Transcript Slide 1
Improved Techniques-Methods For Nuclear
Power Plant Construction
John Ioannidi, P.E.
Bulatom, 2-4 June 2011
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Introduction
Existing NPPs constructed using methods/technologies from
1970’s-1980’s
Since then, new technologies utilized and lessons learned
applied
A number of methods sufficiently mature and proven to
result in:
Proven Economic benefits
Reduced construction time (again, € savings)
New methods/technologies affect the following major
activities:
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Reinforced Concrete Placement
Concrete and Cement
High Strength Reinforcement
Modularization
Welding
Cold Bending
Steel Plate Reinforced Concrete Structures
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Comparison of Construction Schedules for
Reinforced Concrete
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Advances in Concrete and Cement
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Improved Cement Powder Quality
Advanced Chemical Admixtures
Improved Mixing and Placement Techniques
Advanced Curing Techniques
Pozzolanic Admixtures
Development of Specialized Concrete Mix Designs
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Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC)
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New Reactor designs should take greater advantage of the
benefits of advancing concrete technology…
Self Consolidating Concrete (SCC), also known as Self
Compacting Concrete: highly flowable, can be placed in
formwork with no vibration, minimal finishing.
SCC sets and cures in the same time as traditional vibrated
concrete, but with much less labor.
The product flows around inside and throughout very
congested formwork with little human intervention, greatly
reducing the risk of honeycombing and voids.
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Use of SCC
Mix Designs are Tested and Field Ready
Use is spreading globally
Benefits: Fewer Construction Workers
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Reduces risk of injuries in field at any construction site
Reduces cost of project delays
Reduces probability of human error and negligence
Steel Structure Erection
Reduces overall cost of installation on large projects
Other Concrete Composition Technologies
High Performance Concrete (HPC)
Made with several different admixtures (super-plasicizer, fly-ash,
silica fume) to achieve mix design properties
Must be properly mixed, transported, consolidate, cured
Provides higher compressive strength, density, and lower
permeability) than traditional concrete Steel Structure Erection
Compressive strength: 101MPa (14.7ksi) – 131 MPa (19 ksi) versus
2.5 – 5 ksi.
Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC)
Capability for even higher compressive strengths than HPC (up to
200 MPa (29 ksi)
Produced by including metallic fibers in a dense cement matrix
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High Strength Reinforcement
Steel is another basic building material that has undergone
major improvements since the first generation of reinforcing
steels applied to concrete.
Better Quality Control
Very Predictable Yield and Ultimate stress behavior
Improved Corrosion Resistance
Very wide range of sizes, shapes are available
Very high strength steels are being produced
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Benefits of High Strength Reinforcement
Estimated that >200,000 m3 of Reinforced Concrete will
typically be placed for a nuclear power plant
By replacing the larger diameter bars with smaller diameter
bars of high-strength steel
Opportunity to reduce formwork congestion
Lower quantities of shipped and stored materials.
Reduced manual effort in field construction (lighter materials)
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Prefabrication, Preassembly, Modularization
Module: remote assembly operations, prefabrication and
preassembly.
Modules often the largest transportable unit or component of
a facility.
Modules can be constructed remotely or constructed at the
work site and then placed in position.
Equipment “skids” are an example of this technique used for
a number of years by various industries
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Examples of Skids
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Modularization
Must be planned in the early design and procurement
stages.
Increases engineering and procurement costs.
Net cost savings primarily results from shortened direct
construction stage.
Is cost effective for critical or near critical schedule path
work.
Benefits exponentially increase with each “N” plant.
Requires more integration of design discipline teams.
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Positive Aspects of Modularization
Cost Savings – Time related, Quantity of field labor, Labor
wage rate.
Significant schedule compression if properly designed and
planned
Quality Improvement – Shop environment, “Out-of-hole”
work.
Enhanced Worker Safety – Less Man-hours of exposure
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More efficient placement of labor on the site to prevent
equipment traffic congestion problems.
