaluations, Electrical Voltage Evalua-
tions, Structural Evaluations, HVAC Sys-
tem Evaluations, Programmatic Impacts.
We have accomplished significant
power uprate projects that have
included: High & Low Pressure Turbine
Replacements, Main Steam Isolation
Valve (MSIV) and Feedwater Regulating
Valve (FRV) upgrades, installation of
new Leading Edge Flow Meter (LEFM)
Systems, replacement of obsolete
pneumatic level control equipment with
digital electronic level control equipment,
and replacement of analog EHC systems
with new digital EHC systems.
6.
How does Zachry train it’s a staff to
ensure that they provide the best service
to the plants
?
Brinkman:
Zachry has a dedicated
Training Department that provides
training and development opportunities
for all employees. We use the Systematic
Approach to Training to analyze, design,
develop, implement, and evaluate all
training needs. Our Training Department
collaborates with client Training
Departments to meet the training needs
of our employees and our clients. Perhaps
unique to Zachry, we have developed a
Qualification Card process for our major
clients as an added service to ensure
our staff assigned to work for specific
utilities has been trained for the task,
understands the specific procedures,
and has demonstrated competence in
completing the task. These Qualification
Cards provide required reading, reference
documents, Zachry classroom training,
client lead training, mentoring, and
required on-the-job training.
In addition, we have developed and
delivered several engineering specific
training instructions and courses to our
employees, including Licensing and
Design Basis Identification, Failure
Modes and Effects Analyses, Design
Change Preparation, Engineering Review
Guidance for Design Change Packages,
Design Inputs, and Safety Classifications.
We have opened this training to our
clients, and have received very positive
feedback from utility training staff. We
believe that this open door policy on
training has mutual benefits in not only
improving technical abilities, but also
in fostering a common understanding
between our staff and the utility.
Jim Harrell
Jim Harrell, PE, serves as Director
Nuclear Analysis at Zachry Nuclear
Engineering,
Inc., where he
is responsible
for operational
execution and
strategic initiatives
associated with
nuclear analysis,
including methods
development,
software
development and
applications. His
organization’s goal
is simply to solve
problems through
analysis. His
experience includes over 33 years in the
nuclear industry with focus on nuclear,
radiological and thermal-hydraulic
analysis, software and design, including
10 years with an electric utility. He holds
Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in
Nuclear Engineering from Georgia Tech.
