NUCLEAR | SECTOR REPORT
“In the past couple of decades, compliance with (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission) Regulation 0554 has been the driving force that created a lot of new crane upgrade opportunities for the handling of nuclear materials,” Schulz says. “A lot of those upgrades have been completed by now, so we’re seeing growth and opportunity in new nuclear technologies like small modular reactors and alternative reactors.”
Schulz says that molten salt reactors are
creating demand for nuclear hoists and specialized material handling equipment. While he says he can’t name names, Schulz notes that PaR Systems has been involved in and is supporting molten salt reactor projects. One project PaR Systems is currently
involved in is providing crane and hoist designs for use with small modular reactors at NuScale Power in Portland, Oregon, USA. The NuScale plant design includes 12 small modular reactors and, when complete, will output a total of 924 megawatts of electricity. The reactor building crane will be an integral part of the plant’s process for refuelling the 12 reactors. “The crane will lift a 950 (US) ton reactor,” Schulz says. “It’s going to position a reactor into a refuelling stand, and then repeat that operation 11 times. At approximately 45- to 60-day intervals, it’ll pick up another reactor and start the refuelling process all over again. It’s almost like a continuous refuelling cycle over the life of the plant’s operation.” The reactor building crane will need
to carefully move, and manipulate the placement of, each small reactor as part of the refuelling process. During refuelling, PaR Systems’ hoisting technology must orient each reactor module into a vertical position within the designated assembly and disassembly robotic equipment structures. PaR Systems is incorporating its
trademarked TensileTruss methodology as part of the hoisting system. TensileTruss’ mobile tool platform consists of an upper and a lower platform that are connected
R A Whiting Corporation turbine crane undergoing installation at the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Michigan.
by six wire ropes run on six independent hoists. “Using the TensileTruss system is a semi-
automated process,” Schulz says. “The hoist system will orient the module into true vertical position. US commercial nuclear plants do not operate their cranes and refuelling equipment on fully automated systems. They want some kind of human acknowledgement in between certain commanded motions. The NuScale reactor building crane will operate in a similar manner.”
Schulz says PaR Systems has high
expectations of the nuclear industry and is seeing a growing interest in small modular reactors. The company is currently bidding on a variety of significant opportunities in
nuclear. While the COVID-19 pandemic initially prompted a slowdown from March to June, Schulz says there is now ample work to be had. Adversity is also driving innovation in nuclear storage. Cost considerations are changing the way companies store used nuclear fuel, which is creating new challenges and opportunities for nuclear cranes and hoists. Curtis Roberts, director of communications and press officer for Orano USA in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, says that companies have found cost efficiencies by using larger casks.
S The NUHOMS dry storage system by Orano
26 | March 2021 |
www.hoistmagazine.com
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