Nuclear clarifier bypass during planned maintenance
CHALLENGE
During a planned maintenance outage at a nuclear power station, the customer needed to empty, clean and inspect a clarifier basin serving Nuclear Units 4 and 5, while maintaining uninterrupted electricity production. The project required a fully automated temporary bypass solution capable of filtering and treating effluent to strict environmental standards, without impacting day-to-day operations.
SOLUTION
United Rentals designed and installed a fully automated temporary bypass system operating 24/7 throughout the maintenance programme, including:
- Filtration Tanksto separate floating and settled hydrocarbons.
- 70 m³ Separator Tank to regulate flow and provide temporary buffer storage.
- 70 m³ Lined Storage Tank to collect separated hydrocarbons for disposal.
- Electric Pumps to safely transfer effluent throughout the treatment process.
- Dual Bag Filter Systems with oil adsorption filters for enhanced treatment.
- Flowmeter for continuous monitoring and process control.
- Containment Berms to prevent leaks and protect the surrounding environment.
- Pipework, hoses and fittings delivered as part of the complete integrated solution.
CUSTOMER BENEFITS
The solution enabled critical maintenance work to be completed without interrupting power generation. Its fully automated design delivered reliable 24/7 operation while reducing operator involvement and improving site safety. By providing higher filtration performance than the existing installation and removing only the separated pollutants for external disposal, the customer was able to maintain compliance, reduce disposal costs and simplify project delivery through a single trusted partner.
