For an integrated reactor, in service inspection is somewhat more complicated than for non-integrated ones. This problem arises from the fact that integrated reactors have major components included in the pressure vessel; hence, it is difficult to access to these components for inspection. The components included in the pressure vessel also make more complicated the inspection of the pressure vessel itself, because they can render inaccessible some areas of the pressure vessel.

The standards that were studied regarding in service inspection are ASME Code, Section XI and IAEA Safety Series 50-SG-O2. Most of the requirements of these standards can be fulfilled, taking in account that most in service inspection activities can be carried out during annual reactor refueling.

The problems identified to this date are:

— Inspection of welds of the pressure vessel at core level: The plate that separates the

hot leg from the cold leg prevents accessibility to these welds from the inside of the vessel. They will be inspected from the outside of the vessel.

— Inspection of longitudinal welds of the shell of steam generators: This weld can be

avoided using a complete forge for the shell. If engineering and/or manufacturing reasons call for the use of a rolled plate, there will be only one longitudinal weld, and Osteam generators will be designed so as to have this weld accessible for inspection from the inner part of the pressure vessel.

— Inspection of circunferential welds between steam generator shells and plate tubes:

Parts of these welds are inaccessible. A sampling inspection is permitted for this type of welds.

— Inspection of steam generator tubes: The top of straight tubes is readily accessible when the pressure vessel is open, thus no problem with the inspection of tubes is foreseen. To plug a tube, it is necessary to plug both ends of the tube, the lower end being accessible only through the tube. There are technics developed for plugging tubes in this geometry: it is easier than the sleeving techniques that are currently being used. A complete tube rupture could turn repair impossible: in this highly improbable event, the full steam generator can be replaced, not a very complicated operation in a CAREM.

1 Offices/administration

2 Secondary Control Room

3 Main Control Room

4 Cold/hot Dressing Room

5 Spent Fuel Pool

6 Containment

7 Waste Treatment Plant

8 Hot Laboratory

9 Decontamination

10 Hot Workshop

11 Ventilation Extraction

12 Reactor Auxiliary Systems

13 Demineralized Water System

14 Ventilation Injection

15 Fuel And Chemical Store Area

16 Neutralization Pool

17 Auxiliary boiler

18 Chillers

19 Chimney

20 Mechanical Workshop

21 Electrical Workshop

22 Turbine Hall

23 Fire And Plant Water Tank

24 Water Treatment And Pump Hall

25 Batteries/Electric Board Room

26 Transformers