Designing mechanical solutions in a hostile environment
Orano design solutions for mechanical systems required to operate in hostile environments ensure long-lasting, safe and high-performance production systems.
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In a hostile environment, operators’ access to equipments are impossible, and all operations and maintenance activities must be designed as remote handling options from the start with the help of remote-controlled arm or robot.
To meet this requirement, equipment must be designed with high reliability to
- minimise the need for repairs
- ensure easy remote dismantling/re-assembly,
- reduce operating times to avoid penalising production capacity and operator dosimetry.
Futhermore, system safety and security must be guaranteed throughout operations, including during maintenance works.
Orano can offer a package deal ranging from design to process commissioning.
Design according to 5 principles:
- Use of proven standards (50 years of operating experience feedback)
- Selection of materials able to withstand radiation, corrosion and abrasion,
- Reliability with important functional motions (simple and basic mechanical principles),
- Modularity allowing replacement of complete module including wearing pieces,
- Use of off-the-shelf component database which operation in hostile environment is proven.
Development and qualification
Solution Industrialisation
Supporting the operator
Along all these steps, using virtual reality allows to valid operations and maintenance activities.
- Modular design to ensure easy remote maintenance
- Comprehensive analysis for downgraded modes, consequences, and preventive measures
- Use of virtual reality
- Orano off-the-shelf equipments used: Remote master-slave manipulator, telescopic master-slave trucks and ports, robots
- Package deal ranging from determining feasibility to process commissioning.
- We can boast 50 years of feedback in the design and operation of nuclear spent fuel recycling and MOX fuel production plant but also for decommissioning facilities at end-of-life: La Hague and Melox sites and other nuclear sites in France (CEA, etc.) or abroad for similar facilities (Rokkasho in Japan).
- Expertise with extreme environments for people and equipments (radiation, abrasive powders, corrosion)
- Development, qualification and deployment of equipment and high-level maintenance procedures facility durability and maintain in operational conditions are the focus of our concerns.
- Dual skills engineering and industrial operator know-how allow to integrate experience feedback at each step of the design studies
- Knowledge and methods capitalization thanks to a set of standards
- 50 years of feedback to the benefit of customers in relation to the design and operation of mechanical facilities in a nuclear environment
- Reliability and safety of facilities operated
- Solution qualificationduring studies thanks to virtual reality
- Package solution ranging from design to commissioning, including operator support
