Best Practices for Remote Assembly and MaintenanceKeith Kershaw, Sources, Targets and Interactions Group

Thanks to: Alessandro Tesini and Jim Palmer of ITER, Luca Dassa of EN-MME

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Contents• Why is it important to design for remote handling?

• CERN examples

• ITER Remote Handling Code of Practice

• Next steps

• Conclusions and discussion

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Why is it important to design for remote handling ?

Why use remote handling?• Maximise running time• Reduce exposure of personnel to hazards (radioactivity,

Oxygen deficiency etc…)

Why design for remote handling?• Manipulator arms cannot do everything a human can• Ensure remote maintenance is POSSIBLE• Speed up remote maintenance

• Hands-on work will also be faster

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CERN examplesCERN already has designed equipment to be compatible with remote handling. Examples include:

• LHC collimators

• SPS remote vacuum connection

Luca Dassa and Keith Kershaw are preparing short course for designers

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Example : LHC collimators

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LHC collimator remote exchange…

Remotely operated crane for handling and transport Telemax for

inspection and disconnection

TIM for Inspection

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Example : SPS Remote Vacuum connection (1978)

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The ITER Remote Handling Code of Practice• Remote handling will be essential for ITER

maintenance.

• The ITER RHCoP is part of a management process to ensure “plant” is compatible with remote maintenance and to minimise downtime

• last year ITER issued CERN a Licence agreement to use the ITER RHCoP. It is not openly available.

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ITER – Fusion Tokamak

After the first 7 years operation remote handling will be vital for maintenancePerson for scale

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ITER use JET RH experience

“Man in the loop”

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Multi-purpose deployer with twin force reflecting manipulators

This is the “recovery” option for times when purpose built remote maintenance equipment needs help

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What is the ITER RHCoP?There are two main documents: • “ITER RHCoP” - (Technical guidelines) • “ITER Remote Maintenance Management

System” IRMMS - (Management processes)

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ITER Remote Handling (RH) Baseline Strategy

RH Design Standards for: • Location Devices• Fasteners (incl. tooling)• Welded Joints (incl. tooling)• Electrical Connectors• Fluid Connectors

Key principles for:• Specification & design of RH equipment• Preparation & implementation of RH Operations

IRHCOP defines and describes

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IRHCoP Example – Location Devices

PIPE FLANGE

GUIDE SPIGOT

Parallel Dowel Pin Arrangement

Ball-End Dowel Arrangement Axial & Azimuthal Flange Location

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IRHCoP Example – Fasteners

RETRACTED POSITION ENGAGED POSITION

EXTENDED SPRINGCOMPRESSED SPRING

BOLT IN BOLT IN

BOLT UNDER-FLUSHWITH COMPONENT

SUPPORT STRUCTURE

THRE

ADED

CAP

TIVAT

ION

THRE

ADCL

EARA

NCE

COMPONENT

BOLT UNDERCUT TOROOT DIAMETER

CAPTIVATION OVER BOLTKEY ACCESS

HEAD GUIDED

RETRACTED POSITION

ENGAGED POSITION

EXTENDED SPRING

COMPRESSED SPRINGBOLT IN

BOLT IN

BOLT UNDER-FLUSHWITH COMPONENT SUPPORT STRUCTURE

COMPONENT

“Pop-up” captive bolts

captivationcaptivation at thread

captivation over the head

Tooling

Simple bolt runner

High torque tool with dove-tail featurefor local torque reaction

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Includes:

• Organization of ITER RH Team• Approach to RH classification

• Design & procurement process for RH equipment• Method to ensure RH compatibility of ITER

machine

• Organization and management of RH operations

ITER Remote Maintenance Management System (IRMMS)

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IRMMS - RH Classification (define at start of design phase) • RH Class1: Will need RH replacement / maintenance.

Mock ups as part of design process

• RH Class 2: Only unscheduled maintenance. May involve mock ups for design process

• RH Class 3: failure probability < 1 in 200 years. Design for RH repair. RH equipment procured after assembly

• Non RH Classified: do not require remote maintenance.

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IRMMS – Management (life cycle) • Preparation and operations from concept to

decommissioning

• Three key teams must work together through all stages of design and operation:• ITER Plant • ITER Remote Handling Equipment • ITER Remote Handling Operations

• Reviews and iterations as part of process

More than 40 points

ITER remote handling design compatibility checklist

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Next steps• We will start with short basic remote handling

compatibility training courses for designers (EN MME and EN-STI)

• For the future we will need to develop our own code of practice and processes.

• This work will need to be based on realistic predictions of the capabilities of our remote handling equipment.

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Conclusions & Discussion 1• Where appropriate, beam line equipment

should be designed to be compatible with remote handling

• ITER RHCoP and IRMMS provide guidelines:• management aspects (collaboration of teams)• design aspects

• Even if hands-on solutions are used, the same principles can offer benefits of reduced downtime and radiation exposure

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Conclusions & Discussion 2For every object:• Analyse - from the beginning - the installation, failure

and maintenance scenarios

• Analyse the big picture – do not rely on a magic remote handling device

Luca Dassa and Keith Kershaw are preparing a short course for designers on design for remote handling compatibility – please contact us with examples or input.

Thank you. Questions and discussion welcome…