Experience and Qualifications

RSI provides chemistry, processing consulting services and products to the nuclear industry and has experts in the following areas:

• Water Chemistry
• Radiation Control Technologies
• Liquid and Solid Waste Management and Minimization
• Gamma Spectroscopy

RSI has a long-term proven record of success in the areas of nuclear plant chemistry, low-level waste processing/handling (liquid and solid), and occupational radiation exposure control. Additionally, as a result of our consulting activities, a large number of unique products, processes, and services have been developed for the nuclear industry in the United States and abroad. As a result, RSI has an excellent reputation and rapport with utilities and industry related agencies.

Organization

RSI takes great pride in its ability to provide practical solutions to extremely complex problems. This is made possible by:

• A highly experienced and skilled staff
• Extensive R&D background in nuclear technologies
• Ongoing direct contact with nuclear plant operators
• In-house laboratory and manufacturing facilities

Product Developments

In addition to the numerous items in our product line, ranging from sampling equipment to advanced water and waste processing hardware, RSI has recently developed several innovative techniques and systems for improved plant performance and reduced operating costs. These include:

PWR Zinc Addition System

RSI has designed, fabricated, and commissioned numerous zinc addition systems. These systems allow for metering precise and reproducible amounts of depleted zinc acetate to the primary loop for radiation dose control and for Primary Water Stress Corrosion Cracking (PWSCC) mitigation.

Dispersant Addition System

RSI developed (with Exelon Nuclear) a dispersant injection system. This system is designed to add a precise and reproducible amount of dispersant to the secondary side of a PWR. The dispersant keeps corrosion products in suspension where they can be removed by mechanical filtration. This minimizes the amount of corrosion products deposited in the steam generators.

Standardized Smear Sampler

RSI developed a tool to collect consistent and reproducible smear samples. These samples can then be used for comparison data for single plant outages, comparison between plants for multiple unit sites, and between sites in a fleet.

On-Line Fuel Analysis

On-line fuel analysis is a methodology for identifying light boiling water reactor failed fuel while the plant is on-line. This has been especially valuable to utilities operating with minor fuel failures. The technique provides an attractive alternative to the costly and tedious off-line fuel “sipping” methods currently practiced by most utilities. In one application a 1,050 MWe reactor effectively isolated leaking fuel assemblies, and the reactor returned to full power for the remaining fourteen months of its fuel cycle. This precluded a loss of generating revenue due to operation at an 80-85% power level, and saved approximately $12 million by avoiding a fuel-sipping outage.

Fuel Deposit Sampling

Fuel deposit sampling equipment for analyzing corrosion product transfer has been provided to both U.S. and Japanese utilities. The system is designed to take samples from fuel cladding surfaces of fully spent fuel, as well as fuel that will be returned to the core. Particular attention is paid to sampling the corrosion products on the fuel cladding without destruction of the clad integrity.

Advanced Precoating Systems

A modified filter/demineralizer precoat system was developed, which enables an operator to produce a more uniform precoat by applying the precoat slurry to the septa at a low concentration over an extended period of time. This process minimizes the potential for precoat cracking, increases run length, septa life, and improves filter/demineralizer effluent water quality. The system is skid-mounted and is easily retrofitted into existing plant facilities.

Precoat Material Evaluation

This project focused on improving the precoat applied to the condensate filter demineralizers at Cooper Nuclear and Columbia Generating Stations. An improved precoat method was demonstrated which provided a consistently uniform precoat on the septa. The precoat method was incorporated as part of the plant’s standard operating procedure for the system. In addition, hardware refinements (draft tube adjustment) were identified and scaled for full-scale plant integration.

Advanced Ion Exchange Media Test Program

The testing program developed by RSI focused on a wide range of advanced ion exchange resins and absorbents for liquid radwaste discharge applications. A test system was designed to mimic nuclear plant radwaste demineralizer systems. The test apparatus allowed an evaluation of new materials in a variety of arrangements using an actual radwaste stream. This work enabled the plants to optimize the performance of the liquid waste system in terms of minimizing radioactivity being released and material cost.

High Activity Removal Resin Assessment

A test program was developed to test precoat media suitable for BWR fuel pool and reactor water cleanup (RWCU) filter demineralizer systems. The test media were selected and screened for improved Co-60 removal in a pilot-scale precoating system developed by RSI using actual fuel pool and reactor coolant. Several test media showed promise for removing Co-60 at higher levels than the existing media in use. These promising media were then tested full-scale at LaSalle County Generating Station in the fuel pool and RWCU with appropriate procedure changes. Full-scale results were consistent with laboratory data resulting in improved activity removal.

Current Projects of Special Interest to the Nuclear Industry

Hydrazine Addition System

RSI designed and fabricated replacement hydrazine addition systems for each of the three Palo Verde PWR sites. The identical systems were engineered to eliminate loss of feed pump suction and provide added flexibility for the plant operations personnel. Unit 2 and Unit 1 systems were successfully installed and commissioned during refueling outages in Spring and Fall of 2011 respectively

Noble Metals Sampling

RSI, in conjunction with the EPRI BWR Vessels Internals Program, has developed and demonstrated a noble metals chemistry sampling system. This system allows for determination of noble metals concentrations for plants that do not have a Durability Monitor (DM) installed or are experiencing high variability in the DM data. This system can collect samples from the core shroud, fuel bundles, and other in-core artifacts.

Component Pretreatment Assessment

RSI assisted TVA Browns Ferry Unit-1 restart specialists with identification of high priority items to pretreat for dose rate control and mitigation. This assessment included identification of replacement components that could be pretreated prior to installation such as reactor recirculation, residual heat removal, reactor water cleanup piping; reactor recirculation system and reactor water cleanup system valves, and heat exchangers. Some large components that were thought to be too difficult to treat have been processed.

Advanced Resin Cleaner

RSI has provided major utilities with an innovative ion exchange resin cleaning system which has greatly improved reactor water quality and significantly reduced plant radioactive liquid waste volumes. The system is extremely efficient for removal of both insoluble corrosion products and anion/cation resin fines. The system also generates significantly less waste water than other cleaning methods.

DOE Fuel Pool Cleanup and Water Quality Project

RSI was selected by the United States Department of Energy to cleanup and maintain the water quality for the fuel pool at Nyongbyon, North Korea. This project was part of an overall international program to remove weapons grade nuclear fuel from the region.

Partial list of clients