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The Data Scientist

Radiy technology

Radiy technology for the energy sector: how we improve reliability and safety of the industry

Ukrainian nuclear power industry is one of the main industries. The reliability of nuclear power equipment is a priority and a guarantee of national energy security. An important aspect of the nuclear power industry is the need to upgrade equipment. One of the main participants of the state modernization program of nuclear power plants is Radiy https://radiy.com/en/, which develops and manufactures equipment that is strategically important for the industry.

Unique Radiy solutions for the energy sector

This is the task set by PC RPC ‘Radiy’, which has been operating for more than 70 years in the heart of Ukraine – Kropyvnytskyi. Ukrainian designers offer unique solutions for industry and, in particular, for the energy sector not only in our country but also in Europe, South and North America.

In Ukraine, RadICS platform was used to implement projects to replace outdated safety equipment at all Ukrainian NPPs (Rivne NPP, South-Ukrainian NPP, Khmelnutskyi NPP, and Zaporizhzhia NPP). Since 1997, more than 3,500 systems for critical infrastructure facilities have been developed and installed, including Engineered Safety Features Actuation System, Reactor Trip System, Reactor Automatic Regulation, Discharge, Limited Power, and Accelerated Preventative Protection, Nuclear Island Control System, Conventional Island Control System, Rod Control System I&C System, and others. Ukrainian safety systems are also successfully used in thermal power plant modernization projects. In the event of military threats, none of the systems at Ukrainian NPPs failed, operated normally and without failures.

The role of safety management systems and FPGA technology in the energy sector

One of the first Ukrainian developments was a platform that replaced the unified hardware, whose main weakness was the use of an outdated element base and, accordingly, unrepaired. The platform had a modular structure, and the range of modules included logic modules, diagnostic modules, input/output modules (both discrete signals and analog) and specialized modules (for example, input/output modules for neutron flux measurement). More than 70 information and control systems based on the platform have been manufactured and installed at operating NPPs.

RadICS digital information and control platform, based on FPGA technology, is a new generation product. In 2014, the company completed its development on the basis of the previous platform and the first stage of certification in accordance with the requirements of the international standard IEC/IEC 61508:2010. RadICS platform implements an architecture that meets SIL 3 requirements in a single channel, has a response time of less than 5 ms and includes a wide range of functional modules.

International partnership

In 2014, Ukrainian designers implemented a project for Candu Energy to manufacture Primary Heat Transfer Pump Motor Speed Measuring Devices and Window Alarm Annunciators of Main Control Room and Secondary Control Area for Embalse NPP (Argentina) as part of the international modernization performed by Argentine company Nucleoeléctrica Argentina Sociedad Anónima to extend the life of their Candu-6 reactor.

In 2016, Ukrainian experts from Kropyvnytskyi designed, manufactured and delivered Safety Systems Control Console SSCC-1, which includes Reactor Trip System, Neutron Flux Monitoring System and Rod Control System in accordance with the technical requirements of Redetec/IPEN (Brazil). Safety Systems Control Console was developed on the basis of RadICS platform.

Projects for the North American market

In 2012, a subsidiary company, Radics LLC, was established to ensure effective international cooperation and supply of products abroad. In September 2018, A Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) was signed between Curtiss-Wright Corporation (the U.S.) and Radics LLC. At the core of the SPA has been joint implementation of projects to modernize the safety systems of American nuclear facilities. The partners have since focused their efforts on modernizing the safety systems of American NPPs, nuclear research facilities, and national laboratories of the U.S. Department of Energy using RadICS innovation platform. The agreement also provides for engineering designer support to implement software for NPPs. It is important that Ukrainian software fully meets all requirements of the U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission.