CANDU Safety Shutdown System

The CANDU Safety Shutdown System consists of two separate systems designed to shutdown a CANDU reactor during an emergency. Its reliability is critical for the safety of the public. The system consists of highly reliable instrumentation cabinets incorporating:

• Various Indicating Meters
• Current Alarm Units
• Ion Chamber Amplifiers
• Signal Isolators
• Conductivity Transmitters
• In-Core Flux Detectors

Skilled SARTREX personnel install, test and qualify the system modules that provide safety information. The cabinets contain 19″ racks in which the modules listed above are located. All modules must be interfaced to the general bus within the reactor complex. A considerable degree of wiring and harnessing associated with each 19″ cage must be performed and rigorously tested.

SARTREX has designed and successfully qualified all of the subsystems against seismic interruptions, electromagnetic interference, temperature extremes and high humidity conditions. The designed system meets reliability standard 7299 or equivalent, associated with the CANDU reactor system.

Our highly skilled engineers and technologists reliably design, manufacture and test this system. Over the years, SARTREX has developed an infrastructure of supply networks, documentation libraries, shipping carriers and test expertise. During past projects, SARTREX has sent teams of personnel across the world to train customers to operate and maintain the shutdown equipment. This service is available to every new customer. A complete repair service is also available.

Although the Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has the overall responsibility for the design and integrity of the system, the documentation group within the SARTREX engineering department constantly maintains all pertinent documents and prepares revisions. The department is also responsible for generating complete test procedures, manuals and other necessary documentation.

The Quality Standard that Atomic energy of Canada Ltd. sets for its CANDU reactors is the highest of any reactor in the world. SARTREX fully satisfies these requirements with the aid of its Quality Assurance team and strict Quality Policy.

SARTREX has twenty years experience in producing the CANDU Safety Shutdown System. We have successfully completed shutdown systems operating in the following countries and sites:

• Ontario, Canada (Pickering, Bruce, Darlington)
• New Brunswick, Canada
• Quebec, Canada
• Argentina
• Korea
• Romania