Pressure Systems in Nuclear New-Build

Wills Hall Conference Centre, Bristol

21 March 2023

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Overview

Pressure systems are found across nuclear sites, both in plants and their related processes, and are associated with a wide range of equipment from small air receivers to reactor pressure vessels, as well as other equipment often subject to very high pressures and temperatures.

With nuclear energy now considered a key element of the UK's energy mix to meet Net Zero requirements, the growing reliance on existing and new build reactors means that their associated pressure systems will also be under greater duress to accommodate them.

Join this key forum to discuss the growing operational challenges facing pressure systems engineers working on nuclear sites in the UK, covering all aspects from design, development and safety compliance to operations, monitoring and maintenance.

Technical presentations will share case study insights and best practice from both operational and new nuclear sites that will provide fresh perspectives and successful strategies for improved pressure system reliability, performance, inspections and much more.

Plus, hear guidance direct from the industry regulator and understand what support is available to ensure that your pressure systems for the nuclear industry continue to operate in compliance with the latest safety legislation.

HEAR FROM SPEAKERS INCLUDING:

Nuclear New Build GenCo/EDF Energy relate recent experiences of Pressure Regulation Compliance at Hinkley Point C
Rolls-Royce offerr insight into Project FAST to support new build projects
ASME discuss nuclear codes and standards relating to pressure systems
Sellafield share lessons learned from existing pressure systems
ONR identify key regulations and standards and offer guidance
LRQA showing how third-parties carry out rigorous inspection and maintenance procedures within a nuclear context
Sheffield Forgemasters will showcase innovative work in materials to support SMR technology
NNL will talk about crucial knowledge retention on future new build projects

KEY TOPICS INCLUDE:

Government strategy to develop and maintain pressure systems for new build projects
Case studies showcasing the evolution of new build generation pressure systems and technology
Regulation challenges and strategies within a new build context
International perspectives on pressure system standards and codes within nuclear
Maintenance and inspection procedures and strategies to ensure safety on new build pressure systems and projects
Innovation within materials to strengthen future pressure system components
Retaining knowledge as the era of new build gets underway

ATTEND THIS EVENT TO:

Network with the nuclear community, from both existing and new-build projects
Identify new maintenance technologies and strategies to associated with pressure systems
Connect with the industry regulators to discover how they will support pressure systems safety within new-build projects
Benchmark your organisation's processes alongside your peers in the UK and Europe
Understand how the industry is responding to the demands and needs of new-build

WHY OUR SPEAKERS ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONFERENCE:

	"Engineering is very much about learning from others and developing new ideas by interaction. Engineering happens between people." Roel Verhoeven, UKAEA Read the full interview here.

"The pursuit, capture and dissemination of knowledge gained by experience is a powerful tool that can enhance the safety of the pressure systems we are employed to design, operate, maintain, and decommission. As such, we have an ethical responsibility to come together as a wider industry and share best practice and learning at events like this."
Daniel Hill, Sellafield

Read the full interview here.

	"Engineering is very much about learning from others and developing new ideas by interaction. Engineering happens between people." Simon Emeny, LRQA Read the full interview here.

"Success in Nuclear can be amplified through open communication, collaboration, and support. Understanding each other’s requirements and challenges expands the possibility of finding solutions that have a broader impact than solitary technology development." Daniel Thatcher, Rolls-Royce

"We are at a point of inflection for a growing global fusion industry. The UK is currently a world leader in many fusion fields (operating the worlds largest fuelled magnetic confinement reactor – JET). There remain scientific hurdles to overcome and the engineering of fusion solutions will have to be dynamic in order to meet the requirements and timescales to meet what is likely to be a fast growing sector."
Dougie Auld, UKAEA

"Firstly, it makes sense and engineering is all about pragmatism and effective solutions. Secondly, with the regulator hat on, we encourage such interactions and OPEX is a key aspect we look into as part of our overarching regulatory process." Anindya Sen, Inspector – Nuclear Safety (Structural Integrity) ONR

