I work as a mechanical engineer on nuclear power plant modifications. Lately, the projects are Steam Generator Replacements. Steam Generators (SGs) take the hot, pressurized contaminated water from the nuclear reactors and heat non-contaminated water to drive the steam turbines. Original steam generators are not holding up as well as planned so most nuke plants have or will replace them with improved designs.

My focus is on the design and documentation required for disconnecting various pipe lines and instrument connections from the old SGs and reconnecting to the new ones. The old SGs are sealed with a blue paintable plastic to prevent release of any contamination. The new SGs are unfinished alloy steel and are over five inches thick.

The steam generators weigh 500 - 600 tons and it takes special equipment and contractors to handle them. The "transporter" has 64 independent computer-controlled axles (128 tires) to handle the load while maximizing its manueverability. Check the angle of the wheels in the transporter pic below.