Context and challenges
The client is a leading player in the UK nuclear defense industry.
One of the dockyards located the UK is the client licence holder. It deals with the owned and operated nuclear facilities, situated on the Licensed Site, related to Her Majesty’s Naval Base. These licenced facilities deal with the maintenance activities that are required for the Royal Navy fleet comprising nuclear-powered submarines.
Rotating Frequency Changers are installed onsite to convert the 50 hertz national grid electrical supply to the 60 hertz supplies required for berthed naval vessels. The Frequency Changers had been installed for circa 30 years, consequently obsolescence issues were arising with the associated control systems.
There was a continued requirement to provide reliable 60Hz electrical supplies to naval vessels for the next 20 years. Therefore, the intention was to upgrade the Frequency Changer Control System with the aim of being able to improve reliability, remove the risk of significant system failure and to ensure spares availability throughout the plant lifetime.
This client appointed Assystem to deliver the replacement Frequency Changer control system concept design.
Project scope
Production of a concept design package covering upgrading the Frequency Changer Local Control Panels with modern excitation and control systems. Design deliverables included:
- Systems Engineering – validation and verification of user requirements and production of system requirements
- Optioneering
- Engineering Design Drawings
- Design Substantiation
- CDM Designer’s Risk Assessment
- Master Records Index
- Concept Design Reports
Client benefits
- Successful completion of the project on time and budget in short timescales
- Compliance of the proposed design solution with the various user requirements and expectations thanks to close liaison with the client stakeholders throughout the project
- Mitigation of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and successful risk management, thanks to working with the customer to implement a rapid shift to home working during the UK nationwide lockdown
- Alignment of the deliverables with the client's expectations and efficient design reviews thanks to the adoption of the client design processes
- The concept design enabled to develop the preferred upgrade option into a high-level set of technical requirements, which will form a basis for the future design phases
Nuclear: related projects
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