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Day 1

08:30 - Draft Agenda

Tuesday 21st March 2023
08:30	Registration & Refreshments
	Supporting pressure equipment operators in new build projects – Regulation and Management
09:00	Chair’s opening remarks Paul Smith, Consultant, Jacobs and Chair, IMechE Pressure Systems Group
09:10 Morning Keynote	Keynote presentation Why new Nuclear is essential to achieving Net-Zero Dr Nick Underwood, Technical Advisor, Nuclear Innovation and Research Office (NIRO) · Why Nuclear has a vital role to play in Net Zero · Shifting Nuclear Landscape · Delivering the next generation of nuclear new build
09:40	Recent Experiences of Pressure Regulation Compliance on Hinkley Point C, a Nuclear Mega Project Dr. Gavin Howell, Pressure Regulation Manager, Nuclear New Build GenCo – part of EDF Energy · How HPC has setup compliance · Experiences and lessons learned on the project so far · Where we see the future for compliance for HPC and follow-on projects
10:10	Setting regulatory expectations on the regulations to support pressure systems of the future Anindya Sen, Inspector – Nuclear Safety (Structural Integrity) ONR · Current nuclear standards and their viability for new build · Taking a graded approach to support all new build projects and technologies · Creating a ‘golden thread’ across the spectrum - the how and why · Analysing design codes - their role and significance
10:40	Refreshment break
11:10	Implementing and Monitoring Nuclear Codes and Standards in the USA Adam Maslowski, ASME Project Engineering Manager, ASME · Current codes and standards · Conformity Assessments - what are they and why do we have them? · SMR codes and standards - what they mean for next generation
11:40	Retaining a knowledge base within the nuclear industry Jonathan Hyde, Head of R&D, NNL · Responding to a changing and evolving industry · How the nuclear industry is retaining and improving its knowledge base · The role of the NNL to support future knowledge retention
12:10	Networking Lunch
	Maintenance challenges and approaches
13:10	CASE STUDY: Learning from existing pressure systems to influence future pressure systems Daniel Hill, Pressure Systems Design Capability Lead, Sellafield Ltd · An overview of current pressure systems/components at Sellafield · Lessons learned - what would we do differently? · New build* projects on Sellafield site – challenges, interfaces, and design to support decommissioning
13:40	The role of third-party in nuclear pressure systems maintenance and inspection programmes Simon Emeny, Director Strategic Markets – Inspection Services, LRQA · Setting the scene – understanding the role of third-party organisations · Current practices and technology evolutions · Working with the regulator to minimise risk and improve safety through inspection practices
14:10	Panel session: Considerations for new technologies to support maintenance and inspection processes · The role of NDT and its ability to evolve · Learning from other industries and applying the specifics to nuclear processes · Challenges faced by new build pressure systems when it comes to maintenance and inspection
14:40	Refreshment break
	R&D and innovation – thinking outside of the box
15:10 Afternoon keynote	Regulating Fusion technology - challenges and considerations Dougie Auld, Chief Engineer, UKAEA and Roel Verhoeven, Engineering Manager, UKAEA · Why Fusion technology falls under the EA remit - what that means for the industry · Key components of fusion and the role of pressure systems · Maintenance and inspection plans - ways to monitor, stay safe and optimise fusion technology
15:40	Project FAST – HIP of large structures Daniel Thatcher, Manufacturing Innovation, Novel Nuclear, Rolls-Royce · An overview of Project FAST (Future Advanced Structural Technology) · Potential uses and applications · Future manufacturing capability
16:10	Nuclear pressure vessel fabrication Professor Jesus Talamantes-Silva, Research, Design and Technology Director, Sheffield Forgemasters · Insight into the project and expectations · Identifying key features to support SMRs · Future potential
16:40	Chair’s closing remarks
16:50	End of seminar

Daniel Hill: Pressure Systems Design Capability Lead, Sellafield Ltd

Daniel is a Chartered Engineer with the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, and an Associate System Engineer with the International Council of System Engineers. He has 13 years’ experience working in the Nuclear Industry and has recently taken on the role as Pressure Systems Design Capability team lead at Sellafield, having previously held roles as a lead piping and vessels engineer on two Major Projects for the Sellafield site.

Roel Verhoeven: Lead Engineer, UKAEA

Roel studied mechanical engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology. After moving to the UK in 2002 he worked at a AGR nuclear power station in Lancashire where he worked on reactor gas conditioning plant. In 2007 he took a position at UKAEA. He’s been involved with upgrades to the heating system for JET and has led the design integration of heating systems on ITER. After taking a career break with his family in Australia he returned to help with the upgrade of UKAEA’s spherical tokamak, MAST-U. Since middle 2022 Roel is working as engineering manager on UKAEA’s prototype fusion power plant, STEP.

Adam Maslowski: ASME Project Engineering Manager, ASME

Adam Maslowski is a Project Engineering Manager within the ASME Nuclear Codes and Standards Department. A graduate of New Jersey Institute of Technology with a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Mr. Maslowski has been involved in ASME standards development for over 15 years. His involvement in standards development encompasses the oil and gas industries, pressure vessels and pressure technology, nuclear and initiatives in advanced manufacturing and hydrogen technologies.

Jonathan Hyde: Head of R&D, NNL

Dr Jonathan Hyde, FIMMM: Jon is the Head of R&D & a Senior Fellow at NNL and holds a Senior Visiting Fellowship at the University of Oxford. He has over 100 open-literature publications and is the UK representative on the Halden Board of Management, the Jules Horowitz Reactor Board and the Gen IV task force on R&D Infrastructures. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Group on Radiation Damage Mechanisms (IGRDM) and was previously NNL’s nuclear champion for the Henry Royce Institute.

