VTT Centre for Nuclear Safety

Safir 2014 Final SeminarHanasaari, March 19-20, 2015Wade Karlsen

Reactor materials testing and researchVTT has been hosting the national hot laboratory infrastructure since itwas first constructed and equipped in the 1970’s.Principle use has been for handling, testing and examining RPVmaterials for surveillance testing.Many critical plant life management issues for operating nuclear powerplants are related to materials.Lifetime extension, power upgrading, and construction of new plantsrequire investigating and solving problems related to components andstructural integrity.

Aging degradation of structures and componentsis an important aspect of power plant safety.Ageing management requires activities related tothe utilization, inspection, surveillance, testing,examination, and degradation mitigation ofmaterials.

Profile of new Centre for Nuclear Safety

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End User: VTT Technical Research Centre of FinlandOwner: Senaatti-kiinteistöt (State real estate company)Engineering Consultant: A-InsinööritArchitect: Arkkitehtitoimisto Sarc OyEngineering design team: ~100 people in

~13 companiesConstructors: SRV Rakennus OyRegulation& oversight: Espoo municipal government,

building department,emergency services

Radiation safety: STUKFunding subsidy of about 50 M€

(from special government tax on NPP production)

Profile of new Centre for Nuclear Safety

Profile of new Centre for Nuclear Safety• 3,300 m2 office wing includes a ground-level conference

centre, and three floors of modern, flexible office space for150 people.

• Office wing is intended to serve nuclear sector employees in:o computerized fluid dynamicso process modelling (APROS)o fusion plasma computationso severe accidentso core-computationso waste-managemento safety assessmentso staff working in the laboratory wing.

Profile of new Centre for Nuclear Safety• 2,360 m2 laboratory wing includes a basement level and two

floors of laboratory space.• Basement is primarily intended for storage and handling of

radioactive materials and waste.• Laboratory space is arranged around the main high-bay,

which houses the hot-cells proper, and includes:omechanical and microstructural characterisation of materialsoradiochemistryoHR-ICP-MSo iodine filter testingonuclear wasteodosimetryofailure analysis

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Safety features of the CNS

Shielding from gamma irradiation in case of accidental sourceuncovering:

Extra thick concrete walls both at the exterior and interior walls ofbasementBasement ceiling/main floor extra thick for adequate structuralintegrity for the hot cells installed on the main floor.

Robust ventilation system of the laboratory wing:A-laboratory and B- and C-laboratory ventilators are redundantVentilators connected to back-up diesel generators to ensure thatthe under-pressures in the laboratory are retained

Electrical supply to the laboratory facilities is assured:Back-up dieselsCentralized uninterrupted power supply (UPS)

Design meets KATAKRI III security & safeguards requirements.

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Modern laboratory features of the CNS

Special attention to low energy consumption solutions.Ventilation system has fully automated balancing on room-by-room basis, including presence monitors.Fire suppression in laboratory by HiFog low-water system.Several different laboratory gases are supplied by pipe to therooms

Source bottles are stored in a dedicated gas storage facilityaccessed directly from the gated courtyard for replacementdelivery, which eliminates the need to wheel bottles into theradiological controlled area.

Liquid nitrogen supply to radiological control area also via pipe.Centralized cooling is available for connection by individualpieces of equipment as needed.

3-D model of facility: Office entrance

3-D model of facilty: Lab wing and transport yard

Laboratory wing facilities: C-laboratory

Laboratory wing facilities: A- and B-laboratories

Laboratory wing facilities: A-class basement

A-class hot cell facilitiesPlace for a photo(no lines around photo)

A-class hot cell facilities 1st conceptual design

1st conceptual design and cost estimate (2013)

A-class hot cell facilities on main floor

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A-class hot cell facilities in basement

Autoclaves

A-class hot cell facilities co-location between the floors

Hot cell design principle for equipment access

• Most devices involved in materials testingare standard, so need hands-on access.

• Small hot cell staff, so full nuclearizationof devices and training for remote use isuntenable.

• Solution: glove-box inserts in the cells,whereby the equipment is integrated.

• Area where hot materials are required tobe handled is relatively small.

o requires much smaller manipulators.

• When sources are removed, personnelcan access the equipment from rear ofcell for maintenance, calibration, etc.

VTT CNS-Progress on the Ground

Kuvapaikka(ei kehyksiä kuviin)

Progress on the ground

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Progress on the ground

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Progress on the ground

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