Not only will the plant contribute to meeting the growing demand for electricity, the nuclear new build project is expected to bring thousands of new jobs and benefits for the local area, as well as providing growing support for the creation of other sites, such as the proposed Bradwell B project at Maldon in Essex.
Hinkley Point C is the latest in a long line of nuclear sites in the UK, each one operating at different stages of their respective operational lifespans. These also carry plant-specific hazards related to the design, equipment and buildings at each location, including the ventilation systems. When it comes to hazards involving nuclear ventilation, the difficulty for each site is that it requires the installation of unique systems that are able to maintain the balance of adhering to stringent safety levels while keeping to set budgets.
Philip Dixon, a senior ventilation engineer at Sellafield ltd, also notes that the requirements for the UK’s sites change as they reach end of life and decommissioned status. “Nuclear sites like Sellafield are transitioning from a site focused upon reprocessing to a site focused on the delivery of decommissioning and hazard reduction. In terms of nuclear ventilation this is an exciting development as there will be necessity to reassess the requirements for nuclear ventilation and containment in buildings which enter the post operational phase. The transition [at Sellafield] provides a window of opportunity for Ventilation Engineers to look at innovative ways of utilising both permanent and temporary ventilation to help safely deliver the decommissioning requirements.”
Engineers need to ensure that a site’s ventilation system fits the changing needs of the site and the consequences of ventilation systems that are not fit for purpose are already well understood. Therefore, after such a long hiatus since the last nuclear new build in the UK, it is imperative that engineers keep up to date with standards and technologies so that they are able to maintain high levels of safety to remain compliant with standards and also foster the confidence needed that will enable the UK’s nuclear industry to grow.
Taking place in Manchester at the end of November, the Institution’s bi-annual Nuclear Ventilation Conference is well timed to facilitate the sharing of lessons learned from recent and current ventilation projects. Supported with input from the National Nuclear Ventilation Forum, the conference features case study presentations from experienced practitioners at the forefront of ventilation in the nuclear industry and technical discussions that address common engineering challenges for nuclear ventilation.
In particular, this year’s programme is designed as a journey moving progressively towards more and more challenging aspects of nuclear ventilation projects. This offers great learning opportunities suitable for different experience levels in line with the Institution’s vision to inspire, train and educate the next generation of engineers.
When discussing these challenges Richard Hardy, a speaker at the conference and Engineering Manager at Radioactive Waste Management Ltd highlighted a lack of knowledge transfer as the number one challenge facing the industry: “As nuclear ventilation is a relatively small sector, suitably resourcing projects is an issue that the whole nuclear industry faces, particularly with many experienced individuals getting closer to retirement.”
Taking this into consideration, the programme this year is designed as a progressive journey towards solving the more challenging aspects of nuclear ventilation projects. This offers great learning opportunities for attendees, no matter their experience or background
The long heritage of nuclear power in the UK means engineering solutions for each site are bespoke, designed to meet a host of specific requirements. With the current changes at Sellafield, Philip is looking forward to presenting the latest site updates at the conference and hopes that it could influence others: “The transition [at Sellafield] provides a window of opportunity for Ventilation Engineers to look at innovative ways of utilising both permanent and temporary ventilation to help safely deliver the decommissioning requirements.”
With the addition of international speakers, the conference also provides a unique sharing of expertise from those in different countries. One speaker from the US, Dr. Ronald R Bellamy, is looking forward in particular to hearing about “new design of filters for unusual applications and unique opportunities for one of a kind filters in the UK”. As the current chair of the ASME Committee for Nuclear Air and Gas Treatment, Dr Bellamy will be discussing new build and small modular reactors, bringing the US’ perspective on how designs are influenced by site and safety requirements.
When discussing the invaluable knowledge sharing opportunity the conference represents, Richard said “I find it very useful to see what challenges other engineers face in the industry and hear about other projects”. Ray Lansdowne at Clean Air Technologies Ltd, another speaker at the conference, noted that the nuclear industry can learn from opportunities, adding that “we are encouraged by the stated commitment of the UK nuclear industry to promote innovation and we are optimistic that this may lead to increased opportunities for the nuclear industry to benefit from the advances in ventilation technology embraced by other industries”.
Discussing the past while reflecting on future needs is a key part of the conference, particularly as it is only held every two years. By discussing and preparing now, specialist engineers will be able to meet these changing requirements in the future as both the industry and sites develop. Bernard Swinnerton, a senior mechanical engineer also based at Sellafield Ltd., believes that the next 10 years will see “an increased requirement for the design of ventilation systems for waste storage incorporating more energy efficient solutions. New build power station nuclear ventilation designs will be heavily influenced by design practices of the countries providing the funding for these major projects.”
Want to hear more?
The Nuclear Ventilation 2017 conference will be taking place on 28-29 November 2017 at the Manchester United Football Ground in Manchester.
Attendees will learn about standards and solutions to challenges in key areas such as operational plants, decommissioning and containment. All those involved with the design, operation and maintenance of nuclear HVAC systems, as well safety, risk and compliance professionals, are strongly recommended to attend and benefit from this year’s conference.
Meet and hear from the foremost ventilation practitioners including:
- Ian Davies, Office for Nuclear Regulation
- James Stewart, Computational Fluid Dynamicist, Health and Safety Executive
- Bernard Swinnerton, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Sellafield Ltd.
- Graham Lyons, Balance of Nuclear Island Team Lead (Design Authority), NNB GenCo, EDF Energy Ltd.
- Richard Hardy, Engineering Manager, Radioactive Waste Management
- Jason Simpson, Project Manager, Dounreay Site Restoration Limited.
Feedback from previous even
"A unique bi-annual opportunity to share learning and educational material in a niche subject area" - Principal Asset Engineer, AWE.
"Highly recommended to anybody involved with nuclear ventilation" - Mechanical Engineer, Cavendish Nuclear.
"The most useful gathering of knowledge & experience for the nuclear ventilation industry" - Design Engineer, Babcock.