Qualified Life Research Articles

Analysis of the Degradation Tendency of NPP Cables Using a Wireless Cable Indenting Robot

In nuclear power plants, there are many cables that perform safety-related functions. These cables should implement condition monitoring during the operation period in the nuclear power plant, in order to assess the remaining qualified life and extend the qualified life. In this study we focused on the indenting method which can measure the hardness of the cable jacket. This method is selected because it is non-destructive and requires short testing time and small sized equipment. In order to address the problems with the existing indenting test equipment, we developed new indenting test equipment, which could automatically move on the surface of the object cable. The newly developed equipment is designed for a small-sized and light-weight robot using wireless communication in order to implement condition monitoring in a harsh environment or locations that are inaccessible to the tester. The developed wireless cable indenting robot is composed of three parts, which are mechanical and electrical hardware parts and remote-control part. In order to analyze the degradation tendency of the cable, we prepared four thermally aged specimens and one un-aged specimen. Using the developed robot, we measured the modulus of the cable jacket of each specimen. The test data showed that the modulus of the cable jacket increased linearly as the accelerated aging time increased. From these results, we can analyze the degradation trends pertaining to cables installed in nuclear power plant according to the operation period.

Projecting Sustainable Living Environment for an Ageing Society: The Case of Hong Kong

In 2030, 22% of Hong Kong's total population will be aged 60 or older. In order to advocate Active Ageing 1 in a qualified and sustainable environment, our research team has continuously investigated the habitable urban living environment for elderly people in Hong Kong. In 2009, we have completed a research on the practice of everyday life of an active group of elderly people. This research aimed to firstly understand how people aged 60 or above live actively in an urban environment; and secondly, to see if they are leading a quality life in Hong Kong. With this conceptual framework in mind, we wished to relate the environmental context to the ageing society. We organized the findings of this research into a conceptual framework to assess the use of urban space in Hong Kong. We wished to find out whether the use of it was fit for providing a qualified life for the older people. We find that while Hong Kong is a liveable city offering a vibrant city life, it is at the same time a ‘dual city’ where the high spending ‘nouveau riches’ is gradually expelling the poorer citizens not only from the downtown area, but also from maintaining an affordable quality of living. Our findings strongly suggested that ageing is not a barrier to an active social life. In reality, poverty is the major factor that creates both helpless and hopeless feelings among the elderly people. In order to construct a sustainable environment which is ‘growing old’, the Hong Kong Government should integrate the concern of the older citizens into urban planning and design policies. The most important issue is to make the city life more affordable to all.

Accuracy improvement of indenting test results by using wireless cable indenting robot

In nuclear power plants, there are many cables that perform safety-related functions. These cables should implement condition monitoring during the operation period in the NPP, in order to assess the remaining qualified life and extend the qualified life. In this study we focused on the indenting method, which can measure the hardness of the cable jacket. This method is selected because it is nondestructive and requires short testing time and small sized equipment. In order to address the problems of the existing indenting test equipment, we developed new indenting test equipment, which could automatically move on the surface of the object cable. The newly developed equipment is designed for a small-sized and lightweight robot using wireless communication in order to implement condition monitoring in a harsh environment or locations that are inaccessible to the tester. The developed wireless cable indenting robot is composed of three parts, mechanical and electrical hardware parts and remote-control part. In order to verify accuracy improvement of indenting test data, an indenting test for cable specimens using both existing indenting test equipment and wireless cable indenting robot was performed. Analysis of the indenting test results shows that the accuracy of the results obtained using the wireless cable indenting robot is improved remarkably.

Analysis of the qualified life extension of nuclear safety systems through modulated Poisson point processes

The Modulated Power Law Process (MPLP) is a three-parameter stochastic point process that can be used to describe the failure times of repairable systems. While the Non-Homogeneous Poisson Process (NHPP) or the Renewal Process (RP) implies that a system is exactly on the same condition just after a repair as just before a failure, the MPLP allows for the system to be affected both by failure and repair. For this reason this model is adequate for evaluating the recurrent events that incorporate both time trends and effects of past events such as the renewal type behavior. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the MPLP as a model for the rate of occurrence of failures (ROCOF) of repairable systems to decide for an extension of qualified life in the context of a license renewal of a nuclear power plant. The analysis was carried out considering some field data spanning a 2300 calendar day period, which is approximately equivalent to four burn-up cycles and refueling periods. The reliability is estimated, and maintenance strategies are discussed, concerning the results of the case study presented. As a conclusion, the MPLP is adequate for modeling the rate of occurrence of failures that are time dependent, and can be used where aging mechanisms are present in the operation of repairable systems. This means that equipment characteristics that are important may be inserted into the model and the results can help make decisions in the context of maintenance programs, as is the case with the maintenance rule concept that has been proposed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and has just been implemented in nuclear power plants in Brazil, for instance. The difficulty with data acquisition for applying point processes is discussed throughout.

