The objective of the project is to develop the concept and methods for preventive maintenance and periodical inspections of the NPP safety valves. The project covers also optimisation of the conditions monitoring, devices and tools including software for recording of test/inspection/maintenance results and database to store the recorded information.
The specific objectives of the present project are:
To develop the strategy of preventive maintenance including periodical inspections of the reactor safety valves at Ukrainian NPPs;
To guarantee and improve general safety of the plant during surveillance, inspection, maintenance and repair of safety valves;
To further improve safety valve reliability;
To develop improved methods of diagnostics, preventive maintenance and repair;
To propose appropriate maintenance data (operation/condition monitoring) principles and software;
To develop appropriate methods for the "health assessment" of safety valves;
To specify further appropriate maintenance actions (surveillance, inspection and/or repair) with consideration to best international practice with regard to safety valves maintenance and inspection;
To improve the accuracy of adjustment and testing of the safety valves based on newly developed methodologies;
To explore the possibility of performing testing/inspection/maintenance of the safety valves without disconnection and disassembling of the mechanical equipment (depending on type of equipment, tools and safety valves);
To explore the possibility of performing testing/inspection/maintenance of safety valves on equipment in operation (depending on the type of equipment, tool and safety valves);
To minimise personnel dose rates.
Zaporozhye NPP has been chosen as pilot NPP for the project. Representatives of other Ukrainian NPPs shall be invited to ZNPP to participate in all project technical meetings.