January-February 2019 NPJ

48 NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, January-February 2019 assemblies-expected to be less than 1/16”.  Maintain the cameras within the demonstrated distance was a challenge due to the stair stepped baffle plates.  Minimize critical path impacts. The team focused on the development of robust and innovative solutions to meet the inspection requirements. 1. The tools were controlled remotely outside containment through a fiber optic connection. It is important to note that new remote SUSI controls were developed to move the operators outside containment. Lower radiation exposure, reduced crew size, and efficient high quality exams resulted. 2. All tooling components are encoded. This along with in-house developed controls and software guaranteed position and speed could be optimized and recorded. 3. To help the operators verify that the camera inspects the problematic stair stepped baffle plates, the team developed an added feature to the camera assembly. An immersion transducer (sonar) was incorporated to tell the operator that the camera was perpendicular to the inspection surface and tell the operator the exact distance the camera was from the surface. This was needed to meet the requirements of the EVT-1 exam. 4. True mockups and virtual reality controls and software were developed to train and ensure proficiency. A mockup was developed to simulate the OD and ID of the core barrel that allowed to the operators to become proficient under real conditions 25 feet under water. To help train the sub drivers, the team worked with an outside company to develop a SUSI virtual reality simulator allowing the operators to practice sub operation in a CAD generated virtual world. See Graphic 4. 5. New High Definition (HD) high radiation tolerant cameras were incorporated to perform the OD exams. Typically 2-4 passes were required to meet the inspections requirements. The new HD camera allowed the camera to be further away from the surface and record the weld and heat affected areas with only one pass significantly reducing schedule and adding high quality images. Safety The examinations were developed to ensure that the aging reactor internal components could continue to perform their intended function, (Nuclear Safety), and the team developed these remote tooling platforms to ensure that the personnel could perform the examinations from outside containment, (Radiation and Industrial Safety). No safety issues, personnel contaminations events, or Human Performance errors were experienced in completing the FOAK CE MRP examination. Safety and radiation exposure were the teams main focus while meeting or exceeding the requirements imposed by MRP 227A and 228. The team concentrated on several key design requirements to safely perform the inspection.  High quality visual exam techniques were used on a stable platform to detect all possible flaw orientations.  Robust tool design/components.  Easy installation and removal.  Remotely controlled with minimal reactor building support. By deploying one tool for the OD and ID of the core barrel and SUSI for the remainder of the exams, the team minimized safety risks and radiation dose. The tools were installed and turned over to the personnel outside containment. Minimal personnel were required to be in the reactor building during these exams. Old techniques/tooling was manually delivered off poles and ropes by multiple people standing on bridges over these high dose components. These evolutions are typically time consuming and dose intensive to inspection personnel. In addition, tool features such as fully remote, encoded, and on board cameras supported the safe delivery and operation of the tool. The safe execution of the new CE MRP HAWKEYE tooling was a direct result of Dominion/FRAMATOME’s commitment to safety and operational excellence. The team properly developed theproduct tomeet theMRP requirements, but just as important, the team focused on proper delivery. Both Dominion and FRAMATOME team supported extensive planning, testing, training, and design reviews/demonstrations. A mockup design that replicated the specific inspection areas, including tight gaps to measure, was used to qualify the tooling and train personnel for safe installation and operation as shown in Graphic 4. Cost Savings The total cost savings to Dominion for the Millstone Unit #2 inspection using the new HAWKEYE and SUSI tooling was approximately $1.7 million. The cost savings were a result of the following: Graphic 3. SUSI Submarine. Advanced CE MRP... ( Continued from page 47) (Continued on page 50)