A robot inspector with a square head, round eyes, and a solid wheeled base has begun work at the Hongyanhe NPP in China’s Liaoning Province. The robot uses the high throughput and low delay of a 5G private network and is equipped with high-definition cameras with artificial intelligence, explosion-proof rotary heads and other intelligent equipment.
The robot not only collects data from more than 1,100 monitoring points, such as distribution board parameters and equipment temperature, but also conducts intelligent analysis using a background control system. It carries out an independent assessment of the condition of the equipment and issues warnings about abnormal situations.
It has a high-precision control system, a high-speed robotic manipulator, a two-spectral thermal imaging suspension, a partial discharge sensor and other devices. Combining technologies using artificial intelligence, the robot patrols and checks equipment at the plant. It can extend its long neck and adjust the viewing angle to comprehensively record the parameters of the switchboard, the state of the switches, indicator lamps, partial discharges, temperature and humidity, fire conditions, etc. It also uses intelligent analysis algorithms to determine if the corresponding state is normal. If a malfunction is detected, the system automatically gives an alarm and notifies operational and maintenance personnel of the need for timely intervention.
High-definition cameras with artificial intelligence and explosion-proof rotary heads act as controllers, checking the operating state of the robot and the condition of the battery room in real time, dynamically detecting personnel entering the NPP in real time and giving alarms in case of unsafe personnel behaviour.
“Operation Inspection Officers will no longer have to make a long journey every day at the Hongyanhe NPP to check the parameters,” said Xu Pencheng, the main technician of the unit 1 operating department. “Previously, the NPP was checked manually once a day, and the number of inspection points was limited. To check parameters such as temperature, humidity and partial discharges, the relevant devices had to be taken. The robot performs many functions and can check 1,100 points, which is three times more than with manual labour. Depending on the settings, the robot can perform continuous checks around the clock, ensuring uninterrupted operation of the Hongyanhe NPP, as well as quickly transfer verification data to an internal server for intelligent analysis and charting, thereby increasing the verification efficiency and reliability of data.”
The first phase of the Hongyanhe NPP comprised four CPR-1000 pressurised water reactors. The second phase consists of two ACPR-1000 reactors. The six units can generate 48 GWh of electricity a year, accounting for approximately 20% of Liaoning’s total electricity demand. In November 2022, the plant also began providing heat to the local area.
Hongyanhe NPP is owned and operated by Liaoning Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Company, a joint venture between China General Nuclear (CGN) and State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC), each holding a 45% stake. The Dalian Municipal Construction Investment Company holds the remaining 10%.
