Nuclear operators to benefit from immersive 3D simulations
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The simulations are being offered as a new service by Duke Energy subsidiary Duke Energy One and L3Harris. Duke Energy One's 3D Metrology Services program designs the "as-built" 3D models of nuclear power plants, which are specially made for each facility, using 3D laser scanning technology. L3Harris then pairs this data with an immersive and collaborative environment that offers a suite of productive decision-making tools, the companies said. These range from scenarios authoring, radiation simulation, live plant simulation links, data enhancement and enterprise resource planning integration, allowing access to critical asset information in one place.
The immersive simulations can also be used with L3Harris's Orchid IX display technology, which uses Reflected Reality to offer a realistic virtual environment with an accurate sense of depth and three-dimensionality but without using headsets.
The real-world data provided by immersive simulators can help nuclear facilities predict what may happen in their specific environments. This knowledge can then be used to coordinate tasks to save time and money, enhance safety and mitigate radiation risks, the companies said. Immersive simulators for nuclear power plants can also be used for outage planning, detecting unforeseen difficulties that, if not caught, could have significant financial impacts. The simulations can also be used to provide customised training services for each nuclear facility.
"This suite of tools can build customised virtual spaces that mimic actual nuclear facilities - giving nuclear operators access to lifelike layouts and making it easier and faster to develop plans for ensuring continued safe, reliable, efficient and cost-effective operations," said Lon Huber, senior vice president, pricing and customer solutions at Duke Energy.
