The applications of wireless technology for operating Nuclear Power Plants

In order to use wireless communication technology during the operation of nuclear power plants, the technology's reliability has to be proven. The wireless technology being applied should not inhibit the safety functions of the safety equipment and the intended function of the instrumentation and control (I&C) system. The wireless technology does not support the safety operation of the power plants or their control functions. But wireless devices can be applied to improve worker efficiency and strengthen monitoring for the field oversight at operating Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). Generally, the existing and new facilities safety-related I&C equipment have been tested and installed under the validation criteria of electromagnetic waves. The portable wireless devices also must be used within the approved testing standards of RE-1.180 for NPPs. But the susceptibility limits for the electric field intensity of existing facilities are at 1/10 level, which is smaller than the latest standards. The past criteria are not effective verification methods for using wireless devices during the operation of NPPs. So, this paper presents applications of wireless technology and the separation limits (Exclusion Zone) between I&C equipment and wireless devices for operating NPPs.