Higher utilization of specialized equipment and labor
Increased flexibility, even permitting remote (off site)
construction of very complex or specialized modules, which
can be transported to the site
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Examples of Modularization Applied at
ABWR
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Dome Lift and Placement: Tomari 3
Mitsubishi
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Modularization Advantages
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Onsite - assembly and modularization of equipment.
Offsite – Equipment manufacturers provide a complete and
assembled component skid to the jobsite
Packaged - All equipment is provided to a central facility for
assembly and installation in modules. These modules tend
to be of a massive size and require very specialized
transportation equipment and coordination.
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Modularization Advantages
Reduced Schedule Duration
Sequential to Parallel Activities
Construction Management
Construction Facilities/Utilities
Construction Equipment
Shop Environment Productivity
Site Weather Impacts
Increased Productivity and Quality
Shop Labor Environment & Skill
Shop Advance Tool Use
Out-of-hole Site Work
Reduced Site Manpower Density
Ground Level Work
Increased Productivity
Reduced Safety Risk
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Reduced time Related Fixed
Costs
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Reduce Overall Project Cost
Total Project Cost – 10%, more for
“N” Plants.
Onsite Labor 25%
Construction Risk and Mitigation Cost
Project Funding Interest
Modularization Disadvantages
Added Engineering Cost – 10
to15%
Double Shipment –
Manufacturer/Module/Site
Wider, Longer, Heavier Loads
Special Handling
Added Risk for Transportation
Damage
More Detail Required
More Intra-Discipline Planning
Earlier Design Availability Risk
More Procurement Cost – 17 to
20%
Added In-shop Work
More Coordination and
Administration
More Sacrificial Material
Increase Cost & Schedule Risk if
Late Delivery
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More Transportation Cost
More Construction Equipment
Cost
Special Cranes – Very Heavy Lift
Larger Capacity
Open-Top Installation
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Capacity of cranes increased (up to 900 tons)
Can Shorten construction schedule
Reduce construction costs (direct and indirect)
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High Deposition Rate Welding
Welding processes used in nuclear plant construction
include:
Structural welds to connect structural members
Pressure welds
Weld cladding (deposition of weld metal on surface of other metal to
improve characteristics)
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Quality welding, crucial to construction of nuclear plant, is
time consuming
Deposition of metal at higher rates without compromising
quality is desired and make a significant contribution to
reducing construction times.
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High Deposition Rates Welding Methods
Gas Metal Arc Welding
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
Submerged Arc Welding
Robotic Welding (Can be used with most type of welding
Process):
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Gas metal arc welding (GMAW)
Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW)
Flux core are welding (FCAW)
Submerged arc welding (SAW)
Robotic Welding most suited for shop work (Controlled
environment and repeated)
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3D Modeling Highlights
3D Modeling can be used at all stages: conceptual, detail
engineering/design, construction, O&M
Construction rework labor typically can cost as much as
12% of total construction labor using manual method of
design Submerged Arc Welding
3D allows better:
Visualization
Early automated interference identification and resolution flux core
are welding (FCAW)
Work planning and sequencing
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Result of above is reduction of rework labor to ~ 2%
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Pipe Bends Vs. Welded Elbows
Pipe bending is a simple alternative construction technique
to:
Speed up piping system construction
Reduce the number of workers required
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Pipe bending technology previously available, but at that
time, welded-in fittings were more cost-effective
Pipe bending may now be performed at a lower cost than
welding.
Development of portable bending machines allows on-site
bending of pipe.
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Bending Techniques
Cold Bending
Heat not applied to pipe to reshape pipe
Types of cold bending
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Bending Techniques
Heat Induction Bending
Hot Slab bending
Whichever method or combination of methods used,
appropriately used, process could results in time and money
savings.
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In Summary
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New Approaches, Materials, and Methods available today
that can help reduce the risk associated with mega project
construction.
Early planning, engineering and design involvement, and
aggressive management will promote use of technological
innovations.
Higher costs in some areas of innovations are usually
compensated for in Labor and/or Schedule savings
Implementing improved construction techniques provides a
much more secure environment for those financing a project,
with on-time production of energy to the public/private
consumer as a critical benefit to stakeholders.
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