Inspecting & Maintaining the CANDU Reactor

In 1987, at the Centennial of Engineering in Canada, the CANDU reactor was named one of the top ten Canadian engineering achievements. For almost 50 years, and long before the popular “Green Movement” took hold, CANDU reactors have quietly produced safe clean electricity in Canada and abroad. CANDU is an indigenous technology using heavy water and natural uranium fuel produced in Canada. The technology was developed in Canada and today the industry employs almost 4000 people and generates revenues of over $300 million a year.

CANDU reactors have been built and successfully operated in Romania, South Korea, China, Argentina, India and Pakistan. Various spin‐off nuclear technologies such as medical isotope production and uranium exports have made a major contribution to our economy and society over and above energy benefits.

An essential contributor to the success of CANDU is the inspection, maintenance and refurbishment of the reactor core. Unique methods have been developed to access and replace critical reactor core components. This presentation, together with a brief overview of CANDU history and technology, will focus on the methods used to inspect and maintain CANDU. The presentation will also include a review of methods used to perform major refurbishments that allow the reactors to continue operating for double their original reactor design life.

Click for more details:2012 Sept 25 IMechE-CCB CANDU flyer