Mast sipping and MULTIINSPECTION shorten refueling outages

Innovative inspection systems from Siemens can significantly contribute towards shortening the time needed for refuelling outages. Mast sipping is a technique which provides fast information on the condition of fuel assemblies scheduled for further use in the reactor core. The system MULTIINSPECTION allows standard inspections of fuel assemblies and other core components to be performed without having to use the refuelling machine all of the time. In addition to these benefits, the new procedures considerably reduce the radiation exposure of operating personnel. These new procedures and the associated equipment can be adapted to power plant operations and equipment to more effectively perform required service activities. (UK)