Reactor Core Annulus Inspection

Descriptions

Research Sites Restoration Limited (RSRL/the Employer), as part of the decommissioning of the Steam Generating Heavy Water Reactor (SGHWR) in Building D60 on the Winfrith site, plans to decommission the core of the reactor, by jacking it up from beneath, and size reducing the emerging top in a segmentation cell. The core is cylindrical and is suspended within a concrete bio-shield. The core comprises a series of stainless steel, carbon steel and aluminium tanks, bolted together with tie-rods and suspended in a concrete bio- shield. The core is cylindrical with an OD of 4508mm, and a height of 7176mm. The bio- shield has an ID of 4593mm. To ensure that the core can be jacked in the way described, the annulus space between the core and bio-shield needs to be inspected in order to ensure that there are no protuberances or debris or any other possible obstructions which could snag the jacking process. A Contractor is required to carry out an examination of the entire annulus volume between the core and the bio-shield. This is to be completed using Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) video inspection and lighting equipment where practicable. The Contractor shall also undertake an inspection inside the Radial Shield that surrounds the core i.e. inside the Radial Shield structure.