AFCEN-RM-15-149-C

The objective of this interprofessional guide is to support the manufacturer in satisfying the need for in-service inspection necessary to ensure equipment safety. For the sake of simplification, the term “in-service inspection” used in this guide is understood to mean any inspection prescribed by the manufacturer after the equipment has been placed on the market, in accordance with the environmental code [1].

For this purpose, the guide: 

• Sets the position of the inspectability analysis in the overall design process, particularly during the preparation of the hazard analysis.
• Specifies the method of developing the analyses to be conducted when preparing the HA, whenever an in-service inspection requirement is identified for the NPE.

This guide applies to level N1 and category I-IV nuclear pressure equipment, with the exception of the main reactor coolant system piping of water-cooled nuclear steam supply systems of nominal size DN less than or equal to 50 and the other piping of nominal size DN less than or equal to 100, together with their connected pressure accessories of the same nominal size DN.

It applies to the cases for which one or more in-service inspections are necessary to ensure their safety, which will be prescribed in the instruction manual. It does not apply to the other cases, such as for example those where the operator has specifically required an inspection, without the manufacturer’s hazard analysis concluding in the existence of a non-negligible residual risk.

The application of this guide presupposes that the manufacturer conducts a hazard analysis in accordance with the method developed in the AFCEN guide to HAs [4].

[1] Environmental Code, particularly chapter VII, title V of book V.
[4] HA (Hazard Analysis) guide for ESPN N1 - 2018 edition