Annual report 2009 - Siempelkamp

Components: Core Catcher
Our services are versatile when it comes to components. Core Catcher cooling
structures are parts of the components we provide.
In the extremely improbable case that all plant safety systems fail and the reactor
core is melting, the Core Catcher ensures the integrity of the containment by
long-term stabilization and cooling of the molten core before it can even reach the
foundation. Thus, the containment will remain as the ultimate safety barrier. The
Core Catcher is a complex structure consisting of hundreds of individual cooling
elements which are made of cast iron with spheroidal graphite.
The cooling elements absorb the heat of the molten mass and dissipate it to the
cooling water fl owing through the cooling ducts on the bottom of the cooling
elements. With such cooling structures, the impact of the malfunction is limited to
the plant itself, and thus meets legal requirements.
Two orders for Core Catchers in 2009
For the fi rst time, Siempelkamp received the order for the supply
of Core Catcher cooling structures for the Olkiluoto 3 project in
Finland. According to specifi cations of the customer Areva,
Siempelkamp prepared the detailed design and manufactured
it within a period of approx. six months. The installation of the
850 cooling elements was also carried out by Siempelkamp’s
nuclear technology business unit. After an installation time of
twelve weeks we completed the project in April 2009. The fi rst
Core Catcher in the world was approved for operation.
While the building activities in Finland were under way, the
French energy supply company EDF ordered Core Catcher cooling
elements from Siempelkamp for a new EPRTM reactor in Northern
France at the Flamanville location.
Cooling structure of the fi rst Core Catchers
Siempelkamp Nuclear technology
Two additional nuclear power plants, Taishan unit I + II, are
being built in China. Their design conforms with that of the EPR TM
reactor in Flamanville. The satisfaction of our customer with
previous projects including our technical development, the
assistance with the detailed work, the implementation and the
production capacities resulted in another order for SNT which
was signed in July 2009. The delivery of the components for unit I
is forecast for summer 2010, and for unit II about ten months
later.
Components
86 87