 : Systems in Operation
Extension of State of Baden-Württemberg renewal of remote reactor
surveillance system
In October 1999 the Environmental Protection Agency of the German
State of Baden-Württemberg has decided to renew the wire-transmitted
remote gamma surveillance system. The
SkyLINK system, a proprietary radio network which follows
highest security standards is in official operation since July 2000.
In the meantime it is operated with about 45 probes. Presently one
single receiver station installed at the top of a mountain surveys
three NPPs. Thus in mountainous terrain distances up to 60 km are
bridged. During 2003 the State Authority plans to further expand the
system with another receiver station to survey two more plants around
the German-Swiss and French border. The
SkyLINK system is also used for mobile applications in emergency
management as well as routine surveillance tasks.
...has awarded a contract for a deployable gamma monitoring system based on the GammaTRACER probes of Saphymo GmbH of Frankfurt, Germany.
During April 2002 the contract for 82
GammaTRACER radio probes of the special type WIDE-XL and three
SkyLINK base stations was awarded to
Saphymo. Including installations and interfacing with the existing
network structure the system was fully operational already end of
October 2002! In a circle of 84 km the
SkyLINK systems (one being used as a redundant setup) surveys
the four nuclear power plants of Brunsbüttel, Brokdorf, Krümmel and
Stade. Some probes are installed in the farthest and in terms of the
radio technology most difficult locations of the pollution (emission)
stations of the remote reactor surveillance. Minimal power
consumption of probes and emitter are the condition for maintenance
free operation over several years. Taking into account all costs for
investment, operation and maintenance over a ten years life-time the
SkyLINK system performed with the by far
best price-performance ratio.
Mobile
SkyLINK System for KHG / Nuclear Instrumentation Pool, Germany (November
2000)
The ‘Kerntechnische Hilfsdienst GmbH’ located in
Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany, operates an emergency response
equipment pool which is sponsored by all German Nuclear Power Plants.
For this task they have decided to operate a
SkyLINK system equipped with
GammaTRACER probes for emergency response purposes. To fulfill
this mobile function the SkyLINK base
station consisting of the receiver, the evaluation computer and the
power unit is installed in three cases. Antenna and down converter
are mounted on a 10 meter telescope mast. The containers with the SkyLINK base station are built up near the mast
in a suitable place e.g. a truck, a tent or any bureau available.
With such flexible handling the system can be run in nearly any place
and by any operator. The system is operational since November 2000.
It is used during exercises at all German Nuclear Power Plants.
Various locations are checked for suitability and selected for
operation.
With the assistance of EBRD (European Bank of Reconstruction and
Development) funding the Lithuanian NPP Ignalina has finalized the
project for enhancement of radiological safety. To cover the part of
environmental gamma surveillance Ignalina has decided to use latest
technology provided by the Frankfurt based company Saphymo. Since the year 2000 their
SkyLINK network for radio transmission is operated with a number
of 24 GammaTRACER probes. The system ensures
highest reliability and data integrity also at temperatures as low as
–40 °C. As no particular site preparations, maintenance or
fees to third parties are required the decision was also taken under
long-term cost-saving aspects. The project was led by the US
contractor Data Systems & Solutions, Reston, Virginia, USA, a
Rolls Royce/SAIC joint venture.
Due to the satisfactory performance it is now planned to find
further applications in the frame of decommissioning works where
further sensors for other applications can be integrated into the
network.
Since the year 2000 three SkyLINK system
for wireless data transmission became operational in Russia in the
frame of a European Union’s TACIS contract. The supply covers
the installation for the three NPPs of Kursk, Kalinin and Balakovo
with today’s most advanced system on the market for radio
transmission of data. The system boasts enormous capabilities: it can
cover at least 30 km of distance with extremely low power
requirements. Even in Russia installation was done within 1–2
days. Since the year 2000 Saphymo has proofed that maintenance-free
operation is not only guaranteed for three years but is also realized
in practice. The installation of a proprietary network solution shows
that preparatory, operational and maintenance costs are much lower in
comparison to conventional solutions.
State of Baden-Württemberg renews
remote reactor surveillance system (July 2000)
In October 1999 the Environmental Protection Agency of the German
State of Baden-Württemberg has decided to renew the wire-transmitted
remote gamma surveillance system. The decision has been made in favor
of the SkyLINK system, a proprietary radio
network which follows highest security standards. The system is in
official operation since July 2000. In the meantime it is operated
with about 45 probes. Presently one single receiver station installed
at the top of a mountain surveys three NPPs. Thus in mountainous
terrain distances up to 60 km are bridged. During 2003 the State
Authority plans to further expand the system with another receiver
station to survey two more plants around the German-Swiss and French
border. The SkyLINK system is also used for
mobile application for emergency management as well as routine
surveillance tasks.
After a preliminary 6 months‘ test run of the SkyLINK system at the French EdF (Electricité de
France) site of Dampierre in 1998 EdF’s General Management has
officially decided in December 2000 to install the system in all
French nuclear power plants. The first prototype set-up has been
installed at the EdF plant in Dampierre in April 2000 along with a
supervisory system in Paris at EdF’s crisis room. The SkyLINK system will be included in EdF’s
emergency plan to deliver real time information to the crisis
management teams and to the French authorities.
The option for radio transmission was decided after EdF has gained
experience with 440 GammaTRACER autonomous
probes which EdF operates since 1995.
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