The influence of pharmaceutical care dominated by pharmacists on medication of community patients with hypertension

Objective: To evaluate the intervention effects of pharmaceutical care team dominated by pharmacists on medication of community patients with hypertension.Methods:The education about the knowledge of hypertension and rational drug use was carried out.Life and health care on the patients was performed combining with intervention measures such as continuous follow-up and medication guidance.Then the intervention effects were investigated by measuring the levels of blood pressure,the hypertension-related knowledge and the medication compliance of patients.Results: At the end of one-year intervention course,qualified rates of blood pressure increased from 27.59% before intervention to 93.10%,and the average decreases of systolic and diastolic pressures were 14.26 and 9.01 mm Hg,respectively.The variaties and the costs of drugs slightly decreased.The average score of the questionnaire about hypertension-related knowledge increased from 63.41 to 97.27.The medication compliance improved significantly.The unqualified rates of some biochemical indexes were decreased,and the body mass indexes(BMI) of the patients were decreased significantly(P0.05).The qualified rates of blood pressure at the 5th and 14th months after the intervention end were 89.66% and 81.48%,respectively,and the medication compliance among the patients declined,but still maintained at high level.Conclusion:The comprehensive intervention measures adopted by the pharmaceutical care team and dominated by senior pharmacists such as the education about the knowledge of hypertension and rational drug use,together with continuous follow-up and medication guidance on community patients with hypertension may substantially raise the patients' medicine knowledge level,enhance the awareness of rational drug use,and improve their medication compliance,blood pressure qualified rate and life quality.Thus continuous intervention is necessary to maintain persistent blood pressure qualified rate.

섬유근통증후군 환자의 질병관련 특성과 일상생활장애의 상관관계

본 연구는 섬유근통증후군 환자의 질병관련 특성과 일상생활 장애의 정도를 파악하고, 그 상관관계를 확인하기 위하여 시도되었다. 대상자는 I시에 소재한 1개 대학병원 류마티스 내과 외래 방문 환자 중 섬유근통증후군 진단을 받은 45명으로, 구조화된 설문지를 이용하여 자료를 수집하였다. 대상자의 압통점은 평균 15.00, 피로는 8.67, 수면의 질은 12.94, 우울은 23.70점이었고, 이들은 평균 대략 6년간의 유병기간을 가지고 있었다. 42.2%의 대상자들이 질병으로 인해 직업이나 학업을 중단하였으며, 지난 3개월동안 평균 41.79일 일상생활 장애를 경험하였다. 일상생활 장애 정도는 압통점, 우울과 양의 상관관계가 있었고, 피로와 우울, 수면의 질과 양의 상관관계가, 수면의 질은 우울과 양의 상관관계가 있었다. 결론적으로 섬유근통 증후군 환자들은 질병과 관련한 다양한 증상을 동반하며, 이로 인한 일상생활 장애를 경험하고 있었다. 따라서 이들이 일상생활을 유지하면서 보다 나은 삶을 유지할 수 있도록 관련 요인을 반영한 중재프로그램을 개발할 필요가 있다. The purpose of this study was to identify the correlations between disease related factors and disturbance of daily living in patients with fibromyalgia. A descriptive survey study design was used. Data were collected from 45 out patients diagnosed of fibromyalgia according to the conditions by American College of Rheumatology in I-city. The mean score of tender points were 15.00, fatigue was 8.67, quality of sleep was 12.94 and depression was 23.70. They have struggled with fibromyalgia for 6 years on an average. Among patients, 42.2% had to discontinue their job/learning due to their disease, and experienced a disturbance of daily living for 41.79 days during last 3 months. There were significant positive correlations between disturbance of daily living and tender points, depression, between fatigue and depression, quality of sleep, between quality of sleep and depression. As a result, fibromyalgia patients suffered from various disease related factors and disturbance of daily living. Therefore, it can be suggested that the consideration of these related factors is important to develope intervention program for the better qualified life of the patients.

Survey of Bioscience Research Practices in Asia: Implications for Biosafety and Biosecurity

Over 300 Asian life scientists were surveyed to provide insight into their work with infectious agents. This survey was designed to inform our understanding of the state of biosciences, laboratory biosecurity, and biosafety in Asia. The survey results can help to identify and address gaps in the development and implementation of policies and practices related to laboratory biosafety and biosecurity. In September and October of 2005, BioInformatics, LLC (Arlington, Virginia, USA) conducted a 30-question online survey. The questionnaire was fielded to registered members of The Science Advisory Board. Sponsored by BioInformatics, LLC, The Science Advisory Board is an online community of more than 28,000 scientists, physicians and healthcare professionals from around the world. The Science Advisory Board members who participated in this study were drawn from the Board’s Research Panel and supplemented by additional qualified life scientists. For analysis, countries were divided into three tiers based upon their level of biotechnology sophistication: advanced (China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore), emerging (Malaysia, Pakistan, Taiwan, and Thailand), and developing (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam). The respondents have a variety of research objectives and study over 60 different pathogens and toxins. Many of the respondents indicated that their work was hampered by a lack of adequate resources and difficulty in accessing critical resources. The survey results also demonstrate that there appears to be better awareness of laboratory biosafety issues as compared to laboratory biosecurity. Most laboratories employ simple biosecurity measures. Perhaps not surprisingly, many of these researchers work with pathogens and toxins under less stringent laboratory biosafety and biosecurity conditions than is typical for laboratories in the West. Fortunately, the study indicates that these respondents might be receptive to credible, unbiased information on biosafety and biosecurity policies and procedures. One straightforward way to do so is to take advantage of respondents’ desire to stay connected with their scientific colleagues via collaborations. Only eight percent of respondents’ laboratories do not collaborate.

Computerized approach to updating qualified lives for EQ equipment

This paper reports on the development of a new computerized calculation methodology for determining the Arrhenius Time Weighted Average Temperature for the purpose of determining the qualified life of components in an environmental qualification (EQ) program. The methodology is based on the new technique published in IEEE Standard 1205-2000 . The project assessed numerous temperature averaging and weighting techniques to determine relative accuracy and conservatism. The selected averaging technique enhances accuracy relative to other techniques and ensures the generation of conservative results in all cases with respect to a real time Arrhenius average temperature. The methodology was used to process a very large quantity of containment temperature data and to produce Arrhenius time-weighted average temperature curves for equipment, based both on containment elevation and activation energy. The methodology accounts for outages and seasonal temperature fluctuations, and can be periodically updated as additional temperature data becomes available.

Updated Aging Assessment Approach and Use with Electric Cable Insulation

The service life of nuclear power plant equipment may include operation beyond the original design or qualified life. A technical basis is necessary to demonstrate that critical equipment is capable of continued safe operation for any life extension and renewed license term. Such a technical basis is also useful in addressing initial license term aging degradation, age-related failures, and maintenance issues. Early approaches for addressing aging effects developed for environmental qualification programs in the 1980s were incorporated into the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers’ (IEEE) IEEE Std. 1205-1993. However, subsequently, a number of events (including promulgation of the Maintenance Renewal Rule, the new License Renewal Rule, and initial plant owner submittals of License Renewal applications) have resulted in improved aging management approaches, which focus on addressing aging effects rather than attempting to identify and mitigate every possible aging mechanism.An example of a major issue facing nuclear power plants as they mature is the general health of the plant electrical cables. This issue came to the forefront as plants began preparing for license renewal, which requires an evaluation of cables to demonstrate that they will perform their function 20 yr beyond the original 40-yr license period. When the two lead plants started preparing for license renewal, there was no generally accepted approach to the bulk evaluation of plant cables, and there were many who thought it not possible to perform a complete plant cable evaluation. The approaches that emerged from the lead plant reviews demonstrated that an assessment of the general health of plant cables could be performed.IEEE’s Nuclear Power Engineering Committee recognized the need to capture these improved approaches. A 2½-yr effort of the IEEE Subcommittee-3 Working Group 3.4 culminating in IEEE Std. 1205-2000 is the consensus of representatives from the two lead license renewal plants (Calvert Cliffs and Oconee), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a national laboratory, other utilities, and multiple engineering/consulting firms. This revision, now complete, updated the Guide to incorporate the aging assessment methods used by the two lead license renewal plants and the experience gained by the industry and the regulator and, in addition, added an example annex applying the guidance to electrical cable, and both are summarized in this paper.

Technology transfer equipment qualification methodology for shelf life determination [nuclear plants

Discussions with a number of Nuclear Utilities revealed that equipment qualified for 10 to 40 years in the harsh environment of the plant was being assigned shelf lives of only 5 to 10 years in the benign environment of the warehouse, and then the materials were being trashed. One safety-related equipment supplier was assigning a 10-year qualified life, from date of shipment, with no recognition of the difference in the aging rate in the plant vs. that in the warehouse. Many suppliers assign shelf lives based on product warranty considerations rather than actual product degradation. An EPRI program was initiated to evaluate the methods used to assign shelf lives and to adapt the Arrhenius methodology, used in equipment qualification, to assign technically justifiable shelf lives. Temperature is the main factor controlling shelf life; however, atmospheric pressure, humidity, ultraviolet light, ozone and other atmospheric contaminants were also considered. A list of 70 representative materials was addressed in the program. All of these were found to have shelf lives of 14 years to greater than 60 years, except for 19 items. For 18 of these items, there was no data available except for the manufacturer's recommendation. >

