Operational experience on the cold neutron source at the OPAL Reactor
Loading...
Date
2016-03-13
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
European Nuclear Society
Abstract
The Cold Neutron Source (CNS) at ANSTO’s OPAL Reactor has operated with near perfect reliability since July 2013, supplying cold neutrons to neutron scattering instruments for more than 300 days a year. This recent highly productive and reliable operational period had come after a 16-month rectification program in 2012-2013 that resolved major compressor and turbine faults in the helium cryogenic system. It has been underpinned by a more focussed approach by a team of analysts, engineers and technicians, fully supported by senior management in the organisation. Drawn from the in-house knowledge base developed over the major-fault-affected years, the CNS team has been able to quickly identify the root cause of minor faults and process anomalies and carry out rectification in a timely fashion to ensure the CNS and reactor’s availability. A comprehensive Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM) strategy has been developed, based on Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) methodology as part of the asset management program of the entire reactor facility. In this paper, we will share our experience with some examples of operational events. A successful project of upgrading the helium cryogenic system’s PLC in 2014 will also be discussed.
Description
Keywords
ANSTO, Cold neutrons, Compressors, Criticality, Engineers, Failure mode analysis, Helium, Knowledge base, Maintenance, Neutron diffraction, Neutron sources, OPAL Reactor, Reliability, Turbines
Citation
Sah, A., Walsh, P., Tobin, A., Bresling, S., Abraham, R., & Lu, W. (2016). Operational experience on the cold neutron source at the OPAL Reactor. Paper presented to the 17th RRFM/IGORR 2016, 13 – 17 March 2016, Berlin, Germany. (pp. 594-601). Retrieved from: https://www.igorr.com/Documents/2016-BERLIN/rrfm2016-transactions.pdf