NUCLEAR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN
CANADAC. A. Kittmer, R.A. Speranzini and C. Turner
IAEA Workshop on Managing Nuclear KnowledgeTrieste, Italy
2005 August 22
•Canadian Scene•Elements of Strategy•Activities in Canada•Conclusion
Pg 2
Organization of Canada’s Nuclear IndustryOrganization of Canada’s Nuclear Industry
AECLJ. Raymond Frenette
ChairmanBoard of Directors
Canadian NuclearSafety Commission
Linda KeenPresident
Natural Resources CanadaHon. John Efford
Minister
Parliament of Canada
Electrical Utilities(Ontario Power Generation,Hydro-Québec, NB Power,
Bruce Power)
ProvincialGovernments
•CANDU Owners Group (COG)•Canadian Universities and Technical Colleges•CANDU Suppliers & Consultants•MDS Nordion(medical isotopes)• about 150 private companies also benefit from the industry
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Atomic Energy of Canada LimitedAECL CANDU Technology Development
MAPLE
Products &Services
Res
earc
hD
evel
opm
ent
Engi
neer
ing
Future GenerationCANDU
CANDU-6 ACR
U nderlying Science
Reactor CoreTechnology
FuelChannels
Hydrogen &Heavy Water
Technology
Reactor Chem.& SystemsSafety
Technology
Health & EnvironmentalTechnologies
Control &InformationTechnology
Des
ign/
Con
stru
ctio
n
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Elements of Nuclear Knowledge Management Strategy
1. Maintain Required Staff Levels and Competency – Human Resources Management
2. Capturing and Preserving Existing Knowledge
3. Sharing and Pooling Knowledge - Information Management Systems
4. Develop New Technology (and Knowledge)
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1. Maintain Required Staff Levels and Competency – Human Resource Management
• Hiring, training, retain, career development, etc.• Education • Change business approach
− Economies of scale− Introduce technology and improve processes to ensure
focused preventive maintenance program
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Maintain Required Staff Levels and CompetencyAECL
• Demographics of Nuclear Workers− HR Capability Study − Impact of retirements− Succession plan developed− Hiring / training strategy
• Short, medium and long term
• Education/Development of Qualified Resources -Increased University Interaction
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Employee Distribution by Age in a certain R&D Group-2004 March
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
<30 30 to 34 35 to 39 40 to 44 45 to 49 50 to 54 >=55
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Potential Retirements by Skill Category & Fiscal Year - 2004 April
05
10152025
BB CM CSE ET M PG TO
Present "2004/05" "2005/06" "2006/07" "2007/08" "2008/09"
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AECL Hiring/Training Strategy
• Student program (co-op as well as summer students)− Proactive approach to identify good candidates, then
assess for future hiring (longer term)• University/college students• Summer term, co-op term
• Graduate students at CRL− NSERC Fellows, Industrial Fellowships− Centre d’Etudes Supérieures des Techniques
Industrielles (CESTI) – equivalent to a Masters in Engineering
• Researcher Emeritus− Facilitates the transfer of valued knowledge, skills and
expertise, mentoring and continued work by internationally renowned scientists and engineers who have retired from AECL (currently 5)
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Education/Development of Qualified Resources -Increased University Interaction
• AECL Supports Industrial Research Chairs− Ecole Polytechnique (Pettigrew)− Queen’s University (Holt)− University of New Brunswick (Lister)
• AECL Adjunct Professors (AECL staff teach at Universities)− Carleton, Laurentian, McGill, McMaster, Manitoba, Ottawa,
Royal Military College, Saskatchewan, Sherbrooke, Waterloo, Trent, Western Ontario
• Development of nuclear-related R&D programs with graduate student opportunities
• Participation in the University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE) Program
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Maintain Required Staff Levels and CompetencyCanadian Nuclear Utilities
• Support a number of Industrial / University Research Chairs• Development / Implementation of detailed staffing,
recruitment and training plans (operations, maintenance and engineering)
• Participation in UNENE Program• Improvements in the areas of Documentation and
Accessibility of Technical Plant Information
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University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE)
• Alliance of 6 Canadian Universities, AECL, Canadian Nuclear Utilities and the CNSC
• To ensure Supply of qualified Nuclear Engineers and Scientists
• Full-time undergraduate and graduate degrees• Part-time programs for industry employees, on-site• Instructions by university professors and experts from the
industry
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2. Capturing and Preserving Existing Knowledge
• CANTEACH
• CANDU Owners Group (COG) state of the art reports
• Engineering Tools
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Capturing and Preserving Existing Knowledge CANTEACH
• Sponsored by Canadian Utilities, AECL and Canadian Universities and administered by COG
• Utilizes a 4 step process:− Obtain documentation from many sources− Store current CANDU knowledge in document management
database− Categorize and cross-reference records and documents− Retrieve documentation through a dedicated web server
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The processCANTEACH Input Files and Partners'
ContributionCANTEACH
Information ProgramCANTEACH
Information Mgmt System
Database
Public Website
Online Interface
Referencefor NuclearEngineers
TrainingMaterials
i
IndustryEncyclopedia
AECLcourse notes
Scanning, formattingand proofreading
Contect editing &revision
Maintaining hard copyarchives
Information MgmtSystem Development
Database and websiteadministration
Adding recordsto database andcrossreferencing
Universitycourse notes
XJTU1
monographs
Tech.collegecourse notes
Referencetextbooks
Utilitycourse notes
CDs
TextbooksDocuments
ImagesBibliographiesLecture notesPresentations
Presentation &refinement
Chapter writing& editing
Lecture writing
CDpreparation
Hard Coverpreparation
www
References
Approval byacademic board
1 A group of technical monographs being prepared by academic staff of Xi'an JiaotongUniversity in China with the support of AECL.
