- Status
- Closed
Background
Over the past twenty years, maintenance has changed, perhaps more than any other management discipline. The changes are due to a huge increase in the number and variety of systems, structures and components, which must be maintained, much more complex designs, new maintenance techniques and changing views on maintenance organization and responsibilities.
Maintenance personnel have to adopt completely new ways of thinking and acting, as well as engineers and managers. At the same time the limitations of maintenance systems are becoming increasingly apparent, no matter how much they are computerized.
Maintenance Branch of Energoatom recognised these new challenges and requested the European Commission for assistance in introducing the reliability cantered maintenance methodology at Ukrainian NPPs.
Objectives
This project aimed at transferring to South Ukrainian NPP (SUK NPP) maintenance personnel know how about the reliability centered maintenance (RCM) approach and competence in applying this methodology to set up optimised preventive maintenance programme. The transfer process was based on theoretical training, on a complete RCM analysis upon a pilot case under the Contractor’s responsibility, and finally on the review of the analysis upon a second pilot case carried out by staff from SUK NPP alone.
Results
Project was implemented in several steps. First the SUK NPP maintenance personnel received training on RCM methodology in order to understand what RCM is and how the RCM could be implemented. Training was provided to the SUK NPP personnel with better assessment of the volume of maintenance for maintenance planning as well as basis for assessment such as the reliability requirements, maintenance requirements, management, personnel qualification and documentation requirements.
A Turbine-generator bearing lubrication system was selected as a pilot case for RCM analysis. The objective of this activity was to provide detail guidance to the SUK NPP personnel on conducting RCM analysis of a specific plant system. This pilot case involved the following steps, such as:
functional analysis and list of generic failure modes,
failure modes and effect analysis (FMEA) and list of significant failure modes,
analysis of failure modes, the effects of their criticality comprising the experience feedback analysis, list of potential causes of failure and the list of critical failure modes,
choice of maintenance tasks and proposals for a basis preventive maintenance programme. A team composed from Contractor and SUK NPP personnel performed the RCM analysis.
The following deliverables were developed:
RCM project manual;
RCM methodology procedures;
Support documents of the RCM training course;
Failure mode and causes list;
Final report on the RCM study for Turbine bearing lubrication system.
Finally, the SUK NPP personnel conducted a similar RCM analysis for another system Alternator Shaft seal and lubrication system under the supervision of the Contractor. This analysis involved the same scope of activities as previous one.
4) Comments
Project was implemented successfully. The RCM analysis was carried out for two plant systems. SUK NPP maintenance personnel acquired knowledge and skills how to conduct RCM analysis and is now autonomous for the potential application of the RCM to other systems.
Further Information
Further information on the project results could be sought from the beneficiary organizations.