in the supreme court of south africa rer;::prew leslie ctiristib · 2012. 10. 8. · in the supreme...
TRANSCRIPT
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IN THE SUPREME COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
APP.Ji:AL DIVISION
In the matter between:-
REr;::PREW LESLIE CtIRISTIB Appellant
-and-
THE STATE Respondent
A P PEA L. ,
AGAINST THE CONVICTION AND SENTENCE DELIVERED BY THE
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ELOFF IN THE SUPREME COURT OF
SOUTR: AFRICA (TRANSVAAL PROVINCIAL DIVISION) ON 6 JUNE
1980
ON BEHALF OF APPBLLANT ON BEHALF OF RESPONDENT
Mr. R. Tucker 10th Floor Na t ional Board House 94, Pritchard Street JOHANnESBURG.
Israpl & Sapirstein .G.P. Builrling Mai tlanrl Stree t BLOErJIFGr·JT8IN.
VOLUME
The Attorney-General Supreme Court PRETORIll.
The Attorney-General Supreme Court BLOf~MFONTE IN •
6
P.AGES 489 - 611
LUBBE RECORDINGS (PRETORIA)
{
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IN THE SUPREME COURT OF SOUTH AFRICA
(TRANSVAAL PROVINCIAL DIVISION)
In the matter of:
THE STATE
versus
RENFREW LESLIE CHRISTIE
VOLUME 6
ITEM:
I N D E X
E X H I BIT S (Cont . )
Exhibit M - Brochure of Kriel Power Station
(Amcoal a New Power Colliery) - found by the
Security Police in Accused's Flat ............ Exhibit N - Brochure in Respect of Kriel,
Arnot and Hendrina Power Stations, published
by Bscom. (Found by Security police in
Accused's flat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . Exhib1 t 0.1 -Photocopy of Brochure produced at
Matla Power Station setting out Technical
Data, Facts and Figures, etc. (Found by
Security Police in Accused's flat) .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . . . .. Exhibit 0 . 2 - DUPLICATE OF EXHIBIT 0.1 . .. . . . . .. .. . .. .. Exhibit P - Journal entitled: "Construction in
I
Southern Africa", iVol. 24, No. 11, Feb. 1980
containing article: "An Elastic Foundation
- for th~ Reactors of Koeberg" ..................................
(ii) / ..
489 - 490
491 - 492
493 - 501
502
503 ... 509
-
(ii)
~:
Exhibit Q - Pamphlet entitled : "Energy in
Perspective", issued by P .R. O. Division
PAGE: ----
of Escom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510 - 513
Exhibit R - Journal entitled: "Certificated
Engineer", Vol . 51, No . 2 , February 1978
containing article : "The Koeberg Nuclear
Project" by 1. 0 . Jones •••••••••••• • •• • •••••• 514 - 523
Journal entitled : "Certificated
Engineer", July 1978, containing article :
"DISCUSSION - Contribut i on by K. T. Brown
to paper on 'Koeberg Nuclear Station'
by 1.0 . Jones published February 1978" ...... . Journal entitled : "Certificated
Engineer", July 1978, containing article:
"DISCUSSION - Contribution by P . H. Spencer
(Project Leader Koeberg - Bscom) " . . . . . . . . . . . Exhibit S - Journal ent i tled: "Certificated
Engineer", Vol . 51, No.8, August 1978
containing article : "DISCUSSION - Contribu-
tion by Mr . C. Young (Escom) to paper on
'Koeberg Nuclear Power Station' by
524 - 527
528 - 529
1 . 0 . Jones, published February 1978 '1 • • •••••• 530 - 533
Exhibit T - Publication issued by Atomic
Energy Board entitled : "Se ismiese beskadiging
tydens die Konstruktiewe gebruik van Kern-
plofstowwe ... . •.••..•••••.•.••• ··.·.· · ····· 534 - 573
Exhibit U - Photocopy of extract from "Nuclear
Active", July, 1979 ' issued by Atomic Energy
Board enti t1e
-
(iii)
lllli1:
Exhibit V - Photocopy of article entitled:
"rrhe Koeberg Story: The Thermo Nuclear
Plant in the Western · Cape", published as a
Supplement in "Power & Plant in South Africa"
Photocopy of article entitled:
"Koeberg will have an Elastic Earthquake
B,arrier" ,published in May, 1978
Exhibit W - LEFT OUT BY CONSENT
..............
Report on the Backg:r6und to the Development
and Establishment of Koeberg Power Station
prepared by Escorn on request of Town Clerk
Cape Town City Council, dated 12 July 1979
Exhibit X - Photocopy of Journal entitled:
"Nuclear Engineering International II, July
1979, Vol. 24, No. 288. Portions relating
to Koeberg Nuclear Power Station marked
...
~:
578
579
580
with yellow marker ..•••.••••••.•••..••. ~ •.•.• 581 - 585
Exhibit Y - Wall-Chart of Fessenheim Nuclear
Power Station, France ...•.•..•.•.••.•.••••••. 586
Exhibit Z - Note made by Major Cronwright in
Johannesburg to Explain to the Accused under
which Section he was being Detained .•.•..•.••.• 587
Exhibit AA - Report by Dr. Steenekamp, District
Surgeon, Joharlnesburg, on the Accused ......•••• 588 589
Exhibit BB- Envelope addressed to C. Needham
by Accused . . . . • . . . . . . . • . . . . . • • • . . . . . . • . • . . . • • .• 590
Exhibit cc - Envelope addressed to C. Needham by Accuseq. ••....•.•..•...••••..•.•••.••••••••• 591
Exhibit DD - Statement made by Accused in
Johannesburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 592 611
-
- 489 - EXHIBIT M:
BROCHURE OF KRIEL POWER STATION
(!MCOAL'S NEW POWER COLLIERY)
(FOUND BY SECURITY PqLICE IN
ACCUSED'S FLAT)
-
- 490 -EXHIBIT .11: liROCHUEE OF KaIEL POWER STATION
(AMCOAL'S NEW POWER COLLIERY) --- -- -(FOUND BY SECURITY POLICE IN
ACCUSED'S FLAT)
-
, i
.'
13 .
- 491 -
J
&:~.
EXHIBIT N:
BROCHURE IN RESPECT OF KRIEL,
ARNOT AND HENDRINA POWER STAT ION.S
PUBLISHED BY ESCor~.
(FOUND BY SECURI TY POLICE I N
ACCUSED'S FLAT)
/ 1/ ,
-
- 492 - EXHIBIT N:
BROCHURE IN RESPECT OF KRIEL ,
ARNOT AND HENDRINA POWER STAT IONS
PUBLI SHED BY ESCOM.
(FOUND BY SECURITY POLICE IN
ACCUSED'S FLAT)
Furth er informa tion is avai lable f rom: The Publi c Relations Of fice r Electr ici ty Supply Com mission PO Box 109 1 Johannesburg South A fri ca 2000
Megawatt Park M axwell Dri ve Sunninghill Ex tension 3 'S andlon
Nader inl igt ing is beski kbaar by: Die Skakelbea mp te i: lek til si w i t svoorsieninqskommissie l)osblJ s 100 1
j .\ '
BOPHUTHATSWA NA f',.I;j I :\ ' ,~ I ,-- ,
"C'-' ! i
F "'1
Joiln r Hl(~:; l l r ll (I EASTERN TRAil Suid -A fr ik
-
- 493 ~ EXHIBIT 0.1 :
PHOTOCOPY OF BROCHURE PRODUCED
. AT MATLA POWER STATION SETTING
OUT TECHNICAL DATA, FACTS AND
FIGURES, ETC. (FOUND BY SECURITY
POLICE IN ACCUSED'S POSSESSION)
SEP,.,\RATI~~G
VESSEL
KRIEL POWER STATION
STEAM, GAS A~D AI~ CYCLE.
GRIT pnECIPITATORS
-- - - .----. " .. .... - ~~-- .. - ~ .-
.......... , I i
•
-
- 494 -
SOME FACTS AND FIGURE§:
CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME:
Commencement of site work
Commercial load date Set 1
GENERATING CAPACITY:
Set 2
Set 3
Set 4
Set 5
Set 6
6 x 500 MW Tur bo-Generators
Total Coal consumption
Total water consumption
COOLING TOWERS:
Number
Height
Diameter of pond
Internal throat diameter
Internal diameter at top
Average shell thickness
C.W. PUMPHOUSE:
EXHIBIT 0.1:
PHOTOCOPY OF BROCHURE PRODUCED AT
MATLA POWER STATION SETTING bUT
TECHNICAL DATA, FACTS & FIGURES, .
