Fisher valves used in critical nuclear island applications and in passive residual heat removal system will help ensure effective reactor operation and a high level of plant safety
MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA (January 27, 2011) – State Nuclear Power Engineering Corporation (SNPEC) has awarded Emerson Process Management a multi-million dollar purchase order for critical Fisher® control valves to be used in Westinghouse AP1000™ pressurized water reactors at both the Sanmen 2 and Haiyang 2 nuclear power plants in China. These are among the first major valve orders to be placed by SNPEC for these AP1000 projects.
The valves will be used for applications in the plants’ nuclear islands and in their passive residual heat removal system.
In the nuclear containment area, Emerson’s Fisher® air-operated control valves will serve several functions related to operational safety. As part of the safety related system, the valves are engineered to comply with government requirements, including ASME Section III standards for components of nuclear facilities, and undergo rigorous qualification testing at the new Emerson Innovation Center in Marshalltown, Iowa. The valves' actuators are sized in accordance with EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) guidelines to ensure adequate operating margins that meet industry standards. To confirm they can operate after a seismic event, they are also designed and tested to survive 6g (6 times gravity) vibration loads in three axes.
In the passive residual heat removal system, Emerson’s Fisher control valves will help achieve proper plant cooling during shutdown. Engineers at Emerson developed a specially modified ball valve that fits in the limited space available while meeting three key requirements: highly efficient flow during shutdown to provide cooling through a natural convection process without the assistance of the reactor coolant pump; tight shut-off when the plant is in operation to maintain efficiency; and accurate throttling control for all flowing conditions. Extensive testing demonstrated to Westinghouse that the new valve design could meet all specified flow requirements.
