Babcock has been successfully installing, designing and
manufacturing fuel handling equipment for the global nuclear market
for more than 50 years. With over 800 engineer and design
specialists, we are in a unique position to offer you a first class
nuclear fuel handling capability through all stages of the fuel
cycle.
We have an unrivalled level of experience in the engineering and
upgrading of fuel handling and storage systems; gained through our
instrumental role in the completion of all major UK power station
contracts. As the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for many of
our clients, we are extremely proud of the in-depth knowledge that
enables us to deliver highly practical and cost effective
solutions.
For more details or to discuss your individual needs, please do
not hesitate to contact us.
Core service features:
Feasibility studies, design and systems and component
development.
We have engineered fuel handling systems for a wide variety of
reactor types:
- Gas-cooled reactors of Magnox, AGR and HTR types
- Light water (PWR and BWR) and heavy water reactors
- Fast reactors: liquid metal cooled
Fuel handling systems have covered all stages of the fuel cycle
and include:
- New fuel handling
- Reactor refuelling (on-load and off-load)
- Handling to the storage facility
- Road/rail transport systems
- The fuel storage system capability includes both water storage
pools and all forms of dry storage, including associated spent fuel
handling systems
- Design, development and supply of transport containers for
irradiated fuel and active wastes to meet international transport
regulations where necessary
Key customers:
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
British Energy
For more, see Case Study below.
Case Study
Heysham 2 and Torness AGR Fuel Handling Machines
BNS Nuclear Services designed and constructed the Heysham 2 and
Torness AGR Fuel Handling Machines. These significant projects,
which were in many respects a 'twin' design, were completed in the
1980's, and followed on from previous projects on other British
Energy AGR sites.
The completed structures, in excess of 800 ton each, were fully
designed, analysed, detailed, fabricated, assembled and
significantly works tested in BNS facilities in Bristol. They were
then partially disassembled, shipped to site, re-assembled and
commissioned by BNS Nuclear Services site technicians.
We were responsible for the entire M&E scope of these
projects, which involved some considerable control system and
building services requirements. Since handover to the client, we
have remained involved at each site providing a through-life
support service, obsolescence management and also forming eventual
decommissioning strategies.
Dry Storage Facilities
BNS Nuclear Services developed and built the world's first power
reactor Dry Storage Facility for spent fuel at Wylfa for Magnox.
The company has since built two further innovative air-cooled
storage facilities at the same station, and has designed and
supplied the handling machinery and storage tubes for the MVDS at
Fort St Vrain, Colorado, USA which was completed and handed over in
1991. Current contracts for Dry Fuel Stores include the Licensing
and detail design, contracts for PAKS nuclear power station in
Hungary and the National Experimental Engineering Laboratory in
Idaho, USA.