Simon Emeny: Strategic Markets Director, LRQA

Simon is the Strategic Markets Director at LRQA, formerly he held a variety of positions at Lloyd’s Register. Simon is responsible for the strategic commercial direction and implementation of LRQA’s inspection activities, including nuclear and low carbon businesses. Currently Simon is Project Director for the Independent Third-Party Inspection Agency contracts for Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C in the UK. He is also the LRQA technical authority for nuclear supply chain assessment and in-service inspection. Simon was elected as a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) in 2014 and is a Chartered Engineer. Simon was a member of the EU PED Working Group from 2002 producing guidelines to the EU Pressure Equipment Directive until the UK BREXIT in January 2020. Simon is a Vice Chairman of the IMechE Pressure Systems Group Board and a member of the World Nuclear Association Supply Chain Working Group..

Dougie Auld: Chief Engineer, UKAEA

From school Dougie Auld joined the Royal Navy as an apprentice and served in diesel electric submarines, before gaining a commission, Mechanical Engineering Degree (Southampton) and completing nuclear studies. After jobs including heading the repairs to nuclear submarine systems, as the engineer in a nuclear submarine and staff appointments, there followed significant design activities in both the USA and UK, culminating in approving the PWR3 reactor design. On leaving the RN in 2019, he joined UKAEA, to looking after Tritium and Process systems and has been the Chief Engineer for the engineering activities at Culham for the last 2 years.

Anindya Sen: Inspector – Nuclear Safety (Structural Integrity), Office for Nuclear Regulation

Anindya post-graduated as a Civil/Structural Engineer; over time and distance he gradually underwent a Kafkaesque “metamorphosis” into a structural integrity expert. Born and bred at Kolkata, he worked through the heavy engineering, automotive, gas turbines/aeroengines and finally UK civil nuclear industry to finalise the transformation. Being with ONR over a decade, he dabbled with nuclear fuel transport, nuclear waste storge and decommissioning, few GDAs and off late with regulations of HPC. He is a Fellow of the Nuclear Institute, retiring from the Board of Trustees very recently, Co-Chair of Governors and Chair of Finance at Ribston Hall High School in Gloucester, and not to say the least a vocalist musician and a violin player.

Gavin Howell: Pressure Regulation Manager, Nuclear New Build GenCo – part of EDF Energy

Gavin has sent the last 18 years working in the power generation sector, initially in equipment manufacture and later in the construction and management of new power generation plants in the UK and around the world. Gavin has been part of the HPC project for the last seven years, managing safety case and pressure regulation compliance requirements for nuclear steam and secondary circuit plant. Lately Gavin has been leading the developing of HPCs and SZCs compliance teams to support the projects as they develop.

Dr Nick Underwood: Technical Advisor, Nuclear Innovation and Research Office (NIRO)

Dr Nick Underwood is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Nick is currently a technical advisor with the Nuclear Innovation and Research Office (NIRO), providing independent strategic and technical advice to Government related to new nuclear build, specifically for Advanced Nuclear Technologies. Prior to this, Nick was the R&D leader for Structural Integrity at the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), responsible for managing a complex R&D portfolio and leading a multi-disciplinary team.

Daniel Thatcher: Manufacturing Innovation, Novel Nuclear, Rolls-Royce

After developing as a Plant Engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, Daniel joined Rolls Royce in 2015. As a Manufacturing Engineer he has stood as the technical lead for high volume valve delivery, and has led teams to deliver high priority, large vessel components. In 2021, Dan moved into the Manufacturing Innovation Team, delivering multi-million-pound technology programmes, looking to bring innovative processes into current manufacture, or that of novel nuclear products. With this came the responsibility of delivering technology projects conducted via the Rolls-Royce Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AxRC) network. These technology projects deliver TRL maturity and include multiple technology areas.

Professor Jesus Talamantes-Silva: Research, Design and Technology Director, Sheffield Forgemasters

Born in Mexico, Jesus attended University in Monterrey at UANL-FIME (North-Eastern Mexico). After gaining an MEng (Hons) in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and an MSc in Engineering Materials, he was awarded a PhD from the University of Sheffield for his studies on hot metal forming for British Steel. He joined Sheffield Forgemasters in 2005 and is Group Research, Design and Technology Director. He has wide experience in alloy development and implementation of manufacturing procedures for nuclear pressure vessels for defence and civil nuclear applications. He is also a research board member of the AMRC and NAMRC catapult centres and a member of the UK Ministry of Defence’s Manufacturing Technical Working Group.

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