Nuclear Engineering Panel Technical Presentation

The OPAL Reactor – Successes and Challenges Date: Time: Venue: Speaker:

Wednesday, 28th May 2014 5.30 pm for 6.00 pm Engineers Australia Harricks Auditorium, Ground Floor, 8 Thomas St, Chatswood David Vittorio, BSc, MBA ANSTO

ABSTRACT:

OPAL commissioning commenced in 2006. Since that time, aspects related to the engineering design and operational practices of the facility have evolved to better align with improvements in international practices in safety, operation and utilisation. In its first full year, OPAL operated for some 94 days. Today, OPAL is respected as one of the most multifunctional and highest availability research reactors in the world. To achieve this, a number of technical challenges have been faced and engineering modifications have been undertaken. As a research reactor with high availability, OPAL has provided benefits to the local and international research communities, nuclear medicine communities and various industries.

PERSONAL DETAILS: David Vittorio has been working at ANSTO for over 14 years, specialising in fuel management and operations management. David holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (physics), post graduate qualifications in Energy Studies and a Masters in Business Administration. He has led key ANSTO projects, including the management of two spent fuel shipments and conversion of HIFAR from HEU to LEU fuel. He has also coordinated the planning for the commissioning of OPAL as part of the Commissioning Operations Group. His interests in business management coupled with his experience in reactor operations led to his appointment as the OPAL Reactor Manager in 2010.

OPAL Reactor “Successes and Challenges” David Vittorio OPAL Reactor Manager 28 May 2014 – Engineers Australia

Overview • OPAL – Description • Technical Challenges and Improvements • Practices and Processes • Utilisation and Operating Performance

OPAL – Multipurpose Cold Neutron Source

Large Volume Irradiation Facilities

Bulk Irradiation Facilities Core Pneumatic Transfer Irradiation Facilities

Primary Coolant

Neutrons – For Health 10,000 hospitals in the world use radioisotopes 40 million patients per year 10%

90%

Diagnostics (cardiology, oncology, neurology) Therapy / palliative care

Neutrons – for Science BackScattering

Time Of Flight Inelastic Scattering High Intensity – Powder Diffractometer High Resolution – Powder Diffractometer

Crystal Alignment

Strain Scanner

Laue Diffractometer

Small Angle Neutron Scattering

Ultra Small Angle Neutron Scattering Reflectometer

Small Angle Neutron Scattering

Operating instruments Construction/commissioning

Neutrons – For Industry NTD - Silicon • •

• •

High and very high voltage markets Low volume specialty products

High and medium voltage markets Medium volume specialty products

Source: Topsil and Yole Development

Technical Challenges and Improvements

Cold Neutron Source • Cryogenic Refrigeration System • Cold Neutron Source Helium Compressors • Multiple component failures – Compressor Bearing Instability – Compressor Air End Screw Failures

• Consequence – Failures resulted in unreliable operation of reactor and CNS supply – Major maintenance intervention to rectify – Suspension of CNS science based program

Helium Compressor – Component Failures 2 x 250kW Helium compressors supply high pressure/high flow helium to the Cold Neutron Source cryogenic system

Compressor Screw Air Ends

Root Cause Analysis • Root Cause Analysis Outcome – Compressor oil degradation resulting in bearing instability – Compressor oil degradation resulting in air end screw failures

High Oil Temp. Reduced Oil Flow

Low Viscosity

FAILURE Screw Contact

Filter Blockage

Debris

CNS Compressor Rectification • Installation of high capacity plate-and-frame Heat Exchangers

11

• Compressor Screw oil injection temperature reduced 45oC

CNS Performance Performance Indicator

Actual

Target

315.0

315.0

99.8%

95.0%

OPAL Full Power Days – Calendar 2014 to 26 May

122

122

CNS Operational Availability in 2014 (to 26 May)

100%

95.0%

CNS Cold Source operations since 18/07/13 to 26 May 2014 - Days at full power in NO mode -

CNS Operational Availability Reactor days at power

Cooling Tower Fan Refurbishments • Aim – Refurbish fans to extend life and improve reliability – Cost effective approach – Keep installed spare fan operational – Utilise standard shutdown periods

• Benefits – Cost effective approach – Local suppliers – Lead times reduced from 19 weeks to 4 weeks – Superior corrosion protection than original

Motor 45 kW (replace) Gearbox (refurbish), specialist Removable Walkway (refurbish), new HDG Support Frame (refurbish), new HDG