ETC . (FOUND IN ACCUSED'S POSSESSIO!
September 1970.
December 1975
September 1976
September 1977
June 1978
March 1979
December 1979
3000 MW
30 000 tons/day
150 ml/day
4 (750 MW each)
136 m
100 m
58,3 m
63,43 m
180 mm
(10
(20
Number of pumphouses 2
Number of pumps in each pumphouse 6
Total pumping capacity 5 million m3/day
(This pumping capacity would fill an Olympic size swimming pool
in less than 90 seconds) (30
RAW/ ..
-
- 495 .. . EXHIBIT 0.1:
PHOTOCOPY OF BROCHURE PRODUCED AT
MATLA POWER STATION SETTING · OUT
TECHNICAL DATA, FACTS AND FIGURES
(FOUND IN ACCUSED'S POSSESSION )
RAW WATER SUPPLY:
Supplied from Morgenson via Camden 160 kID
Capacity of pipeline 184,9 ml/day
Pipeline diameter 1,5 m
Terminal reservoir capacity (2 off) 341 ml
BOILER TECHNICAL DATA:
STEINMULLER ONCE- THROUGH TYPE BENSON BOILER
Capacity at M. C. R.
Superheater outlet pressure
Reheater o~tlet pressure
440 kg/s
17,1 MFa
3,417 MFa
516°C
516°C
(10
Superheater outlet temperature
Reheater outlet temperature
Boiler expans i on 335 rom (vertically downwards )
Water content of boiler cold
Width of boiler at burner level
Depth of boiler at burner level
15(000 kg
23,5 m
14,17 m
Height of boiler (roof to hopper slope) 57,3 m
Approximate furnace volume 10 856 m3
Water i s suppl i ed to the boiler by 2 x 50% electrical
driven feed pumps (13000 H. P. each) or 1 x 100% steam
driven feed pump
Coal is supplied to the boiler by 6 x 47 , 6 ton/hour
10,7E Babcock and Wilcox mills
TURBINE TECHNICAL DATA:
Brown Boveri Reheat Turbine, consisting of one H.P . cylinder,
one I.P . cylinder and twin L.P . cylinders .
Capacity at M. C.R . 503,5 MW
H. P./ ..
(20
(30
-
- 496 -
H.P. Inlet pressure
loP. inlet pressure
H.P . inlet temperature
loP. inlet temperature
Condenser pressure
Condenser steam temperature
EXHIBIT 0 .1:
PHOTOCOPY OF BROCHURE PRODUCED AT
MATLA POWER STATION SETTING OUT
TECHNICAL DATA, FACTS AND FIGURES
(FOUND IN ACCUSED'S POSSESSION )
16,0 MFa
3,165 MPa o
510 C
510°C
7,7 kPa (abs . )
40,80 C (10
% work done by each cylinder - H.P. 33,85, I.P. 37,64
L.P. 28,51
Efficiericy of each cylinder - H. P. 87%, I.P . 90% L. P. 87%
FUEL STOCK:
COAL:
Staithes 1 capacity
Staithes 2 capacity
Stockpile
FUEL OIL:
4 Service/bulk tanks
CHIMNEY :
Number
Total he ight
80 000 tons
56 000 tons
1 000 000 tons
960 tons (20
2
213 m
(Concrete structure of HERTZOG TOWER in Johannesburg - 181 m)
internal diameter at bottom
Internal diameter at top
MAIN CONTRACTORS:
Turbo-Generators
Boilers
Civil Engineering Works
23,8 m
13,8 m
Brown Boveri (Sets 1 & 2
B.B.C / C. E.M. (Sets 3, 4 , 5 & 6 )
Steinmiiller (30
L.T.A. Civil Engineering
Cooling/ ..
-
- 497 -
Cooling Towers & Chimney
EXHIBIT 0.1:
PHOTOCOPY OF BROCHURE .PRODUCED AT
MATLA POWER STATION SETTING OUT
TECHNICAL DATA, FACTS & FIGURES
(FOUND IN ACCUSED'S POSSESSION)
Monahan & Frost
(GEA Hammon Sobelco)
ESTIMATED TOTAL COST OF POWER STATION R500 MILLION
(10
-
- 498 .
-
- 499 -
EASTERN TRANSVAAL POWER STATIONS
MAIN PLANT INSTALLED
W I L G E
Boilers: Nos. 1 - 4
Nos. 5 - 8
Mills per boiler - 3
No.9 ,
Mills per boiler - 3
Turbo-Genera tors
Nos. 1 & 2
No.3
No. 4
No. 5
K 0 MAT I Boilers
Nos. 1, 2 & 3
Mills per bo iler - 3
Nos. 4 & 5
Mills per boiler
Nos. 6 & 7
Mills per boiler - 3
Nos. 8 & 9
Mills per boiler - 3
Turbo-Generators
Nos. 1, 2 & 3
Nos. 4 & 5
Nos. 6 & 7
EXHIBIT 0.1:
PHOTOCOPY OF BROCHURE PRODUCED AT
MATLA POWER STATION SETTING OUT
TECHNICAL DATA, FACT~ & FIGURES
(FOUND IN ACCU~D'S POSSESSION)
- B & W - 16,0 kg/s
- B & W - 50,0 kg/s
- B & W - 5,6 E (10
- Mitchell 73,0 kg/s
- Mitchell 90 M.E.L.
- Met Vick - 30 MW
- Parsons - 60 MW
- G • E • C. - 60 MW
A. E. G. 60 MW
- B & W - 115 kg/s (20
- B & W - 8,5 E
- Mitchell - 115 kg/s
- Mitchell - 102 S
- Mitchell - 140 kg/s
- Mitchell - 114 ~
- Mitchell - 140 kg/s
- B & W - 8,5 E
- M.A.N. - 100 MW
- A.E.G. - 100 MW (30
- A.E.L - 125 MW
Nos. / ..
-
- 500 -
Nos . 8 & 9
EXHIBIT 0 .1:
PHOTOCOPY OF BROCHURE PRODUCED AT
MATLA POWER STATION SETTING OUT
TECHNICAL DATA, FACTS & FIGURES
(FOUND IN ACCUSED'S POSSESSION)
- A.E. G. - 125 MW
-
CAM DEN
Boilers
Nos . 1 - 8
Mi lls per bo i ler 5
Turbo- Generators
Nos. 1 - 8
HENDR I NA
Boilers
Nos . 1 - 5
Mills per bo i ler - 6
Nos . 6 - 8
Mills per boiler - 6
Turbo- Genera tors
Nos . 1 - 8
A R NOT
Boilers
Nos . 1 - 6
Mills per boiler - 6
Turbo- Generators
Nos . · 1 - 6
- 501 - EXHIBIT 0.1 :
~HOTOCOPY OF BROCHURE PRODUCED AT
MAT LA POWER STATION , SETTING OUT
TECHNICAL DATA, FACTS & FIGURES
(FOUND IN ACCUSED'S POSSESS I ON)
I. C. A. L. 227 kg/s
- Lopulco - 14/3 P
- Parsons - 200 MW
- B & W - 214 kg/s
- B & W - 8,5 E
- Steinmiiller -
214 kg/s
- P .R. I . - 140 MFS
- A.E. G. - 200 MW
- I . C.A. L. - 330 kg/s
- Loesche - L. M. 18/1340 D
- C.E. M. - 350 MW
(10
(20
. (30
-
- 502 - EXHIBIT . 0 .2 :
DUPLICATE OF EXHIBIT 0 . 1
DUPLICATE OF EXHIBIT 0.1
PHOTOCOPY OF BROCHURE PRODUCED AT MATLA POWER STATION
SETTING OUT TECHNICAL DATA, FACTS & FIGURES
(FOUND IN ACCUSED'S POSSESSION)
-
- 503 EXHIBIT P :
JOURNAL ENIJ' I '1' LED : "CONSTRUCTION )
SOUTHEIW AFHICA", Vol. 24, No. 11
FEl3. 19[30.1.. COHTAINING AR'l'ICLE:
"!.n Ela.stic Poundation for the
Reactors of Koeberg"
J
-
- 504 - EXHIBIT P:
JOURNAL EWfI'l'LED: "CONSTRUCT ION J
SOU rl'HERN AFR ICA" , V 1 2 1] _ o. 4 I No.
j " '"
F~B. 1 980, CONTAINING ARTICLE:
"An Elastic Foundation for the
Heactors of Koeberg"
AN ELASTIC 'FOUNDATION FOR THE REACTORS OF KOEBERG Civil canstructian ,of the Kaeberg Nuclear Pawer Station is well-advanced and appraximately 80 per cent ,of the cancreting far the nuclear and canventional islands has been campleted . An interesting feature ,of the design ,of the camplex is that the nuclear buildings rest an an elastic "earthquake barrier" designed ta enable them ta withstand seismic laadings. The first nuclear pawer unit is scheduled ta ga "on line" in December 1982.
