Les exigences d’essais pour une qualification matérielle des équipements classés sureté nucléaire

AREVA NP, 1 Place Jean Millier, 92084 Paris – La Défens

^a Corresponding author: frederick.bordes@areva.com

Abstract

13.5% of the worldwide electricity is produced by 438 nuclear reactors in operation. 71 are under construction. In the nuclear world, the highest safety level has always constituted an absolute priority: safety of products, safety of the solutions developed for the benefit of the customers, and safety of operations. To achieve these objectives, a component, installed in a nuclear power plant, which contributes to a safety function, is safety classified and has to be qualified accordingly. The qualification consists in demonstrating whether by tests or by analysis that the equipment is able to work in the normal environment of the plant and in degraded conditions based on accidental event analyses. The tests sequence can include electrical tests, EMC tests, climatic/environment tests, mechanical tests, seismic tests, irradiation tests. As a matter of fact, a qualification lasts between 2 to 3 years including the different steps from the design to the final qualification documents. The aim of this presentation is to give an overview of the equipment qualification in the nuclear domain and related requirements to perform the test sequences. 3 topics will be shared: The activities of the qualification in the nuclear domain, the test requirements (test severities, test facilities…) and the quality requirements (traceability, IEC standards, documentation, accreditation…)