Condition Monitoring and Incipient Failure Detection of Rotating Equipment in Research Reactors

Most research reactors share the common characteristics of a long operating lifetime. With the advancement of digital technology, substantial improvements have occurred in the tools that can be applied in the maintenance and monitoring of structures, systems and components (SSCs), enabling an understanding of equipment performance far beyond that available only a few decades ago. Several of these tools, as well as the supporting technology, have been endorsed by regulatory authorities, providing further value to their application to increase availability and reliability of research reactors. These issues and related advancements were the topic of an IAEA coordinated research project and the results are presented in this publication. It provides methods and guidance for monitoring the health of rotating equipment of research reactors to avoid lengthy and costly shutdowns while promoting safe and reliable operation.