Till : C()NTRACT for th e cOllstructioll of Kocbcrg was awardcd ill JUIlC 1976 t() a consortiulll (1f j:rench cnJ11panies. Thc mcmbers nf thc consortium arc Framat(1me (nuclcar island). Aistholll-Atiantique (cnn-
vcntiona I isla nd), Spie Batignolles (civil work s') and Framateg (projcct co-ordination). The contract was let on a turnkcy basis and calls for the design , manufacturc , erection Oil sitc a'lJ commissioning of two no
The massive No 1 reactor containment flanked by tile turbine hall and fuel building.
--... MWc nuclear power units and associa ted pIa nl.
In order to carry out the civil works, Spie Batignollcs formed a ' consortium with Murray & Stcwart and LTA undcr the namc of Koe-bcrg Civil Contractors (KCe). Framatcg and KCC ha ve becn on site since Junc 1976 while Alsthnm and Framatome movcd on t(·) site early in 1979 and arc now fully established.
Labnur on site presently numbers :\ 600 peopleanci this is cxpceted to peak at 4000 in 1981. The bulk
24 CONSTRUCTtON in Southern Africa - February 1980
-
- 505 -
\1' the labour force )" currcntly cm-i l( ~yed by the civil contractors hut iAi" will chanl!e bv mid - 19R() when
, he~:,, \ent of tI,e civ il wOIl~" will be Il nslderably recluc.cd., · · ·~;-t~i:: )'
"",By the end of Ja.lll~.;w~y 19R,Msi;;lle '0 per cent of the C(~'i 'lcretin g':':\if n,e 'onvcnti onal and nuclear }i sla n ~s vas completed . The volume~;) f cnn-Tete poured by the main CIl I·,tractnr 'Y this elate amounted to near ly
~ ()() non m". MOllthly producti oll . luring the las t quart er of 1979 ha s \ecn.!'unJl i 11 ga t 25 oon m1 of r l11' !11-vork and 9 noo m" of concrete.
The Koeberg si le is local ed nn he coils tline al)proxi111ately 25 kill lorth of Ca pe T(1wn . The sit e nvers 20 ha but Ihe area of th e '()wer sta li(1n is ['()ughly 50() III '11lg by 400 111 wid e.
The plant is divided int () the " lI owing main areas: 1 Aseismic or Iluclear island
hou sing Ihe Illajmit y (1f the sa l' ety-rcla led st ruc!u res, sys tems a nd cCllllpnnellts: The turbine building (c(1I1\'en-tional isla lld): The SEC pumping stati,ln (essenlial wate r supply): The auxiliary buildings and sw ilch yarcJ: The conventional pumping station : WaleI' intake and outfall struc-tures.
As all nu clear power sIal inns II1I st be designed to with sland cismic loadings. a design input
Hust be decided upon , and this is ',ually clone by ca reful collsidcra -ion of exis lin g falills and thorollgh "
-
} i l i ! ... i ':i ,;
- 506 - EXHIBI 'r P:
JOURNAL ENTITLED: "CONSTRUCTION J
SOU'l'HEHN AFR ICA"! Vol. 24! No. lJ
FEB. 1980 , CONTAINING ARTICLE:
"An Elastic Foundation for the
Reactors of Koeber,l7,"
mixed vJlil{5 per cent by weight of s ulp\WI~- resis ting cemen t (SRC). ThC;'soi l/cement was placed a n:.! C~) ~l~ pa cted. , i r. I ~.~~ i·,s 50 cm thi clc
I he asielsp11J Is'I.\nd fou nd ati on IS qui,~ uhfiliue ,lani(j' includes the following items: o The lower raft 152 III x P,7 111
and 2 III thick, The cantileverc:J 'i:eta'.iiiing"" 'wa ll 12 III hi gh is fixed to thi s raft. SThe function of this retaining wall is to retain
th e groundwa ter and the back-fill ).
o On thi ~; slab sta nd 4t)O pe::cstals 1.50 III hi gh, These pdc ;tals carry the ;iscisllli c bearing:; which arc in effect lal1linatc:J neop rene blocks. on tnp of which a beariul1l friction plate is fixed. T he nUl1lbei' of bear-ings per pillar va ri es from :I to R accord ing to the loca I load distribution: in total there arc
I 830 bear\\l~S , o The ll!)per slaq ' rests on these
bearings via 'Jlh inless steel fric-tion, plates and is ci pproximately ,14'(" III long. 85 III wide and 3 m d.;ic'k wiii'¢h increases to 5,5 III thick li ndei,f (\\~I t I cQntaininent buildings. The stainless steel
. plates are insetted in this bQ'( kiiln~,partJ.1,QJ the upper raft and form the uppera tisembly of the aseismic bearings.
A general view of Koeberg showing the nuclear buildings, conventional island, and the intake basin,
, "\
?h
:/. .. !1i : . . ~' , ,
Africa - February 198@ CONSTRUCTION in southern
-
- 508 - ~XHIBIT P:
~OUH.NA.1 ENT ITLED: "CONSTRUCTION I ,
SOUTHERN AFRICA", Vol. 24, Ko. 11
l"1
-
509 2XllIBIT P: 24 25 26 27 28 32
JOUHNAL ENTITLED: "CONS1'RlJCTION 1
SOU'rFfBHN Al"HICA", Vol. 24! No. 11
FEB. 1 280, COWrAINING ARTICLE:
"An Elastic r'oundation for the
Reactors of Koeberg"
The turbine hall takes shape. In the background is the No 1 reactor structure (March 1979).
tudc greater than abnllt two thirds of the water depth break and there-by lose a great deal of their energy. The worst condition is therefore a wave breaking onto the structure. The dolosse are desil!ned accord-ingly. ~
As the contract is beinl! executcU under a turnkey arrang;ment, the contractor is obliged to ensure that the works are carried out to thc highest possible standard and in accordance with the specifications approved by Escom. To achieve this, the contractor is required to have his own quality contrnl organisation to ensure that the work is done in accordance with
32
the specifications. This quality control organisation is overseen by a quality assurance organisation, the purpose of which is to check (hat the quality control organisa-tion is controlling the work in ac-cordance with the laid down pro-cedures.
Quality assurance Both Escol1l and thc Atomic
Energy Board have quality assur-ance 'organisaticins which co'mple-menl that of the contractor.
A further safeguard i:, that all work mu st be done in accnrdance with written procedures. This is designed to ensure that all con-
struction is carried out in a unifom and carefully considered manner.
The first nuclear power unit is to go "on line" in December 1982 ,\nd the se!,.;ond a year later. Completion of the complex will mark an im-portant step forward in South Africa's technological development. At present. as far as civil work is concerned unit two is approxi-mately six il10nths behind unit one.
Acknowledgement The Editor would like to thank Mr. B.J. Gore, Escom's Project Engineer -
' Civils, Koeberg, for his help in prepar-ing this article. Thanks are also due to Escom, the AEB and the contractor for permission to publish the article .
CONSTRUCTION in Southern Africa - February 1980
-
- 510 - EXHIBIT Q:
~H1ET ENTITLED: "ENERGY IN
PERSPECTIVE", ISSUED BY P.R. O.
