PULSE equipment and solutions

Instrumentation & control (I&C) systems are critical equipment for the safety and availability of nuclear reactors. Their proper operation and aging status need to be monitored throughout their operating life.

Framatome has developed PULSE, a comprehensive range of services dedicated to monitoring the health of safety-critical I&C components. PULSE detects and anticipates potential failures and technical issues, precisely locates and identifies the cause of problems, and helps address them efficiently. By collecting and analyzing data on a long-term basis, PULSE also helps identify aging issues, plan and anticipate maintenance actions, and optimize the associated risks and costs.

The scope of PULSE includes: 

• Pressure Transmitters: Monitor the health of pressure transmitters and associated sensing lines, identify aging through comparative analysis of recorded data, and anticipate potential maintenance activities. 

• Neutron Detectors: Support neutron detector replacement decisions at the right moment through long-term monitoring of their aging status, helping avoid unscheduled shutdowns. 

• Cables & Connections: Identify and locate problems on cables and connections, follow their evolution over time, and anticipate potential issues. 

• Temperature Probes: Measure the response time of nuclear RTDs while keeping them connected to the process, and compare measurements cycle after cycle to anticipate temperature probe replacement. 

• Thermography: Detect technical or aging problems at an earlier stage through infrared thermography and support maintenance or replacement decisions at the right moment. 

• Electromagnetic Interferences (EMI): Check the EMI robustness of neutron instrumentation channels, detect failures on the lines, and help ensure reliable and safe operation.