Kongsberg Picks Up Supply Chain Award

15th November 2013

The winners of this prestigious year's NDA Estate Supply Chain Awards were announced to a packed audience in Manchester.

The awards, launched last year, recognise the contribution of suppliers to the UK's nuclear clean-up mission and were among the highlights of yesterday's NDA Estate Supply Chain Event.

A series of categories highlighted the value of joint working, dedication to the job and innovative thinking.

Ron Gorham, Chair of the judging panel and the NDA's Head of Supply Chain and SME Champion, said:"The standard of entries this year was incredibly high and we are immensely proud to acknowledge the role of our suppliers in supporting the timely, cost-effective decommissioning of our sites.

"The winners have demonstrated a creative ability to innovate, as well as to draw in and adapt technologies from outside the nuclear industry, while also working collaboratively and showing an absolute determination to overcome problems and difficulties."

Kongsberg was winner in the small company category for its Design & manufacture of high temp CCTV camera system, Dounreay.

The project was scoped by the DFR fuels disposition team who are tasked with the removal of the remaining breeder fuel from the reactor vessel, leading ultimately to the dismantling of the Dounreay Fast Reactor Sphere.

Kongsberg accepted the challenge to design a camera and deployment system which would allow the inspection of the internals of the reactor while being able to withstand the extreme temperatures and radiation levels. They also tried to ensure the system was designed in such a way that it was capable of being cleaned and re-used for future inspections, reducing the lead time and costs of the ongoing clean up operations.

The information produced has potentially saved millions of pounds and thousands of man-hours. The detailed images that the system has provided have mitigated many of the project risks associated with the challenge of removing the remaining breeder fuel material

Highlights:
Harsh nitrogen inert atmosphere
Extreme temperatures and radiation levels
Unique cooling arrangement
Alternative materials to stainless steel
Information potentially saves millions of pounds and thousands of man-hours
Detailed images mitigated project risks