U1.01/06A1 & U1.03/06A1- lot 3 Two Supercompactors for Rovno & Zaporozhye

In the framework of the TACIS 2006 Programme, the European Commission agreed with NAEK-Energoatom and Rivne & Zaporozhe Nuclear Power Plants (RNPP and ZNPP) on the funding of the Solid Radioactive Waste Treatment Projects for these NPPs (hereafter SRWT projects), which included the design, purchase and installation of equipment for the retrieval and the treatment of solid radioactive waste on the Rivne and Zaporozhe NPP sites.

The objective of the Solid Radioactive Waste Treatment projects was to resolve the issues of treatment of solid radioactive waste, whether already accumulated or to be produced during plant operation. The projects enabled RNPP and ZNPP to produce waste packages meeting the acceptance requirements for storage, in accordance with IAEA recommendations and with norms and regulations in force in Ukraine. The SRWT facilities to be installed on the RNPP and ZNPP sites, aimed at:

• reducing the volume of solid radioactive wastes,
• conditioning them for safe interim and long term storage

The TACIS-financed contribution to the SRWT process line at RNPP was split into 4 lots:

• Lot 1: Retrieval facility.
• Lot 2: Sorting and Fragmentation facility.
• Lot 3: Super Compaction facility.
• Lot 4: Activity measurement (spectrometry).

The TACIS-financed contribution to the SRWT process line at ZNPP was split into 3 lots:

• Lot 1: Incineration facility.
• Lot 2: Emission monitoring system for the incineration facility.
• Lot 3: Super Compaction facility.

The present contract covered the supply of Lot 3 for both sites, i.e. delivery of two Supercompactor facilities, one for Rovno NPP and one for Zaporozhe NPP.

The objectives of the project were to:

• Improve the efficiency of the rad-waste treatment processes
• Reduce the rad-waste volumes accumulated in the storages of RNPP and ZNPP by supercompacting the waste.
• Minimize the amount of the rad-waste resulting from the rad-waste treatment processes
• Obtain end products compliant with the recommended criteria for the safe, temporary storage at the NPP sites
• Ensure the fulfilment of the international safety requirements for the implementation of the ALARA principles in the course of the rad-waste handling

 
The supercompacting facilities are located in the rad-waste treatment buildings of RNPP and ZNPP. The two facilities are of similar design and having a pressing force not less than 1.500 t and a pressing capacity not less than 6 drums (pellets) per hour. The design allows compaction of 170 l drums, and, in the case of the supercompactor for ZNPP, 200 l drums also.
The main components of the Supercompacting Facilities are:

• Drum feeding system
• Supercompacting device including the hydraulic unit
• Unit for the measurement/classification (weight and height) of the compacted drums (pucks)
• Unloading device
• Puck selection table
• Drum loader unit (loading of pucks into outer – overpack - drums)
• Overpack Drum docking device
• Electrical fork lift
• Mobile decontamination device
• Process operation remote surveillance system
• Instrumentation and Control (I&C) system
• Electrical equipment
• The Supercompacting Facilities for ZNPP and for RNPP are enclosed by a tight operation caisson (not part of the scope of supply). Its operating area begins at the acceptance point of the 170/200 l drums containing the solid rad-waste and ends at the overpack drum docking device of the operation caisson.

Cleaning of the air and removal of the contaminated dust generated during compacting is ensured by a caisson ventilation system including filters (not part of the scope of supply).
The process of supercompacting is possible in the automatic, as well as remote manual control modes.

The project includes:

• supply of the equipment
• the supply of spare parts
• design, manufacture, acceptance tests, certification, delivery, supervision of installation and commissioning and training of End user personnel

The first set of Technical Specifications for the project was developed in 2004 under the service contract "Solid Radioactive Waste Treatment for Rovno NPP – U1.01/01B" (Contract 95161). After failure of the tender procedure in 2007 the Technical Specifications were revised under the service contract "On-site Assistance to Rovno NPP – U1.01/06" (Contract 126843) and retendered in 2008. The contract with the supplier of the system, NUKEM (Germany), was signed in January 2009.

ZNPP

The first supercompactor facility was installed at ZNPP in the rad-waste building that was under construction. This was done by ZNPP under supervision of the supplier NUKEM. The site acceptance test (SAT) was performed in February 2012 and the Provisional Acceptance Certificate (PAC) was signed on 8.2.2012 and approved by the EC Project Manager on 11.4.2012. The Final acceptance certificate (FAC) has been signed on 8.2.2013.

The achievement of this project, when the rad-waste building is completed and all equipment (EU and Energoatom financed) is installed, is to reduce the overall volume and ensure the safe handling and storage of radioactive waste originating at the Zaporozhe Nuclear Power Plant.

RNPP

The supercompactor facility was installed at RNPP in the rad-waste building that was under construction. This was done by RNPP under supervision of the supplier NUKEM. The site acceptance test (SAT) was performed in November 2014 and the Provisional Acceptance Certificate (PAC) was signed on 18.11.2014 and approved by the EC Project Manager on 19.11.2012. The Final acceptance certificate (FAC) was signed after expiration of the warranty period.

The achievement of this project, when the rad-waste building is completed and all equipment (EU and Energoatom financed) is installed, is to reduce the overall volume and ensure the safe handling and storage of radioactive waste originating at the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant.