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The present study focuses on the development of an equipment qualification (EQ) testing facility for Class 1E equipment in nuclear power plants (NPPs), emphasizing the need to ensure safety functions under design basis events (DBEs). The Republic of Korea (ROK) has implemented international safety standards to support large NPP projects, necessitating the development of domestic EQ testing facilities to reduce the dependence on foreign facilities. To address this need, herein, a specialized facility capable of simulating harsh DBE conditions that may occur in NPPs in ROK was constructed. Through exhaustive research, target temperature and pressure profiles were developed for pressurized water reactors, and a superheated steam injection technique was devised for rapid temperature and pressure changes. The present study contributes to the advancement of domestic EQ testing capabilities, achieving up to 230 °C and 700 kPa within 30 s.

Nuclear power plants play a pivotal role in the global energy infrastructure, fulfilling a substantial share of the world's energy requirements in a sustainable way. The management of these facilities, especially the handling of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), necessitates meticulous inspections to guarantee operational safety and efficiency. However, the prevailing inspection methodologies lean heavily on human operators, which presents challenges due to the potential hazards of the SNF environment. This study introduces the design of a novel Pre-Batched Inspection Strategy (PBIS) that integrates robotic automation and image processing techniques to bolster the inspection process. This methodology deploys robotics to undertake tasks that could be perilous or time-intensive for humans, while image processing techniques are used for precise identification of SNF targets and regulating the robotic system. The implementation of PBIS holds considerable promise in minimizing inspection time and enhancing worker safety. This paper elaborates on the structure, capabilities, and application of PBIS, underlining its potential implications for the future of nuclear energy inspections.