Framatome piping rehabilitation system an industry 'first'
20 November 2023
A two-year test programme has validated the first spray-in-place structural liner system for use within nuclear plant safety-related applications for long-term plant operations and licence renewals.
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The spray-in-place liner is delivered remotely via in-pipe robotics (Image: Framatome)
Aging and degradation of buried piping is a challenge in the nuclear industry, but the location of these components - which can range in size from several centimetres to more than three metres - makes necessary repairs and inspections costly, the company said. Its spray-in-place liner provides the nuclear industry with a safe solution that rehabilitates pipe internals and overcomes cost, safety and outage duration challenges, it added.
Such innovations can help to improve plant performance, achieve outage performance goals, and secure long-term operations, said Craig Ranson, senior vice president of Framatome's Installed Base business unit in North America. "Our turnkey lining process saves our customers money and downtime, while solving buried piping aging challenges and taking them to the end of the plant's lifespan," he added.
The engineered structural spray-in-place liner system, developed by Framatome and industry partners, is delivered remotely by a robotic crawler. The fast-curing liner is sprayed evenly onto the inside of the pipe, fully rehabilitating the pipe and becoming the new pipe pressure boundary. The quick-installing system does not require excavation, minimising safety risks and reducing outage duration, the company said.
Testing and engineering evaluations were performed at Framatome’s Qualification and Testing Center in Virginia.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News