DIVISION OF ESCOM
Issued by the Public Relations Division of Escorn to create a better understanding o'f the energy situation in South Africa and abroad.
iP "r" -
: Iq
Number 1 2 July 11)79
SA's nuclear power* Koeberg is SA Is/irst venture into the nuclear field. It will also be
one o.f the sG:fest powerplants anywhere
DRIVING north from Cape Town along the coastal road, you suddenly see a group or a dozen giant yellow towering cranes rising out of the mist over Melkbosstrand, clustered around some [umpy structures like bi shop birds at a feast.
This is Koeberg - SA's flrst nuclear power station, whose lirst reactor is scheduled to start generating electricity in December 1982, with the second reactor coming on line a year later.
Considering the sophistication or the country's nuclear scientists, research racili-tics and knowhow, as well as its position as one or the largest suppliers or uranium, it might seem surprising that SA has been so slow in venturing into nuclear power.
One rca son was that Escom's conservative engineers preferred other countries to sort out the "bugs" in nuclear power station design (and there have been plenty) at their expense, so SA could buy proven technology,
Another was Escom's worry about secure supplies of enriched uranium fuel. This disappeared wh.en .it became clear that ir the worst came . to the worst, SA could enrich uraniu lll itself using the locally-developed jet-nozzle technique,
A third reason was economics . Our coa l was so cheap that it was more economical to generate electricity in giant · stations atop Eastern Transvaal coa lliclds and transmit it all the way to the Cape aiong 400kV lines
(hall' the Westel'n Cape's power is now "imported" in this way) than to generate it at a nuclear plant in the Cape. 'fhis changed when Escom ~s average cost per ton or coal consumed jumped from R2,n in 1974 to R4,02 in 1975 and then to R5,34in 1976.
Escolll knew thnt growing eicctricity con-sumption in the Western Cape region, plus the rapidly-developillg mining complex in the North West Cape, would mean that additional supplies would be necessary in the early Eighties.
Building more conventional stations at the Ca pe would be quite uneconomic, with the delivered cost or coal more than R20 a ton in the Mother City . But building a fourth line to transmit power from the
THE NUCLEAR RISK
I'rolHlhility of a disll~ter causing 1011 or mure fatalitks: Aircraft crash. . . . TOl'lladu or hurricane . Fire. Explosion Earthqllal
-
- 511 - EXHIBIT Q:
PAMPHLET ENTITLED: "ENERGY IN
PERSPECTIVE", ISSUED BY P.R.O.
DIVISION' OF ESCOM
the mosl. popular of the various kinds of nuclear power plants operating or under construction throughout the world- with fuel elements containing enriched uranium.
Natural uranium contains only 0,7% of the radioactive isotope 235. the remainder consisting of 238 . To enrico uranium it has to be converted into a dangerous and highly corrosive gas. This is then processed according to one of several proven- but all extremely expensive - techniques. to "skim off' slightly heavier 238 atoms so that the residue .contains a higher proportion of the l.ighter 235 atoms.
Power sta tions of the Koeberg typc aild size require uranium enriched to a 2% to 3% 235 content, compared with the 90% plus needed for atom bombs. nuclear sub-marine fucl and research reactors like Pclin-daba . But the quantities arc different. It only needs a fcw kilos of highly enriched uranium to make an atom bomb. but Koeberg will need an initial charge of 146 t of modcratcly enriched uranium. with an annual rcload rcquirement of 48 t.
What do those figures mean in terms of SA's resources? Manufacture of 48 t of ~~ cnriched uranium requires about 260 t of mined uranium which is about one-40th of estimated output in SA and SWA together this year.
The Americans have at present a virtual monopoly of the enrichment of "separative" work, as thcy are the only ones whose facilities to do this extremely expensive. technologically advanced and politically sen-sitive work have spare capacity.
But for political reasons the US has refused to guarantee to prepare fuel for SA's first nuclear power station. Conse-quently SA's Atomic Energy Board has decided to build a small commercial scale enriched plant, using the SA devcloped jet-nozzle separative technique at Valindaba ncar Pretoria.
No details have been released about the scale of this plant. But it is hardly likely to have a capacity less than would bc nccdcd to build up stocks for a second nuclcar power station . in addition to meeting Koe-berg's requirements. This infers a capacity of about 400 t of scparative work a year -which would make it almost as big as the Capen hurst (Britain) and Pierrclattc (France) enrichment facilities .
Kocbcrg itself is sccond only to Sasol I I within SA in its scale as an engineering project. A million cubic metres of sand had to be excav~1ted . down to bedrock, some of it being mixed with cement and poured back to make the foundation. By time of completion, 300000 m3 of concrete will have been poured and 45000 t of Iscor steel used.
ALTHOUGH the worldwide expansion of nuclear power facilities has been slowed by hostility from environmentalists in the advanced non-communist countries, the momentum can be expectcd to pick up again in the wake or the new oil crisis.
Western Europe and Japan depend on oil to generate most of their electricity. The only practical alternatives to oil arc coal and. uranium.
Uranium faces greater emotional hostili-ty, but enjoys certain practical advantages. For example. Britain's Eastern Electricity Board says that the llllit costs of generat-ing power from nuclear stations arc about half those of coal-lired stations.
The newly industrialised countries like Brazil and South Korea, with large and fast-rising oil bills and weak environmental lobbies. are going for nuclear power in a big way. The advanced countries, though they may be reluctant, appear to have no real altemative but to follow suit. Belgium already relies on atom stations for 22% of its electricity. Sweden for almost as much, and Switzerland for 17%.
The International Energy Agency fore-casts that nuclear power's sha re of global energy resources will rise from 3% in 1977 to 13,5% by the year 2000. The Interna-tional Atomic Energy Agency sees the installed capacity of nuclear power plants. nolV about IDS GWe, rising to between 278 and 368 GWe by 1985 and between 504 and 700 GWe by 1990.
Growth on this scale translates into a huge demand for uranium, both for initial charges and refuelling. The world's annual requirement. now running at about 34000 t of uranium oxide (yellowcake), is projected to rise by 120% to 170% by 1985 and by
l
190% to 440% by 1990 - depending on . the speed with which more emcient reactors arc introduced, as well as the rate at which new stations are built.
SA and Namibia, as major producers of uranium as well as the 'holders of large resources. have an important role to play in meeting this burgeoning demand .
Last year the RepUblic produced about 4600 t of yellowcake and RTZ's Rossing mine in Namibia - the wor ld's largest ":' probably a little less. On those figures
. SA ranked third after the US and Canada in free world production. with Namibia in fourth positiOl1 . The two together provided about one-seventh of free world supplies.
The dramatic increase in the price of spot uranium in recent years. from below $IO(lb in the early Seventies to above $50 today. has encouraged massive investment in expanding production faci·lities.
These have taken three forms : • Additional processing units at eXlstll1g mines where uranium may be recovered as a by-product of gold mining wit h an average yield of 0,4 Iblt. A typical case is Vaal Reefs. the biggest single producer, where capacity is being doubled. • Exploitation of old mine dumps - the Ergo and JMS schemes. • Opening up of the first mines where uranium will be the primary product arid gold only secondary - Beisa and Afrikander Lease.
The value of SA production (excluding Namibia) last year lVas between R250 III and R300 m. With output tonnageexpectcd to double by the early Eighties. and lVorld prices still rising, uranium's foreign exchange earnings should soon exceed R800 m a year.
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"We have to make use of engineering experti se tliat is only available overseas because of the sophisticated and specialised nature of nuclear power engineering," says [ scom's on-site construction superintendent Ron Harris . "For instance, only two countries in the world. the US and Japan, arc able to produce the blooms needed for the shafts for the turbine generators . The main cooling pump stainless steel castings
Extracting umniulII rrOIll mine dU1II1' sands at Ergo
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Copies of Energy in Pers[J('C'liI'(' are availahle I'rom the Public Relations Oflker, Electricity Supply Commission , Megawatt Park ;\ M I, P.O . Box 109 I, Johannesburg, 2000.
Telephone 800-41 R 7 or 800-2.'\X8 .
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JOURNAL ENTITLED; "CERTIFICATED
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CONTAINING ARTICLE: "The Koeberg
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THE I{OEBERG NUCLEAR PROJECT by 1.0. Jones (Visitor)
ABSTRACT
The main f(lctors investigated leading to the decision by ESCOM to build a nuclear power station are outlined together with the reasons for choice of reactor type and unit size. Several unique features of site investigation and prepara-tion are des cribed and a general description of some of the major plant items is given.
