Bureau Veritas assesses compliance of key ESS Bilbao equipment that will be part of the European Spallation Source ERIC
Bureau Veritas assesses compliance of key ESS Bilbao equipment that will be part of the European Spallation Source
Bureau Veritas has supervised, as an independent third party, the conformity assessment of the elements manufactured in Spain for the European Spallation Source ERIC. A multidisciplinary facility for scientific research, which will be the most powerful neutron source in the world. The ESS project, which is expected to be completed in 2025, involves the participation of organizations from 13 European countries, including ESS Bilbao.
ESS Bilbao is a research centre in particle acceleration and neutron science through which all Spanish contributions to the European project are channelled. The operational phase is planned for 2027. The European Source will generate neutrons by the spallation technique, which consists of colliding beams of accelerated protons in a tungsten wheel (target) cooled with liquid helium. Once the neutrons are obtained, they will be transported to the different instruments to carry out experiments that will help scientists to carry out research on materials in numerous scientific and technological areas. According to scientific calculations, the neutron beams that will be produced in ESS will be up to 30 times brighter than those produced in other similar sources.
“The professionalism of the Bureau Veritas team during the evaluation of our scientific-technological equipment has been key in achieving the excellent results obtained after the assessment,” explains Fernando Sordo, head of the Target ESS Bilbao Division.
The scientific equipment and the parts machined and manufactured in different locations in northern Spain, under the coordination of ESS Bilbao will be part of the heart of the European source. It has been an engineering challenge to design and manufacture these components that will integrate the target system where the spallation phenomenon will occur: Target Wheel, Target Shaft, Drive Unit, Helium Rotatory Union, Vacuum Feedthrough, Monolith Vessel, PBW, PBW-Port Block, PBIO, TBD system and TBD shielding. Throughout the entire manufacturing process, Bureau Veritas has monitored compliance with the French RCC-MRx code, specific to experimental reactor design, as well as applicable EN and ISO standards.
“At Bureau Veritas, we have encountered constant challenges, which we have solved with effective and efficient solutions for the achievement of the project. It has been a process of conformity assessment of an innovative and avant-garde technology, through the RCC-MRx code, one of the most complete and demanding that currently exists at international level. Without a doubt, collaborating with ESS Bilbao has been exciting,” says Conrado Pérez, Project Manager at Bureau Veritas.
Bureau Veritas, a world leader in inspection, certification and testing, has assisted ESS Bilbao in meeting its operational needs, deadlines and demanding quality standards. All this, thanks to its multidisciplinary inspection team, which Bureau Veritas relies on nationally and internationally, in the 140 countries in which it operates.
