China’s Sanmen NPP has begun using “Enhanced Perception and Intelligent Inspection System for the On-Duty Operator”, developed by the China Nuclear Power Company’s Intelligent Robot & Equipment Application Innovation Centre.
This system forms a holistic architecture that combines three components – hardware, service and users. It includes a wide range of intelligent equipment such as humanoid robots, unmanned aerial vehicles, four-legged robots, wheeled robots and other devices. This makes it possible to create an all-weather, comprehensive and seamless network of intellectual perception.
This significantly increases the level of intellectualisation of inspection rounds at NPPs and effectively reduces production risks for personnel. Compared with traditional manual methods, this system provides additional monitoring coverage of the offshore section of the water intake tunnel, eliminating «white spot» in the area of inspection of marine zones.
The system can significantly reduce repetitive and simplified inspection operations, such as manual instrument reading, freeing up maintenance and repair personnel for routine tasks and allowing them to focus on providing critical technology functions. The system implements a number of its own key algorithms that serve as an intelligent brain for various types of terminal equipment, providing indicator status recognition accuracy of more than 99% and instrument reading accuracy of more than 98%, which guarantees the reliability and accuracy of inspection data.
In key areas of nuclear power plants, such as switchgears, pumping stations and demineralised water production workshops, the frequency of inspection visits increases from traditional daily to effective weekly operations. This not only increases the level of internal safety, but also significantly increases the efficiency of operation and maintenance, creating an intelligent barrier to the safe and stable operation of the plant.
In addition, using Wi-Fi 6 technology, operations and maintenance specialists can make remote decisions through the control platform, similar to an all-seeing eye. Wi-Fi 6 is the most recent major leap in wireless networking technology. At Sanmen, it acts as the digital backbone that lets inspection robots send massive amounts of data back to human specialists in real time.
When the warning system is activated, robots are able to quickly localise hidden threats in dead viewing areas, providing a closed control cycle detection – immediate response, which further increases the speed of response and the ability to eliminate violations.
The new robotics centre will continue to use intelligent robots and artificial intelligence technologies as a key driver of development, implementing the deep implementation of digital transformation of nuclear energy. Through the coordinated use of intelligent robots, a deep transformation of the operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants will be ensured, which will give a powerful impetus to the high-quality development and digital modernisation of China’s nuclear industry.
