Rapid Deployment Platform for In-vault Reactor Maintenance

Abstract

CANDU nuclear power plants face continual aging effects. A resultant is increased length of outages from the increasing amount of in- vault maintenance work required, coupled with the escalating ambient radiation levels for the workers performing it.At Bruce Power, most in-vault reactor maintenance and inspection tasks utilize platforms supported on the reactor area bridge to access end fittings, feeder cabinets, bridge drive components and other areas around the reactor face. The various older maintenance platforms typically were purpose-built, to suit specific needs over the years.GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada was commissioned by Bruce Power to conceive and develop a better way to deliver the workers to their work sites. The goals of this mandate included maximizing workers’ productive working time in the vault, minimizing workers’ radiation exposure, maximizing workers overall safety and providing an adaptable delivery stage for all future reactor maintenance.As has been attested by all who use the aptly named Rapid Deployment Platform or RDP, the design/build team achieved a resounding overall success. GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada utilized iterative consultations with the Bruce Power team of line and staff users, determined their needs and optimized the RDP’s functionality and efficiency.The RDP is designed to be modular with interchangeable platform sections that can be configured into an array of diverse widths and lengths, combined or separate, functional on all eight (8) Bruce Power reactors. It features a variety of platform configurations, rolling shield canopies and seismic qualification for various configurations. Installation of the RDP has demonstrated a dramatic reduction in both deployment time and number of workers required.The paper outlines the design and development process used for the RDP and describes the main features and benefits of this new system.