Wireless Pilot Projects at Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Nuclear Generating Stations

Abstract

Wireless pilot projects initiated at both the Pickering Nuclear Generating Stations (PNGS) and Darlington (DNGS)have installed a number of wireless sensors to demonstrate that they can be deployed in an operating Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) to collect useful health data for various plant equipment. The team has achieved a number of milestones, including deployment of wireless network/sensors in an operating NPP, use of Bluetooth 5.0 low energy and 900MHz wireless sensors, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) testing, addressing cyber security requirements and transmitting the wirelessly acquired data to the station's historian database. Wireless sensors have been installed on multiple secondary side pump/motor sets, Standby Generator batteries, vapour recovery drier fans, thermal performance isolation points, and the fuel handling service area bridge. These wireless sensors are monitoring vibration, humidity, temperature and battery health parameters. Signal strength testing was completed in multiple areas of the station with both Bluetooth 5.0 and the 900Mhz system sensors/gateways. The lessons learned from these pilot projects will help pave the way for a large scale deployment.