All fasteners, (replace), use HDG 14 x hub blocks (refurbish), zinc electroplate 1 Hub (refurbish): ENECON CeramAlloy CP & ChemClad SC 7 x blade shafts (replace), Bisplate 80 + HDG 7 x Al Blades (re-use)

Original Fan Assembly

• Challenges – Source local suppliers – Identify suitable equivalent material for fan blade shaft replacement
Chemical analysis
Physical properties analysis
Metallographic examination
Suitability for HDG

New Fan Assembly

Practices and Processes

Maintenance Strategy Optimisation How do we decide and define an optimum mix of maintenance tasks ? • Condition Monitoring Tasks - Surveillances, inspections, testing, monitoring, trending or analysis tasks addressing failure modes with a defined P-F interval. • Fixed Time Tasks - Fixed time overhaul, restoration or replacement tasks addressing failure modes that exhibit a wear-out failure pattern. • Corrective Maintenance Tasks – Correct expected or unexpected failures.

Maintenance Strategy Optimisation 4%

Quadrant 1 Fixed Time Strategy is the only option

Quadrant 2 Either Fixed Time or Condition Based Strategy is an option

2% 5%

Task interval is set by the safe or economic life (or MTBF)

First look for a Condition Based Task (Quadrant 3)

Safe or Economic Life

(Eg – Limit switches in a hot cell)

Then look for a Fixed Time Task

P

F

Sudden

Fixed Time Task

P-F interval (Potential to Functional failure)

Pattern of Failure

1

Fixed Time 2 Task OR Condition Based Task

Rate of Deterioration

Failure will always be a breakdown (Expected 4 failure)

Gradual

Age-Related (Wear-Out)

(Quadrant 1)

P

F P-F interval (Potential to Functional failure)

Condition Based Task 3

Quadrant 4 Run to Fail strategy is the only option (Eg Lighting)

Random 7%

Quadrant 3 Condition Based Strategy is the only option Task interval is set by the P-F interval

14%

For the task to be feasible there must be:

68%

 A clearly defined P condition that the task is able to reliably detect  A fairly consistent P-F interval  A P-F interval that is long enough to be of practical use

Condition Monitoring • Condition Monitoring fits into quadrant 2 & 3 of the Maintenance Feasibility & Effective Analysis Age-Related Fixed Time Task

2

OR Condition Based Task

Rate of Deterioration

Failure will always be a breakdown (Expected 4 failure)

Condition Based Task

Random

3

Gradual

Sudden

Fixed Time Task

Pattern of Failure

1

Quadrant 3 & 2 Condition Based Task is the only option Task interval is set by the P-F interval For the task to be effective there must be: A clearly defined P condition that the task is able to reliably detect A fairly consistent P-F interval A P-F interval that is long enough to be of some use, i.e. it is practical to monitor within the P-F interval and there is sufficient time to plan and take action before reaching the F condition

Condition Monitoring for Safety and Reliability CM Techniques • • • • •

Vibration Monitoring (VA) Thermography Oil Analysis & Lubrication Management Chemistry Control Process Data review and trending

Condition Monitoring - Example Bearings & Couplings (pump and fly- wheel): • Temperature • On-line VA • Handheld VA

Thickness testing of pipes

Process: • Measurement of inlet & outlet pressures (efficiency) • Flow trending

Motor: • Bearings (VA) • Thermography • Insulation/winding resistance

Oil Analysis of bearings

Mechanical Seals: • Trending of leakage rates

Process: • Chemistry control and monitoring

Condition Monitoring - Example • 129 Hz fault plus harmonics and the trend of worsening condition.

CM Thermography • Switchboards • Motors

OVERLOADS

Utilisation and Operating Performance

Status of Mo99 Supply

HFR Netherlands

30% Maria Poland

5% BR-2 Belgium

OSIRIS

10-15%

NRU

France

Canada

10-15%

40% SAFARI South Africa

10-15%

ANSTO Australia

< 5%

Performance – Operating days 2012 – Planned Long Shutdown (42 days)

300

296

282

294

248

250

200

Total Power Days

150

(Calendar Years)

128 OPAL critial on 12 August 2006

108 108

94

100

50

Target Days

270

Actual Power Days Forecast Power Days

Target - 300 Safe Days

286

39

0 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014 Status at: Tuesday 28/4/14

2014

Performance – Availability to Plan 100

98% - Target Availability to Plan

95

93 91

98

97 94

92

90

Availability to 85 Planned Schedule (%)

80

OPAL critial on 12 August 2006

75 72

70

65

60 2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014 Status (current): From 1/1/14 to 28/4/14

2014