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Chapter 4 Operation and Maintenance of BWR Plants

drained.

  1. The small bore piping around the pump shaft seal is removed.

  2. The seal flange cover and pump coupling are removed.

  3. The shaft seal (seal cartridge) is removed and the following inspections are done at a separately provided area.

  1. Lapping of shaft seal sliding surfaces

  2. Carrying out a dye penetrant test of each part

  1. The shaft seal and other parts are reassembled and the coupling is restored after centering the pump and its drive motor.

In addition, inspections of the drive motor bearings, cooler etc. are carried out in conjunction with inspection of the shaft seal.

Figure 4.2.4 Reactor recirculation pump

  1. In-service Inspections (ISIs)

(1) Standards for ISIs

ISIs are performed mainly in accordance with the "Rules on Fitness-for-Service", Code for Nuclear Power Generation Facilities of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, JSME S NA1-2002. The code specifies detailed implementation procedures ranging from the inspection scope to inspection methods and frequencies. At each power plant, a long-term ISI program is developed according to

this code.

The code is based on the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section XI and was developed in order to build and maintain nuclear power plants with an emphasis on safety, and it has provided important guidance in closely investigating age degradation of mechanical parts.

  1. Contents of isIs

The RPV and the pipes connected to it contain high temperature and high pressure fluid during power plant operation, and ISIs are carried out to confirm the integrity of these pressure containing parts and their support structures.

Among objects to be inspected, major ones are the RPV (including core internals), piping, vessels, pumps and valves connected to the RPV, and vessels, piping, pumps and valves, and their support structures, etc. of the emergency core cooling system provided to safely shut down the reactor. In particular, the welds undergo intensive nondestructive inspections.

Nondestructive inspections including surface inspections by naked-eye visual inspections, magnetic particle tests, dye penetrant tests, etc. and volumetric inspections by ultrasonic tests, eddy current tests, and radiology tests are conducted according to the objects to be inspected in order to confirm that there are no harmful flaws and defects.

Additionally, for the RPV, a pressure proof test with a pressure of 1.1 or more times its operating pressure is performed once in ten years to confirm its integrity in addition to the leak test at its operating pressure during every periodic inspection.

Moreover, large-sized forged parts and bent pipes, etc., being employed at new plants have reduced the number of welded joints with the aim of reducing the parts subject to ISI.

  1. Remote automatic ultrasonic testing device for isIs

Ultrasonic testing is a typical inspection method used for ISIs and its details are provided in the Japan Electric Association Guide JEAG4207-2004 "Ultrasonic Test Guide for In-service Inspections of Components for Light Water Type Nuclear Power Plants".

Taking into consideration that the work activities

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NSRA, Japan

must be done under a high radiation environment and this guide must be satisfied, remote automatic devices have been developed and adopted. Detection signals sent from the remotely controlled inspection device are processed and evaluated by a computer.

On the other hand, design considerations have been given to plant facilities so as to improve configurations around welds to be inspected to make their inspections easier and to secure inspection spaces around subjects to be inspected to allow for installation of an inspection device aiming at reduction of workers’ radiation exposure in attaching and removing a flaw detection device.

An example of a remote automatic ultrasonic inspection device is shown in Figure 4.2.5.

Figure 4.2.5 Example of remote automatic ultrasonic testing device

  1. Checks and Maintenance during Plant Operation

(1) Plant patrol during operation

Generally, it is very rare that degradation and wear, etc. of components advance rapidly; in many cases they gradually advance showing first certain anomalies before finally failing. By taking required measures to prevent advancement of component deterioration by detecting the initial anomaly and/or performing preventive maintenance, it is possible to improve the plant availability factor. Plant patrols play an important role in operation management as well as operation monitoring in the main control room. They are carried out at regular intervals according to a specified check list

It is important to always grasp the conditions of components in service in order to make appropriate judgments on the results of daily checks which pay attention to vibration, temperature rise, leakage, etc. of components etc.

General check items of major components were shown earlier in Table 4.2.2. The conditions of consumable or wearable parts (shaft seals, lubricating oil, brushes, etc.) of rotating machines in particular are always monitored among these items, and it is necessary to exchange them at an appropriate time. In addition, it is legally mandatory to patrol and check on reactor cooling system facilities, control rod drive facilities, power supply, water supply and drain, and ventilation facilities at least once a day (Article 10 of the Rules for Establishment and Operation of Commercial Power Reactors, etc.).

As monitoring devices during plant operation, monitoring robots have been studied and developed to monitor the component conditions inside the reactor containment vessel which is not accessible during operation. Also monitoring and diagnostic devices for rotating equipment such as reactor coolant recirculation pumps have been studied and developed. A number of applications to actual plants have been made.

An example of these devices is shown in Figure 4.2.6.

Figure 4.2.6

Example of a monitoring robot for the inside of a reactor containment vessel

NSRA, Japan

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