Nuclear StandardsThe International Passport

Nuclear Africa ConferenceSouth Africa

March 18-20, 2015

Bryan ErlerASME Board of Governors

Vice President ASME

Agenda

• ASME Background and Overview

• History of Standards Development

• Nuclear Codes and Standards

• Nuclear Pressure Components Code Comparison

• Conformity Assessment

• Meaning to South Africa

ASME at a Glance

• ASME was founded in 1880• ASME has 375 employees• Membership: 140,000 members with over 200 local

sections and 500 student sections in over 40 countries • 40 technical divisions and specialty institutes• Education – ASME offers more than 200 courses and trains

about 9,000 people each year• Publish multiple technical journals and books• Sponsor many technical conferences• ASME develops codes and standards and has conformity

assessment programs for the nuclear and many other industries

Offices:

New York

Washington DC

Fairfield

Houston

Brussels

Beijing

New Delhi

BackgroundASME Codes & Standards

• First standard issued in 1884

• 700 total committees

• About 4000 volunteer committee members

• Between 75-100 standards issued annually

• Approximately 500 published codes and standards

• Administer over 40 Technical Advisory Groups to ISO

Brief History of Steam Power

• Throughout the 1800’s, both boiler size and operating pressure continued to increase

• By the 1890’s the number of boiler explosions was more than one per day

• Steam boiler explosions were costing thousands of lives

Examples:• The Grover Shoe Factory boiler explosion on March 20,

1905 in Brockton, Massachusetts

R. B. Grover & Company Shoe FactoryBefore the boiler explosion

R. B. Grover & Company Shoe FactoryAfter boiler explosion

• Following a number of explosions of this type states began to develop their own boiler laws

• This led to the development of different laws among the states

• In response, ASME issued the first Boiler Code in 1914

• It provided for safe construction and promoted commerce through consistency of requirements

Why Develop Standards?It’s about protecting public health and safety

400 psi

500 psi

650 psi

1600 psi

5000 psi

PRESSURE LEVEL

Why Standards Matter

• Covered industrial & residential boilers and pressure vessels

• Comprehensive - provides rules for materials, design, fabrication, examination, inspection, testing, certification, and pressure relief

• Dynamic – evolved and changed to reflect new technology and industry needs

ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code

• Reflects industry best-practices, offering real-world solutions developed by experts in the field

• A conformity assessment program is written into the code to assure compliance

• Adopted in whole or in part by all U.S. states and Canadian provinces

• Accepted as a means to meet local pressure equipment regulations by more than 100 nations

ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel CodeA Look at Today

Nuclear Codes and Standards

Development of Nuclear Component Construction Code

• The ASME B&PV Code for fossil plants was used in the 50s and early 60s for nuclear components

• In 1963 ASME published a new Section III dedicated to nuclear components.

• This was the first nuclear component standard in the world

• It was built off of and utilized many of the existing Boiler & Pressure Vessel Sections

Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Sections•Section I - Power Boilers

•Section II - Materials

•Section III - Rules for Construction of Nuclear Facility Components

•Section IV - Heating Boilers

•Section V - Nondestructive Examination

•Section VI - Recommended Rules for the Care and Operation of Heating Boilers

•Section VII - Recommended Guidelines for the Care of Power Boilers

•Section VIII Pressure Vessels

•Section IX - Welding and Brazing Qualifications

•Section X - Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Pressure Vessels

•Section XI - Rules for Inservice Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components

•Section XII - Rules for the Construction and Continued Service of Transport Tanks

Section IIIRules for Construction of Nuclear

Facility ComponentsDivision 1

•Subsection NCA - General Requirements Division 1 & 2•Subsection-NB - Class 1 Components•Subsection NC - Class 2 Components•Subsection ND - Class 3 Components•Subsection NE - Class MC Components•Subsection NF - Supports•Subsection NG - Core Support Structures•Subsection NH - Class 1 Components in Elevated Temperature Service•Appendices

Section IIIRules for Construction of Nuclear

Facility Components

Division 2 – Code for Concrete Containments

Division 3 – Containment Systems and Transport Packaging for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste

Division 4 – Magnetic Confinement Fusion Energy Devices (Under development)

Division 5 – High Temperature Reactors (with support of South Africa)

Section XIInservice Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components

• Preservice and inservice examination

– Mostly nondestructive (NDE)

– Identify degradation

• Evaluation Standards

• Repair/Replacement Activities

– Including modifications

• Aging management

Organization of Section XI

Division 1 - Light-water-cooled Nuclear Power Plants

Division 2 – Non LWR Nuclear Power Plants (Under Development as a risk informed monitoring system)

ASME Nuclear Standards

• NQA-1 - Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications (QA)

• OM - Code for Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants

• QME-1 - Qualification of Active Mechanical Equipment used in Nuclear Power Plants

