INSTRUMENTATION & CONTROL | ROBOTS & MESH NETWORKS and radioactivity Mesh, robots
The increasing use of sensor carrying robots in nuclear environments mean even momentary drop-offs in wireless signals can mean
productivity loss and risk worker safety. Withstanding a nuclear plant’s notoriously radioactive and hazardous environment means adopting a new solution to keep operations constantly moving
By Erich Smidt, Vice President, Rajant Corporation
GLOBAL ENERGY OPERATORS FACE TWO urgent obstacles: producing more energy and lowering their impact on the environment. Hydropower and nuclear power have emerged as frontrunners in energy production due to their low greenhouse gas emissions and, in contrast to variable renewable resources like wind and solar, solid reliability. Hydropower is currently the largest source of low-carbon power, closely followed by nuclear. But nuclear power reactors operate at the highest average monthly and annual capacity compared to any other energy source, producing maximum power more than 92% of the year. Nuclear companies have turned to advanced
technologies to augment operations to become even more efficient in energy production and support even greener operations. Robust, intelligent, and automated robots that react to their surroundings have been readied to withstand radioactive environments to nullify radiological hazards for human operators. By taking over mundane tasks such as cleaning up radioactive waste or actively monitoring and maintaining the plant, the introduction of technology can clearly enhance safety and production. But as often is the case, many technologies can also significantly strain the communications network within a plant and outpace its capacity.
The operations carried out in nuclear plants are
the epitome of mission-critical. From the moment of deployment in ongoing 24/7 plant operations, operators cannot afford to risk any downtime. Drop-offs in wireless signals, even for a short period, can not only mean productivity loss but also risk plant worker safety. A fully redundant, self-optimizing network infrastructure that can withstand a nuclear plant’s notoriously radioactive and hazardous environment is required to keep operations constantly moving.
Robotic robustness Even though robots have been produced for many decades, they were previously unable to adequately complement human workers in various duties. This is no longer the case given technology developments. Robots with adequate mobility, sensors, size, and tooling have now been developed to succeed in the most hazardous and advanced industrial environments. Ongoing technical advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence and sensors, have made nuclear robotics more capable and cost-effective. This is also driving its market expansion, which is predicted by Global Market Insights to reach an annual value of USD$5bn by 2032. With an increasing emphasis on safety and
Above: Continuous communications to robotics while receiving real-time feedback on maintenance requirements allows operators to make swift decisions
30 | February 2024 |
www.neimagazine.com
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