Ansaldo Nuclear oversees installation of Lower Intrabay Door at European Spallation Source

The Active Cell intrabay doors and floor valves, as well as their required control system and electrical panels, were designed by engineers from Ansaldo Nuclear in February 2020.

In partnership with subcontractor ELAJO, engineers from Ansaldo Nuclear recently oversaw the installation of the Lower Intrabay Door (Active Cells) at the European Spallation Source (ESS) - a research facility set to operate the world’s most-powerful neutron source.

The Lower Intrabay Door, alongside other safety components for the Active Cell, was initially designed by Ansaldo Nuclear in February 2020. As part of the Active Cells’ confinement, the door will perform an important safety function, ensuring that any radiation within the Active Cells poses no hazard to individuals working in or around the ESS, as well as the surrounding environment.

Over 500 tons of steelwork was needed to achieve the necessary safety requirements of the intrabay doors and floor valves. Extensive quality assurance and control was also needed to demonstrate the design’s compatibility before the challenging installation project could get underway.

The project represents a true triumph of international collaboration. The components were designed in the UK by Ansaldo Nuclear, manufactured and FAT tested in Spain by subcontractor Asterfeito and finally installed at the ESS (Sweden) by subcontractor ELAJO under the guidance of Ansaldo Nuclear.

Once manufactured, the intrabay doors and floor valves were shipped by road and sea directly to Sweden in 20 individual loads, including six special transports due to the weight and size of certain components.

The feat is even more impressive considering the combined impact of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to Spain and Sweden for UK personnel was blocked for many months due to COVID-19 restrictions, and new documentation required to comply with Brexit made shipping components between the UK and Sweden a significant challenge.

However, the tenacity and foresight of Ansaldo Nuclear and its subcontractors ensured that the works were completed despite the most challenging of circumstances.

Malcolm Goulding, Senior Project Manager at Ansaldo Nuclear for the delivery of these works, commented on the importance of supporting experimental facilities such as the ESS:

“Ansaldo Nuclear has the primary skills and experience to support cutting edge projects throughout Europe and beyond. Nuclear-grade engineering and manufacturing is our day job, which is why we are confident that we can bring value to even the most advanced nuclear construction projects.

“When designing the intrabay doors and floor valves, an effective installation strategy was already at the front of our minds. This ensured that, when it came to the installation of the Lower Intrabay Door, there were no unexpected challenges - everything was accounted for.

“It has been a pleasure to represent Ansaldo Nuclear at the ESS and to contribute our company’s experience and knowledge to one of the world’s most exciting research facilities.”

Under construction on the outskirts of Lund in southern Sweden, ESS is one of the largest science and technology infrastructure projects being built in the world today. Housing the most powerful linear proton accelerator ever built, as well as 15 state-of-the-art neutron instruments in three experimental halls, ESS will enable scientific breakthroughs in research related to material, energy, health and environment.

Construction of the facility began in the summer of 2014, and it is hoped that the user programme can be completed in 2023.

Ansaldo is contracted by UKAEA as part of the UK in-kind contribution to ESS.