Program for life extension and preserving existing resources for motor control center components [nuclear plants

Many nuclear power plants have motor control centers (MCCs) installed in a harsh, radiation only, environment. Procurement of safety-related replacement devices for these MCCs is an economic burden for the stations if these MCCs have become obsolete. Identical replacement components for many MCCs installed in older plants (ITE Gould, Allis-Chalmers, Klockner-Moeller, Cutler-Hammer, etc.) are no longer available. Plants are left with the option of either retrofitting these MCCs or finding ways to extend the qualified lives of the safety-related components to minimize replacement costs. ComEd nuclear station has embarked on a program to minimize the economic burden for the replacement of Klockner-Moeller (K-M) MCC components. This paper discusses the program adopted by this station and its economic benefits to ComEd.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Optimization of station battery replacement [nuclear plant

During a loss of AC power at a nuclear generating station (including diesel generators), batteries provide the source of power which is required to operate safety-related components. Because traditional lead-acid batteries have a qualified life of 20 years, the batteries must be replaced a minimum of once during a station's lifetime, twice if license extension is pursued, and more often depending on actual in-service dates and the results of surveillance tests. Replacement of batteries often occurs prior to 20 years as a result of systems changes caused by factors such as Station Blackout Regulations, control system upgrades, incremental load growth, and changes in the operating times of existing equipment. Many of these replacement decisions are based on the predictive capabilities of manual design basis calculations. The inherent conservatism of manual calculations may result in battery replacements occurring before actually required. Computerized analysis of batteries can aid in optimizing the timing of replacements as well as in interpreting service test data. Computerized analysis also provides large benefits in maintaining the as-configured load profile and corresponding design margins, while also providing the capability to quickly analyze proposed modifications and respond to internal and external audits. >

Extending qualified life of Class 1E equipment

The regulatory basis, essential ingredients, and program strategies are discussed for extending the qualified life of both harsh- and mild-environment Class 1E equipment used in nuclear power plants. A nuclear power plant houses many hundreds of Class 1E components with qualified parts having 5 (or less) to 40 years of qualified life. Regulatory guidance exists on extending this equipment's qualified life and maintaining it in a qualified state as life progresses. Qualified life can be extended by monitoring environmental parameters, maintaining accurate records, and conducting meaningful surveillance tests using preaged modules. Mild-environment equipment should also be included in the life extension program.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Meeting the Qualified Life Challenge

It is proposed that use of a 'standard' activation energy (in the range of 0.6 to 0.8 eV), selected by consensus, be adopted as an acceptable method of thermal aging analysis of safety-related equipment; the rationale for this proposal is given. Minor improvements of current practices for simulating the functional degradation of other stresses are suggested. It is recommended that utilities establish schedules for reevaluation of qualified life on the basis of operating experience and that such evaluations be documented. It is further recommended that more effort be placed on degradation monitoring. Adoption of these recommendations is expected to redistribute the cost of equipment qualification into more productive avenues. Ultimately, they are expected to provide increased assurance of plant safety coupled with increased reliability and availability and reduced operating costs.

How to Establish and Insure a 40-Year Qualified Life for Pre-Insulated Connectors

This paper describes the following methods used to insure a 40-year Qualified Life for Burndy's preinsulated connectors: A) Design and development of connectors B) Qualification testing C) Quality Control of the manufactured connectors and tools D) Documentation creation E) Two way communication of requirements

NSSS Approach to Equipment Qualification

For the past few years, the nuclear industry has been attempting to resolve a multitude of equipment qualification problems. New standards have introduced new problems. New calculations of containment post-accident environments have required new test programs. This discussion is aimed toward developing a logical program of qualification for class IE electronic equipment addressing both the initial demonstration of this qualification and maintaining qualified status throughout the design life of the hardware. One of the areas of major concern is the aging question that must be answered in order to determine the qualified life of Class IE equipment. This paper presents an aging evaluation proposal using Arrhenius techniques that provides a method of verifying the original qualified life projection. To establish and maintain coontinuity of the design and qualification of a vendor's product, control of the procurement manufacturing and testing of these products is extremely important. For instance, a method of developing a spare parts inventory must be considered in order to maintain the "identity" of installed units. Over the years, product design changes will occur, and the availability of components becomes a concern. The means to do this are available and in use today and it should be implemented throughout the industry. What makes up an adequate qualification program? Does performing one test on a prototype unit alone establish the qualification of a vendor's model or line of equipment? An adequate sample from a production line is three units.