INSPECTION | STEAM GENERATORS
A new tool for Loviisa
An inspection and cleaning robot co-created by Finland’s Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences (JAMK) and Fortum is facilitating steam generator inspection work at Loviisa
Right: The Loviisa steam generator inspection and cleaning robot, shown here in the Jyväskylä swimming pool, will be used in 2022 Photo credit: Fortum
INSPECTION AND CLEANING OF THE steam generators at Fortum’s Loviisa nuclear power plant — two 520MWe VVER- 440 reactors — is carried out manually every four years. The work is performed in a challenging environment at relatively high radiation levels and incurs occupational safety risks. Two years ago Finland’s Jyväskylä University of Applied
Right: The Loviisa nuclear plant in Finland Photo credit: Fortum
Sciences (JAMK) and Fortum started developing a solution that can significantly reduce how much work is done by humans inside the steam generators and the workers’ expose to radiation doses. “We started the project by mapping the possible alternatives for cleaning and inspecting steam generators. However, none of the existing alternatives were completely suitable for this purpose, so we decided to start collaborating with JAMK on the development of a robot that would be suitable for these tasks,” says Fortum development manager Ville Lestinen. The design, development, and factory tests related to the equipment were performed by JAMK at Jyväskylä. Fortum employees headed the project and brought expertise on the steam generator cleaning and inspection process. The design work started in 2019, and the equipment was piloted in September 2020 during the annual outage at Loviisa 1. “After many ideas, we ended up developing a robotic raft
that carries the equipment needed in the maintenance. The complex structure of the inspection site and the very high safety requirements significantly increased the challenge level of the project,” says senior lecturer Jaakko Oksanen, a project manager working at JAMK. During the project, modifications to the structures were
made based on the tests performed at a pool at Jyväskylä. The goals and requirements set by Fortum were achieved
www.neimagazine.com | January 2022 | 39
through numerous material and equipment optimisations. A pilot deployment of the raft took place at Loviisa after tests in the swimming pool environment. “Taking images of the upper parts of the steam generator
was very successful, and inspecting the condition of the structures also went fine. The raft’s control systems operated as expected, and it was easy to manoeuvre the raft to the desired locations. In the further development phase, the focus will be on optimising the equipment’s shape and improving the ability to bypass the complex structures inside the steam generator,” Lestinen said. Overall, the raft pilot was more successful than expected.
Inspired by the good experiences, the team has carried out further development of the robot ahead of its next deployment, planned at Loviisa 2 in 2022. ■
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