• RA-S - Probabilistic Risk Assessment for Nuclear Power Plant Applications (PRA)

• Nuclear Air and Gas Treatment Requirements

• Cranes in Nuclear Plants

ASME Code Usage

• International Usage

60 Countries – ASME B&PV Code

20 Countries – Section III Certificate Holders

Numerous countries use ASME Nuclear Code & Standards

Many countries purchase items to Section III

• Several Countries developed their own code, but all were based on ASME’s technical rules

• Over the years these individual standards began to diverge

2012 Nuclear Code Comparison

• The purpose was to identify the significant differences between the AFCEN, JSME, KEA, CSA and NIKIET Codes with respect to the ASME Code

• Since the other standards had started with ASME, it was considered the baseline standard for the comparison

• All Standards Developing Organizations participated in the study

• Performed in conjunction with the regulators Multinational Design Evaluation Program, “MDEP”

• Although this was a technical comparison it was observed that ASME is the only code with a conformity assessment program

• In most of the cases, the technical differences between the six codes are due to individual regulations in each of the countries

Conformity AssessmentIt’s all about quality

• “Any activity concerned with determining directly or indirectly that requirements are fulfilled”

• Conformity Assessment, when properly applied, provides regulators and purchasers of products confidence that the products were manufactured in accordance with the applicable standard, regardless of where in the world they were manufactured

• ASME’s Nuclear Conformity Assessment Program is recognized in over 100 countries

Nuclear Component Certification

Nuclear components: vessels, pumps, valves, piping systems, storage tanks, core support systems, concrete containments

Field installation and shop assembly

Fabrication, with or without design responsibility, for nuclear parts

Safety and safety relief valves

Containment of spent fuel and high level radioactive waste

NS Nuclear component supports (no associated stamp)

Nuclear Materials CertificationQSC – Quality Systems Certificate

• Supply material to nuclear component manufacturers

• Examples:– Bars, fasteners, castings, forgings, plates,

fittings, flanges, tubular products

– Wire, rod, billets, ingots

– Welding material

– Concrete reinforcing bars, prestressing components

Advantages of Using the ASME Conformity Assessment Program

• Components are constructed to an internationally known standard

• Standards have a proven reliability

• Standards used are consensus standards

• Qualification of suppliers

• Regular resurveying of suppliers

• Third party oversight of construction

ASME Codes and Conformity Assessment Meet Industry Expectations

• Stability and Flexibility:– Stability of a common set of rules and basis for production– Standards process which is dynamic enough for

technological innovation

• Fairness and Impartiality:– Level playing field for competition– Rules do not favor one region of the world over another

• Global and Technical Relevance– Meets the regulatory and market needs of nations and

regions

Fulfills Regulators’ Expectations

• Meets public safety, health and environmental objectives

• Provides confidence in the technical integrity of the product or service

• Supports mutual recognition essential to international trade

Conformity Assessment Value

• ASME codes, standards and conformity assessment programs provides for quality program consistency and ease of supply chain management

• Uniform implementation of its conformity assessment programs about the world has made the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code the most widely accepted by regulators and industry worldwide

What does all this mean for South African companies…???

• No matter which reactor is selected, nuclear localization will likely not give companies enough production to stay in business for the long term

• Lower production rates mean less efficiency and higher per unit costs, making South African companies less competitive

What is the formula for success?

• South African manufacturers need to gain access to the global market– Globally there are over 400 operating nuclear power

reactors– 71 nuclear units are under construction worldwide– Many units are in the planning phase

The Alternative…

• Setting up and maintaining multiple manufacturing quality programs: Is expensive Is cumbersome Creates inefficiency

…Manufacture to multiple standards

Bottom line… It makes a company

less competitive

Thoughts and Recommendations

• Nuclear Manufactures– Implement a strong quality culture

– Use experienced and qualified sub-suppliers

– Fully understand the code that is specified for design

– Train and continually re-qualify employees to your manufacturing processes

– Take full advantage of AIA

Thoughts and Recommendations

• Nuclear Plant Owner– Select a NSSS with strong success record meeting

quality, schedule and price

– Specify a code which has a conformity assessment program

– Review the NSSS sub-suppliers to assure qualifications and experience

– Self regulate by implementing a strong quality and safety culture in your organization

Thoughts and Recommendations

• Nuclear Regulator– Make sure licensing documents define a

clear code for design, manufacturing, construction and examination

– Evaluate the owner’s and NSSS vendors process for selection of sub-suppliers

– Utilize the conformity assessment process and take full advantage of an AIA

Summary

• ASME’s nuclear construction standard is the technical basis for all other standards

• ASME is the only standard which contains a conformity assessment program to assure full compliance with the standards

• South African manufacturers can use ASME standards and conformity assessment programs to gain access to the global market

• Which standards you use matters