INTRODUCTION l
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(c) Heavy Water Reactors In the form of :-
Canadian Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (Candu - PHW) Stearn Generating Heavy Water Reac-tors (SGHWR)
(d) Fast Breeder Reactors.
Of these the High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor is still being developed, primarily in the USA and Germany, and the Fast Breeder Reac-tor ,is also under development in France, U;K., U.S.A. and U,S,S.R,
it-THE SHECTED 'SVSTEM FOR ESCOM
BefMii :consideri'ng the choice of nuclear reatHor, I it Was first necessary to decide tile nee'df or nuclear power in South Africa, in view of its large reserves of fossil fuel at relatively low cost.
I nvestigations started in 1966 under the auspices of the South African Atomic Energy Board, (AEB) to consider the viability of a nuclear power programme and it was clear that a nuclear station would not be an economically viable proposition in the vicinity of the Transvaal coal belt. However, in the southern area of the country where coal had to be transpor-ted over a long distance with subse-quent cost increases of an order of 4 to 5 times the Transvaal costs, the economics were much more favourable,
System studies carried out by Escom indicated that although up to 1978, importing power from the North via the projected 400 k V transmissiqn system would be more economical, thereafter, with a predic-ted load growth, additional trans-mission capacity or generation would be necessary, The AE B, report there · fore concluded that a nuclear station was economically viable for 1978·80,
Escom therefore provisionally planned for a 350 MW Nuclear Power Station to be commissioned in 1978 and formed a Nuclear Group to inves-tigate the total spectrum of details, slich as type of reactor, and size of unit, with a continuous review of economics, and ul timately to f(~commend the optimum solution,
Several factors were ,of paramount importance, such as economics, plant safety, reliability and availability and an assured fuel source, Also a more positive assessment could be made of an existing proven design .
A report was issued in April 1970 which concludedthilt the PWR, BWR and SGHWH ' reactO'I's' wert! highly
comparable and suitable to Escom's needs, and this view was confirmed by an independent report issued by the Atomic Energy Board in September 1970,
Further system studies in 1973 indicated that the rate of load growth was increasing and therefore the unit size required to meet this would need to be increased to around 1000 MW,
This gave an improvement in the economic viability of nuclear power, with regard to unit size, but to ensure system stability with generation at the ends of long transmission lines, a reinforcement of transmission capacity would be necessary. In providing this, the Western Cape 10ild could be Illet until the early 1980's and so the commissioning of a nuclear unit was not necessary until 1982 with the second unit followin(1 within 1 to 2 years,
From a strategic point of view, the choice of a nuclear station makes some 4 million tons of fossil fuel, which would otherwise be burnt by a conventional power station, available to the petro-chemical industry for conversion to materials such as plastics, petrol and the whole range of associated by· products, Similarly, by tile use of sea water cooling for the condensers of the Koeberg turbines, freshwater reserves are not affected, Furthermore, participation by local industry to the very high manufactur-ing standards of the nuclear ,industry will result in improved standards and techniques,
FIGURE 2
, .1 \~r"
THE CI! ~T1f~OA'ttD 'l: J\I(';rNE'ER - FEBRUARY 1978
A further study of suitable reactor types was carried out in 1973 related to the latest unit size of 1000 MW and in the light of world experience it was concluded that the PWR, and BWR ' systeills had equal merit and were the onl y reactor types to meet all the criteria required by Escom, particularly with reference to unit size,
-----Early in 1974 therefore the Commission made the decision to proceed with a nuclear prograillme with a first unit commissioning date of 1982 followed by the second unit between one and two years lat(~r,
TENDER AND CONTRACT
Because of the lack of inhouse expertise, it was decided that I
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JOURNAL EN!IT1@~ : "CERTIFI CATED
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CONTAINI NG ARTICLE : "The Koeberg
Nuclear Pr oject ", ~.O . JONES
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firm pr ices, so t ha t a fir st eva lua ti o n could be made with a view to e nt e rin ~l into de tail ed tendering with a limit ed number of tencl erersonly:
An enquil-y document WilS iss ued on 18 February 19 74 qivinq ,III tl 1
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JOURNAL ENTITLED: "CERTIFICATElL
ENGINEER" t Vol. 51, No. 2 I FEB.' 7
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. . FIG. 4 Exdv.atlon' of sand to bed rock in progress. structed approximately 148 m by and levels of this pumping station 85 m varying in thickness from 3 m are therefore designed to accommo· to 5.5 m under the reactor areas, and date these levels, as indeed is the main resting on stainless steel plates over station terrace level. the aseismic bearings. This upper raft will therefore be capal5le of relative movement should seismic conditions arise and will avoid catastrophi~ damage to the reactor blocks. The standard design of reactor arrange· ment used throughout France can therefore be used on this founda· tion .
Another major feature to meet the seismic criteria will be the con-struction of an aseismic auxiliary pumping station to draw sea water from the stilling basin to the nuclear island heat exchangers. This is an essential function to cool nuclear components both under the service and shut down conditions . Although the volume of sea water required for the shut down duty is only about 1 cumec per unit, which is small compared with the 40 cumecs per unit required for each turbine condenser cooling, the important aspect of this duty means that both the pumphouse building and the galleries carrying the water to and from the nuclear island
. are also designed to the same seismic criteria .
In addition, the extreme possi· bilities of high and low sea water levels had to be carefully studied and from a combination of oceanographic and seismological studies, it became apparent that tl'ere could be a very remote possiblity of tsunami wave conditions arising . These are high tidal wave's generated as a. result of sub·oceanic earthquakes causing abnormally high short term tidal conditions, followed by a reverse tidal run out condition. The intakes
Another significant feature of civil design is the containment around each reaGtor, forming the reactor buildings. These are concrete structures, or mOl'e correctly, pressure vessels, with an external diameter of just under 39 m, an internal diameter of 37 m and with an overall height of some 63 m. They will be prestressed by means of hori· zontal and vertical tendons at approxi -mately 250 tons each .
Inside each containment is the reactor pressure vessel and also all the complementary plant such a~ steam generators and primary coolant pumr)s .
WHAT IS A NUCLEAR REACTOR?
Before describing the main com-ponents of the nuclear island, it may be useful to simply and briefly con -sider how a nuclear reactor works.
An atom consists of a heavy nucleus surrounded by electron particles. The nucleus itself consists of positively charged particles called protons and also particles ' witllout a charge called neutrol/s. Considering a definite chemical element, the nuclei of each atom contain the same' number of protons but the number of neutrons may vary.
Most materials are stable, that is to say the nuclei are quite stable, in the case of natural uranium one of its isotopes (U235) has nuclei which are not quite stable, so that if one such nucleus is struck by and therefore captures a free moving neutron, it bl'eaks up in the process called nuclear fission. This splitting of the nucleus
THE CERTIFICAIED ENGINEER - FEBRUARY 1978
results in a large energy release and also the ejection of 2 or 3 further neutrons at very high speeds.
Some of these neutrons in turn will strike other nuclei causing still further splitting of other nuclei (fissions) and the repetitive process is called a chain reaction. Such a chain reaction means a continuous release cif energy in the form elf hea t.
------.. Of course, some of the ejected
neutrons will ncit collide with other U235 nuclei and will escape from the core, whilst others will be absorbed by other materials. However, if one neutron of each fission process is available on average to cause another fission process, the feasibil ity of the -process is clear.
Due to the very high speeds of emission, this collision process is not very effective, but can be very much improved if the speed of the neutrons is slowed down. When it is remem -bered that only 0,71 per cent of natural uranium occurs as U235, so many neutrons al'e captured by the far more abundant isotope U238 or escape completelY,a chain reaction cannot be maintained in natural uranium alone.
To slow down the neutrons from their normal emmission rate of about 20000 km/s to nearer 2 km/s, a material must be introduced into their path called a moderator. By successive collision with nuclei of the moderator the neutrons are slowed down to achieve a higher collision probability. With natural uranium, the moderators used are graphite or heavy water, both contributing to high capital costs for such power reactors.
