Inspecting nuclear assets
As a carbon-free and renewable alternative to traditional oil and gas, and a more reliable source than solar or wind energy, nuclear power has an important role to play in the future energy environment. Like oil and gas production, successful nuclear operations depend on equipment being installed and maintained safely – and a vital part of this is regular inspection. Inspecting energy production assets is always a challenging business, even more so in nuclear power where the radioactive environment presents many more difficulties.
Industry image problem
Although nuclear power plants are some of the safest work sites in the world, accidents can and have happened, sometimes with catastrophic consequences and nuclear power still suffers from a bit of an image problem. Today the industry is highly focused on safety, with stringent regulations and safety protocols cover every aspect of nuclear energy wherever in the world it is produced.
Essential asset maintenance
In energy production of any sort, installing robust assets safely and then maintaining them to a high standard is one of the most challenging and expensive issues. The radioactive materials involved in the production of nuclear energy add an extra layer of hazard and expense, as does the need for nuclear producers to demonstrate their commitment to safety, with previous nuclear accidents remaining prominent in the public imagination.
Nuclear inspection challenges
Inspection in the nuclear industry causes many of the same challenges as inspection in oil and gas – such as hazardous working environments, difficult to access assets, expensive downtime and reduced production. In a radioactive environment, operators also have to account for additional PPE requirements, decontamination and reduced inspection time caused by radiation exposure.
Nuclear inspection technology at OMS
OMS provides inspection and measurement solutions to help clients in the nuclear industry overcome a range of challenges. Our systems use robotic crawler modules equipped with various OMS-developed acquisition hardware in conjunction with sophisticated software to identify and quantify surface defects that help our clients comply with relevant industry standards, and ultimately improve asset quality. We have successfully operated key components from our inspection modules during Gamma radiation testing with a Cobalt 60 source and have qualified various acquisition and control hardware, including lasers, cameras, embedded controllers and drive motors.
Challenging nuclear inspection experience
OMS has recently been working with ENGIE Laborelec to develop a modified crawler for use in a particularly challenging upcoming nuclear inspection. Read more about the project on ENGIE Laborelec’s LinkedIn page, where you can watch the video of the crawler in test mode at the OMS offices.
Making use of oil and gas suppliers’ innovation experience
Companies with a strong track record in other hazardous environments where safety concerns are paramount, such as oil and gas, are well placed to serve the nuclear energy industry. As three-time winners of the Queen’s Award for Innovation we have a wealth of experience developing innovative technology to help businesses in the nuclear industry overcome problems. We often work in partnership with our clients and other industry suppliers to build solutions that match their needs.
R&D challenges
Working in the nuclear industry has posed new challenges for the R&D team at OMS. Perhaps most notably is the development of a state-of-the-art inspection crawler capable of navigating DN50 (50 mm ID) pipe, with bends and T-sections. This system comprises a high-torque drive module with various other bolt-on modules including a front and rear facing camera module, high-resolution side camera module, laser surface measurement module, as well as other user-configurable modules to perform client-specific tasks.
If you have any queries about nuclear inspections our team are always available to answer any queries.
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Posted 04.10.2021
[5 minute read]
By Paul Eagle, Head of Global Business