Technical Evaluation Method of Mechanical Equipment Item Substitution in the Procurement and Construction Process of Nuclear Power Plant

Abstract

The needs of item substitution are frequent during the procurement and construction of nuclear power project. But the documents prepared for item substitution requests vary considerably in quality that influence working efficiency and project progress. Analyses have been performed for various item substitutions in accordance with laws, regulations, standards, and engineering practices. Focusing on mechanical equipment item substitution, the relative evaluation methods during procurement and construction have been developed based on lessons learned from practices during the engineering practices of advanced passive pressurized water reactor (APPWR) built in China. The methodology of item substitution evaluation can be summarized into six steps, which are critical characteristics for design, nonspecific/specific item substitution, analysis of item function(s) and failure mode(s), impact on related structures, systems and components (SSCs), compensation and coordination measure, and engineering feasibility analysis, respectively. For nuclear power units having been completed, typical cases of item substitution are suggested to be accumulated, and lists of typical critical characteristics for design for the items that often need to be substituted are suggested to be summarized. And then an application library including cases and lists will be established, which will guide item substitution work high quality and efficiency.