It light water, e.g. demineralised water, is used, it has the disadvantage 01 also absorbing neutrons as well as slowing them down. This loss cali only be acceptable to maintain a chain reaction if the U235 isotope in the uranium (fuel) is increased from 0,71 per cent to 20r 3 per cent. To do this the natural uranium used as a fuel has to be enriched to increase the U235 content, which is an expensive process. However, as demineralised water is v(Jry cheap and additionally its use as a moderator enables a smaller core to be designed, the net result is economic advantage In favour of the light water reactor design .
Having now seen that the fission process can act as a steady heat source, it is essential that this heat is trans-ferred as generated, which is achieved by the use of a coolant circulating through the core to eventually convert tile heat to steam .
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In the case of the PWR to be used at «oeberg, the moderator in the form of demineralised water can be used as the coolant also.
Finall-y, it is necessary to control the rate of the cl-lain reaction and this is achieved by using rods of cadmium or boron which are highly neutron absorbent, and by introducing boron into the circulating coolant . Moving the rods into or out of the core or, to 'a: Jlesser degree, changing the boron concentrate in the coolant, 'will deter -mine the rate of chain reaction and therefore pbwer from zero to the full designo~·tput\.
Rods ~t~his type are an essential safet y featLire of reactor design and have control systems designed to insert them at a fast rat e to ensure rapid shut down by the cessation of fission if required.
The essential features of LWR are therefore
Fuel - enriched uranium
Moderator and coolan.t - Demineralised water
Control of Fission - Neutron absor · bing control rods .
THE NUCLEAR ISLAND
The nuclear island is the descrip -tion given to the complete system comprising the reactor and all its associated auxiliary systems necessary to deliver steam to drive the turbine.
«oeberg's two reactors will be pressurised water type (PWR), each
FIG. 5
A R(!{Jctor pressure vessel B Pressuris(!r. C Steam generator o Ooo l,wt pump E Twbine, . F AI/(Jma ~or
194
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G f-{
J K L M
capable of developi ng around 2 782 MW of thermal nu cleilr power, result -ing in 921 MW of electrical output.
Each reactor has three coolant loops connected via coolant pumps to individual steam generators. In one of the loops is a "pressuriser", which has both spray coolers and electric heaters, as the means of maintaining constant pressui'e in th~ primary system during reactor operation, whether steady state or transient. (F ig . 5)
The steam cycle and the primary heatirlg circuit are therefore isolated from each other, but as the pressure in the secondary (steam) cycle is lower than that . in tlie primary loop, the secondary loop will boil, and after passing through the moisture separa-tors and dryers at the upper end of the steam generator, the resulting steam is fed to the turbine at an absolute pressure of 5,77 MPa with a moisture content of about 0,25 per cent. There-after, except for th e low pressure and temperature conditions, the cycle is the Sal~l(~ as for conventional power generation.
This design therefore essentially separates the nuclear ilnd steam cycles, so that provided no steam (Iencrator I(~ilks occur, the turbi ne hall can be operated free of nuclear controls.
Auxil iary sel'vices, such as radio-active waste (rac:vvaste) treatment systr.ms and ventilation systems, are housed in the nuclear auxiliary build-ing which is between two reactor
F 1.' I.'d PO"',) E x traction'pump C.w. Intak e C. W. Dllt la ll SUs"n to dUt11{J COnciIJIlSI!( SlOan} to iHI110splwre
buildings. (Fig. 6.) Some of the services housed in this are common to both reactors, but those which 'are safety-related are separated by physi -cal barriers and well spaced from each other .
Also, between the two reactors, and adjoining the nuclear auxiliary building, is the electrical building which houses the central control rooms, for each reactor, and most of the switchgear fOI' auxiliary systems, including the associated cabling. At the ground level is the controlled access with change: decontamination - and wash-rooms for personnel. Active - and non-active laundries as well as chemical - and radio -chemical ' laboratories are located at a basement level.
Fuel is housed in buildings at the side of the reactors with water pools to keep irradiated fuel cool also in these buildings (Fig. 6.)'
THE REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL
The reactor pressure vessel 'is the ' principal component of the whole reactor coolant system. (Fig . 7 and Fig. 8 .) It is a very large steel vessel wi th a design pressure of 17,2 MPa at 3430 C,with a wall thickness of 200 mm at the cylindrical part, weighing in total with the closure head and bolts about 330 tons.
Over the cylindrical section, the outer diameter is 4 674 mm stainless steel inner cladding is welded in ribbon form to give a complete lining . The vessel is manufactured by welding together separate fabricated sections .
These sections consist of the following: -:-
1. A bottom head made of hot pressed sheet. 50 Inconnel tubes for access of neutron flux measur-ing equipment pass through this section and are welded in partial penetration from the inside .
2. A transition ring welded . to '" to connect to ' the cylindrical body .
3. Two core shells butt welded together and welded to '2'. This forn1s the cylindrical section .
4. The nozzle shell, which ' is welded to '3' unci carries the three inlet and three outlet nozzles for coolant flow. Each nozzle is provided wi th ~upporl pads for supporling the vessel on its support structure.
5 .. An ,upper flange welded to '4' and accommodating the thn!aded holes for the 58 closure studs . This I.lange ultimately takes the two metal "0" rings that fOl:m the ',
TH E CERTIFICATED ENGINEER - FEBI~UARY 1978
• ,'·f • . ~ r.
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FIG. 6 Model of Koeberg NPS
FIGURE 1
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seal between the vessel itself and the head . Leakage detection tubes are fitted between the two "0" rings, to permit the detection of seal failure. Welded around this flange is a cavity seal ring which is the means of seal ing between the vessel and the cavity bottom, when the vessel is installed in place.
6. The closure head, which is made in two parts, as a spherical dome of hot dished steel, welded to a flange which is drilled to take the studs from the upper flange and faced to seal with the metal "0" rings. As this dome has to be fitted after all reactor internals are fitted and fuel loaded, and removed for each fuel re·load, it is litted with 3 lifting lugs. The control rods are inserted through the dome and adaptors cOl1sisting of a sleeve and flange are welded to the dome lor this PUI·pose.
The manufacturer's quality assu -rance programme for such a vessel is very extensive and the execution ot this proglilmme is further monitored and audited IJY the Quality Assurance department of Escom, which includes design assessment, particularly in critical areas.
Steel properties change due to fast neutron bombardment. These neutrons, arising from the proce'ss outlined previously, result in an increase in the ultimate and yield strength of the steel together with decreased notch ductility. The latter is normally expressed as the nil ducti-lity transition of the steel and is used to set the allowable stresses as a func· tion ot temperature. The temperature increase is a function of fast neutron dose.
To meet the manufacturing codes, the vessel walls around the core region a re free of stress inducers, and as this is the area principally subjected to radiation, stress analysis is therelore a little simpler in this cylindrical area.
After installation · on site, the vessel will undergo a complete ultra· sonic scan for crack detection and the same programme will be repeated at intervals throughout the I ife of the station.
Several · material samples will be attached to the vessel for removal at intervals to check the material changes expected.
Reactor internals of very complex design are fitted into the vessel to
195 THE CERTIFICATED ENGINEER - FEBRUARY 1978
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FIG. 8 Sec tion throuyh the power station.
locate the fuel asse mbli es , provide passageways for the coolant, and support in-core inSll'umentation. These internals will also meet the seismic criteria a lready explained.
THE STEAM GENERATORS
These are verticilily mounted U-tube Iwat exchangers consisting of an evaporator section and a moisture separator section.
The U·tubes which form the evapo rator section carry the primary coolant via an inl et and outlet channel Iw ad. As there ilre 33G1 tubes o f Incollnel GOO in th e bundle, the tube pla te design and manufacture, to!Jether with the associated welding sea ls are very important, as this is th e area which has previously caused probl ems in PWR stations.
Should leakage occur ill selvice, it causes contamination of th e seco n· dary steam system to OCCUI·, and the location of the lerlk ca n he time consuming as well as using up mllch available manpower due to radiation dose rates being very high .
The moisture separator sect ion is fOI·med ill two stages , fir stly a swirl vane stage wh ere moi stur e is rell1ovI~d by centrifuging, and secondly a chevron type dryer stage tel minatin!J in a steam drum by vinue of the space between the swirl vanes and the uppl!r slwll.
The stea m generator follows very closely the principles of des i~ln and construction employed for tlw reacto r pi essure vesse l and is of simililr dinwn ·
·s ions of 4 468 mill outer di il l11eter ami 299 toIlS tot al mass (without wilte.-) .
