Qualification of the PSI/ISI Procedures, Equipment and Personnel for Qinshan Phase 2 Units 3 4 Reactor Pressure Vessels in the Peoples Republic of China

摘要

The first formal ENIQ-based inspection qualifications of PWR reactor pressure vessel ultrasonic inspection procedures, equipment and personnel in the Peoples Republic of China were completed in December 2009. Qualifications covered Preservice/Inservice Inspections of the RPV main circumferential and bottom dome welds, nozzle to shell welds, nozzle to safe end and safe end to pipework welds for the Chinese design 650Mwe Qinshan Phase 2 Units 3 & 4 PWRs. China Nuclear Power Operation Technology Corporation Ltd (CNPO-Inspection Vendor), UK Inspection Validation Centre (UK IVC-Independent Inspection Qualification Body) at Serco and Swedish Qualification Centre (SQC-Technical support to CNPO) collaborated in an 18 month qualification programme. Key stages of the programme were monitored by Chinese Nuclear Power Qinshan Joint Venture Company Ltd (NPQJVC-Utility) and National Nuclear Safety Authority (NNSA-Chinese Nuclear Regulator). The Inspection Specification and Qualification Procedure complied with the requirements of RSEM 97 Code. Inspection Procedures and Technical Justifications for each component were developed following experimental trials on test specimens containing simulated defects and limited theoretical modelling studies. Procedure Trials were performed on full scale PWR test assemblies at the UK IVC, whilst Personnel Trials for data collection and analysis personnel were held at UK IVC and CNPO in Wuhan, PRC. Finally equipment functional tests using the actual onsite inspection systems and robotic manipulators were carried out on full scale mockups containing metal inserts at CNPO. This paper describes the key stages of the qualification programme, the qualification approach adopted for this first Chinese inspection qualification and lessons learnt of relevance to future qualifications.