Dan MeneleyProject Director
Bill GarlandAcademic Director
Malcolm Lightfoot/Yulia KosarenkoProject Administration
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CANTEACH Web Site Tourhttp://canteach.candu.org/
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Capturing and Preserving Existing Knowledge- Engineering Tools
• Computerized Engineering Tools (TRAK)
• Preserving and Advancing Maintenance Technology in support of Plant Life Management− Robotics and remote technologies− Inspection and repair− 3D simulation or Virtual Prototyping
• On-going CANDU Projects (recently in China, Romania)
• Work is done under a formal Quality Management System
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Long Reach Modular Manipulator
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3D Simulation of Primary SG Head and Robotic Cleaning System
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3. Sharing and Pooling Knowledge –Information Management Systems
• Knowledge Sharing Systems− Operating Experience− Feedback Monitoring System− Project Reporting System− Customer Connect− Others (AIMS, QIS, etc.)
• SMART CANDU Technology (System Health Monitoring) facilitates relationship building - an essential part of knowledge management
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ControlComputers
Information Computers
Remote Monitoring &Analysis
MaintenanceManagement
Remote DesignEngineers
PlantOperators
Remote TechnologySpecialists
Plant Equipment &Design Information AECL
CANDU Utility
Control Centre
Health & Performance Monitoring
Surveillance Testing
Plant
System ResponsibleEngineers
Licensing & Regulatory Reporting
CNSCRegulator
SMART CANDU™ Technology
Inspection and Materials
Assessment
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4. Develop New Technology (and Knowledge)
• Advancing Nuclear Technology
• Maintaining R&D Capabilities (People and Facilities)
• Collaborations and Partnerships
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Advancing Nuclear Technology• Design and Development of Advanced CANDU Systems
− GEN II (CANDU 6) & GEN III (Advanced CANDU Reactor / ACR)− GEN IV (Supercritical Water Reactor (SCWR)− GEN V (Evolution of the SCWR)
• Preservation of Design & Analysis Competency • Maintenance of extensive Network of CANDU Suppliers• Work is done under a formal Quality Management System • Adopting the Canadian Framework for Business Excellence
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Evolution of CANDU Systems
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The Long-Term Sustainable View: The future Generation IV Plant has multiple streams
T1,P1
T2,P2
T3,P3
H.P.TURBINE
S
CONDENSER
Brine
Heat for Co-Generation orIP/LP Turbines
TurbineCompressor
GeneratorCore
ThoriumFuel input
Electric power
Hydrogen and process heatplus heavy water
Drinking water
Industrial isotopes
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Maintaining R&D CapabilitiesPeople and Facilities
• Pre-requisite to advancing Nuclear Technology• Comprehensive reviews through AECL, COG & CNSC• Major Canadian Facilities are still available• Supplementary R&D to support the ACR is in progress• R&D to support Gen IV is being planned
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Capability Maintenance – People
Required elements:Identify core capabilities & key supporting skills Analysis of AECL business needsAnalyze existing skill/talent mix & demographicsForecast future skill/talent requirementsIdentify gaps and action planIdentify, attract & hire qualified staffRetain & develop expertise
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Facilities
ZED-2NRU
Hot-cells
RFFL
Surface Science Lab
Fuel FabLab
ThermalhydraulicsLab
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Collaborations and Partnerships• International
− GEN IV, & bilateral US cooperation (Idaho National Lab; INERI) − EURATOM, JRDC (Korea), NPIC (China), EPRI (US)− Other international bilateral – China, Korea, Argentina, Russia, Japan
• National− Federal & Provincial Governments, NRCan, CNSC, NRC− Nuclear Utilities – OPG, Bruce Power, NBP, HQ− R&D labs - Kinectrics, Stern, B&W, GE, RPC− CANDU suppliers and manufacturers− CANDU Owners Group
• Educational Institutes− UNENE− NSERC, Industrial Research Chairs− Universities and Colleges
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Conclusions
• There is awareness that Nuclear Knowledge Management requires collaboration of all sectors of the industry with educational institutions
• There are a number of initiatives in Canada (CANTEACH, UNENE, COG / AECL / utilities programs)
• Advancement in Nuclear Technology requires preservation of a critical mass of R&D Capabilities
• Much still to be done to ensure a smooth transfer of Knowledge to a new generation of Nuclear Workers