Again t he des ign is to seismic criteria .
THE PRIMARY COOLANT PUMPS
In ead) loop the primary COO lilllt
t9G
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is cil"culat ed from the reactor vesse l to the steam generator by an electrically driven pump located in the cold leg. The drive motors are squirrel cage type of 7300 kW comsumption when cold.
Whi!st the ent ire des ign of the pump motor unit is to very high stiln-dards, the pump sea ls are probably the most complex sub·assembly with a designed millimum life of 20000 hour s.
This sea l is in thr ee sections:-
the first is a film riding face type
the second a convent ional rubbing face type
the third is also a rubbing face but sma ll er than the second
Filillire would cause leakage of primary coolilnt and consequent can· tamination of the local area, plus, of course, so me loss of coo lant.
THE FUEL
The fuel us ed comprises U02 pellets in se rted in zircalloy tubes, the tubes then being alTanged in it 17x17 array . There are 157 such assemblies some of which have a higher emichment than Qthers in three level s of value .
During initial core loading the hi(Jher enriched assl!mblies al·e loca· ted around tho pnriphery with the other two levels located in a ch(!cker iJoard pa tt!!r!) in the centre!"1 area of tlH! co re. This arrantlcment eVI~ns out the pawl.)!· di stribution in the core.
At th(~ enel of a partkular cycle, thl! onr. third o f ilssl!mblies with the Inwpst cnrichmcnt nrc· removl!d, the rr. maininfl .two thirds reshuffled and a Ilew on!! third located ·around the periphery of the co re.
. Fwd ilssemblies lhat have been
removed from the co re are handled under water and stored in the fuel pool in the fuel building whilst decay takes place. After this period they will be transported in special containers for re-processin!J .
TH E TURBINE ISLAND
Generally speaking the turbo alternator and its associated auxiliaries----follow conventional engineering design exce pt that the steam conditions ale poor, producing a number of differen-ces, particularly in the size of the units .
The turbine is a single shaft machine rotating at 1 500 rpm with one double flow high pressure and three double flow low pressure cylin-ders, with an overall length of approxi-mate ly 40,5 m.
. At the HP casing outlet the steam wetness is 11,4 per cent so that heater/driers are essential before steam enters the LP stage. To meet steam pressure conditions the last row LP wheel is 5,3 m in diameter carrying blades 1,20 m in length.
Generating at 20 kV, the alter-nator is a 1 000 MW 2 pole nlachine with a water cooled sta tor ilnd hydro -gen cooled rotor designed to conven-tion al practice, with an overall le·ngth of appro ximately 13,9 m.
ELECTRICAL AND INSTRUMENT SYSTEMS
To reduce the possibility of flash-over of insul a tors because of the high pollution rate in the atmosphere from sa lt water, the power from the genera-tor after bein\l transformed to 400 kV is ca rried in SF6 duct s and switched by SF6 switchgear at the transmission stat ion .
Au xiliai·y systems within the power sta tion will also be controlled by SFG switchgear at the higher voltage levels .
Nuclear power stations demand an extremely high standard of reliability of electrical supplies for safety related equipment so that the systems are designed at th ree level s:-
1. Supplies from the · grid via trans-form ers
2 . Supplies to essential a~xili~ries that can withstand short mten.u p-tion
3. Supplies to services that ~annot be -interrupted under any clrturn-stances.
A dood exa ~ple of th~ last case i~ instrument supplies where Inverters are used , fed from battery systems which ·
THE CEIHIFICATED ENG INEER - FEBRUARY t978
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,j. ,I,
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,; ! " \
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"t. ,
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- 523 -
in turn are fed from rectified a.c. systems.
These a.c. systems are supported by diesel generators which automati· cally start following a loss of normal supply, and, of course, the diesel supplies can also feed the short break system auxiliaries.
To protect a nuclear reactor, very comprehensive instrumentation and detection systems are employed. These are complex in nature and use redun· dancy methods such as 2 out of 3 systems to ensure that complete failure cannot occur. The separate
. systems of this type have to' be located and routed in isolation from each other to prevent common mode failure.
A complete simulator for training purposes will be installed. The consol e for 'this will be an exact replica of the control room and the instructors console will allow simulated incidents to be injected to standard and un ique programmes, to test operator reaction . All aspects of a running unit can be simulated.
STAFFING
As will be appreciated from the complexity of the plant, the leve l of staff for opel·a tion and maintenance must be of a high order and conse· quently the educational levels required and training to be und ertaken are very stringent.
At ABOUT THE AUTHOR DETAILS
Idwal Owen Jones was educated at Manchester, in the U.K . by the established route to qualify as a char -tered member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. Further studies resulted in his being elected as a mem-ber of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. He is registered as a Chartered Engineer, U.K .
H.e was trained at Metropolitan Vickers and became a switchgear design-engineer before joining the U.I< . electricity supply industry in 1947 as a technical engineer.
Between 1947 and 1957 he was
EXHIBIT R:
JOURNAL ENTITLED: "CERTIFICATED
ENGINEER", Vol. 51, No ~ 2, FEB.' 7_
CONTAINING ARTICLE: "The Koeberg
Nuclear Project", by 1.0. JONES
The use of ~ simulator has already been mentioned, but practical eXlw· rience is alse) essential. Thi s will have to take place in France over a period of time, where nuclear plants similar to Koeberg are already in operation. This training will also be subject to a quality assurance programme to ensure correct results.
LICENSING AND SAFETY
All countries involved in nuclear power programmes have a sta tutory body to ensure that the plant des ign, construction and operation is safe and to the very high standards already described. I.n the case of South Africa, the body is the Licensing Branch of the A.E.B. which studies the design proposals as they progress , and where it is felt necessary requests modifica-tions CH changes.
Before nuclear fuel arrives on the Koeberg site, the licensing branch will issue a nuclear site licence. The condi-tions of this licence will gradually extend to allow fuel loading, commen' cing and finally full power generation. To meet the licence requirements, all aspects of the plant 'and staff are involvecj, as at the latter stage the licence also defines h.ow the site will be run anc.t be subjected to frequent inspection.
Whi 1st this tends to follow the pattern of other statutory body requirements, the extent, scope and depth is greater. So it will be aPPI-ecia-
• ******~********************
engaged on the design testing and commissioliing of protection - , trans -mission - , generation projects.
He joined the steel industry in 1957 as a project engineer and was soon thereafter appointed to Special Investigations.
1.0. Jones rejoined the Electricity Supply Industry, now the Central Electricity Generating Board, in 1961 and, as a Principal Engineer, was directly involved in aspects of the British nuclear development pro-gramme on operation maintenance and project planning.
He joined ESCOM as nuclear specialist engineer in 1975.
ted that the control of nuclea r activi-ti es is very severe, probably the most severely controlled single industry so ensuring safety of the general publ ic.
CONCLUSION
It is significant to point out that with Koeberg generating, the total background radio activity in its environs will still be less than the natural background activity in Johannesburg.
Many aspects of Koeberg Nuclear power station have inevitably been omitted from a paper of this length, but it is to be hoped that some of the more intel'esting areas described will encourage further interest in the future as South Africa benefits from the use of Nuclear Power.
Much has been written against nuclear power, most of it unfortunate-ly ill-informed and frequently origina-ting, as explained at the beginning of this paper, from non ,peaceful uses of nucl ea r power. Wider technical undel· -standing bf nuclear systems may help to clarify this problem by means of lectures, talks and papers .detailing spec ific areas in greater depth.
In conclusion, I would like to extend my appreciation to colleanues for their assit ance, to Escom for allow-ing the paper to be publi shed, and also to the Consortium F ramateg .
THE CERTIFICATED ENGINEER ·- FEBRUARY 1978 197
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- 524 - EXHIBIT R:
JOURNAL ENTITLED: "CERTIFICATED
ENGlNE~R" OF JULY I 1978 t CONTAININ(
ARTICLE: "DISCUSSION: Contribution ---by K. T. Brown to paper on 'Koeberg
Nuclear Station' by I.O.Jones
Published February 1978".
CONTRIBUTIDN BY K.T. , BROWN
TO PAPER ON "KOEBERG NUCLEAR STATION"
by 1.0. Jones, pllblishedFebruary 1978.
