Maintenance Problems with Specialized Instrumentation Used On CANDU Systems, and Methods Used to Improve Equipment Availability

Abstract

This paper describes several maintenance problems, and solutions, associated with specialized instrumentation. Because some of this equipment was manufactured for a laboratory type of environment, it couldn't perform the functions it was designed for when exposed to a nuclear plant environment. Sample delivery systems supplying samples to analytical instrumentation are cumbersome and very maintenance prone due to the high equipment failure rate, or loss of sample to the instrument. Maintaining radiation detection equipment is very time consuming due to the regular testing requirements and repairs. It's also costly due to the high detector failure rate. Admittedly, we've had to learn to live with some maintenance problems. But for the most part, Bruce NGS B has surmounted the difficulties associated with maintaining special instrumentation in a CANDU environment.