NUCLEAR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT … KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN CANADA C. A. Kittmer, R.A. Speranziniand C. Turner IAEA Workshop on Managing Nuclear Knowledge Trieste, Italy 2005

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

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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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X-probe for Tight-radius SG U-bends

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Remote Pipe Welder

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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

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