Harnessing wireless data from the containment of a nuclear power plant

Over the last ten years, wireless technologies have become increasingly popular in industrial environments for process measurement, condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, plant safety, internal communications, and other applications [1]. Although the nuclear industry is traditionally slower than other industries to implement wireless technologies, U.S. nuclear power plants (NPPs) are under increasing pressure to modify their maintenance practices to keep aging equipment functioning. Advancements in technology, such as portable analyzers, smart sensors, and wireless communication, have helped alleviate the burden of performing periodic predictive maintenance.