Nuclear engineering and services
NTRIC Machines: Precision Technology Supporting Nuclear Safety in a High-Radiation-Risk Environment.
In a nuclear power plant, some equipment is not readily visible, but it plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of the facility. This is the case withthe RIC, the reactor core instrumentation system.
TheNTRICoperation directly addresses this sensitive equipment. The objectives are to inspect, clean, and treat the pipes affected by pitting corrosion in order to ensure their continued proper operation over time, without having to replace any part of the system.
The RIC: Instrumentation for the Reactor Core
At the bottom of the reactor vessel, approximately 50 stainless steel tubes are welded to the vessel bottom.
These tubes allow instruments capable of measuring the activity of the nuclear fuel in the reactor core to pass through. They thus ensure continuous monitoring of the fuel’s behavior and make it possible to verify that the reactor is operating under fully controlled conditions.
This instrumentation is an essential component of nuclear safety: it enables precise monitoring of the reactor core and directly contributes to the safety of the facility.
A Maintenance Challenge: Surface Contamination and Corrosion
Over time, these sensitive areas can be affected by what is known as surface pollution.
These may include deposits, corrosion, or damage caused by unsuitable materials. Such damage can weaken metal surfaces and lead to sealing issues.
In a nuclear environment, leak prevention is a major challenge:
It ensures the reliability of the equipment, its durability, and the overall safety of the facility.
NTRIC: Service Without Disassembly
Operation NTRIC was designed to take direct action in these sensitive areas.
Using remote-controlled tools operated by specialists, it enables various maintenance operations to be performed with a high degree of precision, while minimizing the need for major interventions on the facility.
To some extent, the way it works is similar to that of a dentist looking for cavities: observe, clean, detect defects, and then treat the area locally before a more serious problem develops.
Three main missions:
1. CCTV inspection
Before any work is performed, a visual inspection is conducted using high-definition, miniaturized, onboard cameras.
It allows you to inspect the condition of surfaces and identify signs of corrosion, abnormalities, or early signs of deterioration.
This step forms the basis of the diagnosis.
2. Remote-controlled brushing
A machine equipped with stainless steel brushes then cleans the surfaces.
The goal is to remove the deposits, clean up the area, and restore the surface to good condition so that a second video inspection and then a non-destructive test can be performed.
3. Non-destructive testing and precision machining
When an inspection reveals a surface defect, such as signs of corrosion or localized pitting, thepenetrant testingmethodis used toaccurately identify any defects without damaging the part.
If necessary, a remotely operated machining tool is then used to remove only the damaged material by precisely controlling the depth of cut.
The goal is twofold: to stop the defect from spreading and to remove as little material as possible in order to preserve the equipment.
A Key Role in Security
These operations are not very noticeable, but they are essential to maintaining the system's performance.
They allow you to:
- To ensure that the equipment is watertight
- To protect the instrumentation in the reactor core,
- To prevent more serious defects from occurring
- To strengthen nuclear safety in a sustainable manner.
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Nuclear engineering and services
Nuclear engineering and services