One of the fundamental principles of nuclear power plant operation is safety, to the plant, people and the environment, indeed there are three primary objectives of nuclear reactor safety systems (as defined by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission):
- To shutdown the reactor
- To maintain it in shutdown condition
- To prevent the release of radioactive material
In order for a safe shutdown to happen, the instruments detecting that a catastrophic failure is taking place have to be reliable,
accurate and quick acting. A number of different types of instrument are often used. Delta Mobrey’s Differential Pressure Switch (DPS) and Fast Response Air Temperature Switch (FRATS) are two such instruments that have been used for numerous years in nuclear plants with great success.
Reliability is key for instruments working in the nuclear sector as they have to be robust, certain to operate, give accurate results in challenging conditions and guaranteed to operate for a 40 year lifespan. In order for these products to be used in these types of applications and environments, rigorous, and often lengthy, product testing is undertaken.
If you want to find out more about how nuclear shutdown equipment is monitored and the latest standards and testing our products undergo, you can read an article published in Nuclear Engineering International here.
