Innovation Exchange Challenge: Improving the Safe Management of Ageing Spring Hangers

Background

Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) is responsible for safely decommissioning the first generation commercial nuclear and research sites across the UK (excluding Calder Hall). These include the former Magnox power stations that were built in the late 1950’s, 1960’s with the last beginning generation in 1971. The sites still contain a significant inventory of original plant, all over 50 years old.

Since cessation of generation, the legacy plant and systems have seen rapid degradation due largely to corrosion of steel components. One of the most high-profile mechanical challenges facing the organisation is the safe, economical management of some systems with stored energy; hereafter referred to as “Spring Hangers”. These hangers, originally used to manage vibration and movement in pipework systems, have degraded and now pose significant risks to human safety and to the decommissioning programme.

The Challenge

The aim of this challenge is to help NRS to develop a complete toolbox of solutions for different conditions and types of hangers. There are already several options available to treat hangers, but they either rely on the component integrity to remain available (such as fixed restraints), seek to destroy the component to remove residual stresses (such as spring cutting) or fix the entire spring assembly within a polymer block but place operatives at risk in applying the solution.

Eligibility

Entrants to this competition must be:

• Established businesses, academic institutions, start-ups, SMEs, or individual entrepreneurs
• UK based or have the intention to set up a UK base

Rewards & Market Opportunity

Successful applicants will be given an opportunity to outline their proposal to a team of representatives from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS). Selected solutions may be awarded proof of concept funding with potential for further adoption if successful. There may also be larger contract opportunities in the future, although this is not guaranteed.

The challenge has historically caused many hundreds of hours lost production across multiple sites and has the capacity to cost many hundreds more in the future. The challenge exists across all the former ten (10) Magnox sites with reactor gas and secondary steam-circuits, Dounreay in Scotland and the NDA’s largest site, Sellafield in Cumbria. It is estimated that there are 10,000+ spring hangers across Magnox sites and there may be a similar number present across Advanced Gas-Cooled Reactor (AGR) stations. Solution providers may also be able to access supply chain across other power station sites (fossil-fuelled) as well as other industrial sites.

The benefits package for a successful applicant may also include:

• Support from Innovate UK Business Connect
• Support in the development of a prototype or pilot
• Technical support
• Invitation to attend or present at Innovate UK Business Connect events
• A potential business collaboration
• Support if any Innovate UK or similar competitions are relevant.