In reading Mr . Jones' paper last week, I was struck by
the concise manner in which he managed to describe the background
to the Koeberg nuclear decision and the plant itself, so compre -
hensively. I am sure that you will have found Mr. Jones' paper
to be informative and interesting, and I hope that you will have
been stimulated to learn more about nuclear power and its
technology.
There is an old saying about nuclear power, which contends
that if all the paper that has been used ' in writing about it had
been burned, there wOllld have been no need for it in the first
place. However, the total nuclear generating capacity in the
world today amOllnts to something in the region of 100 000 MW
which is equivalent to an awful lot of paper. It will save a
weighted compromise between about 130 million tons of oil and
(20
200 million tons of coal this year. These numbers are not all that
large in comparison with total world oil or coal consumption
bllt they are growing quickly. The nuclear option therefore,
represents an exploitable , alternative in the world energy basket:
not a dominant or easy one, bllt a via.ble and significant one.
One may question the advisability of entering the nuclear
age in South Africa, with our large coal reSOlITces. As pointed (30
Ollt by Mr . Norman in his presidential address to the S.A. Institute
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- 525 -- EXHIBIT R:
JOURNAL ENTITLED: "CERTIFICATED
ENGINEER" OF JULY 1978, CONTAIN-
ING ARTICLE: "DISCUSSION - Con-
tribution by K.T. Brown to paper
on 'Koeberg Nuclear Station' by
1.0. Jones, published February
1978."
of Electr i cal Engineers last year, coal is not likely to be
available in sufficient quantities to sustain base load electricity
generation much beyond the turn of the century. The only currentl~IO
cornmercialised alternative which can be foreseen as being able to
take over from coal stations is the nuclear option: more' .
specifically, the thermal nuclear reactor option , as typified by
the units being built 'at Koeberg. Their installation heyday will
not last more than ten or twenty years if present uranium reserves
are taken as a yardstick. Beyond that, the fast breeder reactor is
the only option which has reached a sufficiently advanced stage
of demonstration now to be able to provide reasonable assurance
of being able to meet base-load requirements after the thermal
reactors . If fast breeder commercialisation is successful, (20
energy-resource limitations will not be a problem in the electricity
supply area. Fast breeders will be able to utilise such low - grade
uranium occurrences that there should be enough of the metal to
maintain a nuclear programme for centuries .
One may argue that other energy sources will be available by
the time fast breeders will be required . There is some merit
in this argument, but no alternative has been developed or
demonstrated to a sufficient extent for any confidence to be placed
in its viability .
Crystal ball-gazing is always a hazardous business, but I (30
have indulged in it merely to reason why we should build up nuclear
ex per ience / ..
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- 526 - EXHIBIT R:
JOURNAL ENTITLED: "CERTIFICATED
ENGINEER" OF JULY 1978, CONTAIN-
ING ARTICLE: "DISCUSSION- Con-
tribution by K.T. Brown to paper
on 'Koeberg Nuclear Station' by
1.0. Jones,published February
1978."
experience and know-how. New technologies take a long time to
master. Eventually we should become capable not only of operating
nuclear plants, but also of building them and serving complete (lC
fuel cycles. Thermal reactors like Koeberg are essential stepping
stones to the ultimate goal of fast breeders, apart from a~y
immediate benefits they' can provide.
The fuel for the Koeberg reactors will, as Mr. Jones pointed
out, be enriched uranium. The enrichment levels will be low, never
exceeding about 3,3 per cent uranium 235 . Discharged fuel will
contain residual uranium which will still have uranium 235 assays
above that of natural uranium, as well as plutonium. If this
fuel is reprocessed and recycled, about one third of the fresh
natural uranium feed requirements and 20 per cent of the enrichmenf20
work will be saved. Ultimately the plutonium can be used to fuel
fast breeder reactors rather than being recycled to thermal reactors.
The lifetime plutoniUin output of each Koeberg reactor will
just be sufficient to enable a fast breeder of about the same
size to be built. One can foresee that plutonium will be in
short supply by the time we would wish to build fast breeders in
this country, so that havinp, · our own potential source of the
material is essential. This is another reason for viewing
Koeberg as the beginnings of a safety net under our distant future
energy requirements.
In closing, I should get my feet back onto the ground, in
accordance / . .
(30
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- 527 -- EXHIBIT R:
JOURNAL ENTITLED: "CERTIFICATED
ENGINEER" OF JULY 1978, CONTAIN-
ING ARTICLE: "DISCUSSION - Con-
tribution by K. T. Brown to IRper
on 'Koeberg Nuclear Station' by
1.0. Jones, published February
1978."
accordance with the nature of Mr. Jones' paper. There is a lot of public discussion of nuclear power overseas, much of which is
essentially political rather thari technical. It has generally (10
been found that the political aspects would have been simplified
had the ' technical aspects been better known. Meetings lik~ this
are essent ial to the be.tter understand ing of nuclear technology
in this country.
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- 528 - EXHIBIT R:
JOURNAL ENTITLED: "CERTIFICATED
ENGINEER" OF JULY 1978, CONTAINING
ARTICLE: "DISCUSSION. - Contri-
bution by P.H. Spenc~Project
Leader, Koeberg - Escom)'i
For a turnkey project of the size and cost of Koeberg, it
would take· a great deal of effort and time to produce clear
specif ications for the purposes of an enquiry and ultimately
a contr act . The effort and time were not available and ESCOM
and i ts Contractor therefore used the concept of a "Reference (10
Plant" to assist in the definition of the design, scope of
supply, workmanship, finishes and related aspects of the contract .
Two French nuclear pow~ stations were selected as Reference Plants;
one f or the nuclear plant island and the second for the tQrbine
generator plant island . The plants selected are sufficiently in
advance of the Koeberg plant programme to be accessible to aid
contr act management discussions but not so dated as to carry
ser i ous risks of becoming obsolete because of the advance of
nuclear technology .
This approach has do far worked successfully but it has (20
requ i red great care in its application, . particularly where s i gnifi-
cant site and environmental differences between Koeberg and the
Reference Plants may exist . Examples of the important site -
related differences are the more onerous seismic criteria set for
Koeberg and the use of river/or cooling tower heat sinks for the
French plants . Sea water will be used as the heat sink for
[oeberg .
The impact of the seismic criteria is dealt with in Mr . Jones'
paper.
I would like to compliment the paper by mentioning that the (30
Use of sea water for cooling has lead to certain important
de partures / . .
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- 529 - EXHIB~T R:
JOURNAL ENTITLED: "CERTIFICATEP
ENGINEER" OF ' JULY 1978, CONTAINING
ARTICLE: "DISCUSSION - Contri-
bution by P.H. Spencer (Project
Leader, Koeberg - Escom)".
departures from the Reference Plant Design for Koeberg .
ESCOM· has decided to adopt a condenser design based on the
use of thin walled titanium tubing. The tubes are mounted in
double end plates to give an interspace volume which can be kept
filled with demineralised water. The second feature is the use (le
of a full - flow condensate demineralised plant for each unit.
These changes are in response to the aggressive sea water
conditions and are desiogned to both minimise the risk of intrusion
of sea water into the secondary circuit water and to allow a
greater tolerance of minor inleakage's before plant shutdown for
repairs has to be accepted. The risk of contamination of plant
by chloride ions is of growing concern with light water reactor
nuclear power stations and Koeberg will be amongst the leaders
in plants designed to have improved reliability by a reduction ' in
these risks. (20
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- 550 -
papers/referate
The increasing trend of electrical accidents in mine~
by J.S. Houston
Part I of L.P . Gas Series
Single copy price to non·members R1.00
Prys per eksemplaar aan nie lede R1.00
EXHIBIT S:
JOURNAL ENTITLED: "CERTIFICATED
ENGINEER". Vol. 51.. No.8,
AUGUST 1978, CONTAINING ARTICLE :
"DISCUSSION : Contribution by Mr .
C. Young (Escom) to paper on
'Koeberg Nuclear Power Station'
by 1.0. Jones, published Feb.1978
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Collection Number: AD2021 SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF RACE RELATIONS, Security trials 1958-1982 PUBLISHER: Publisher:- Historical Papers, University of the Witwatersrand Location:- Johannesburg ©2012
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