Jules Horowitz reactor project. Exploration tests concerning WIFI modules behaviour under gamma flux

Abstract

Within the framework of experimental field on technologies developments for research reactors applications, an experimental program dedicated to electronics behaviour under flux has been performed on wireless (WIFI) modules. The interest of using the WIFI modules in an industrial facility is to limit and some cases to work without transmission lines between the experimental equipments in which sensors are embedded and the facility (i.e data acquisition room). The objectives of these tests were to determine the capabilities of WIFI modules to work in Nuclear Environment, to define the limitation due to the dose levels and to propose some adaptations in term of integration. These actions have been carried out on 2009-2010 period, in sharing collaboration between CEA (Commissariat à lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, France), ITN (Nuclear and Technological Institute, Portugal) and UCM (University Complutense of Madrid, Spain). The experimental program on WIFI modules took into account a first phase of data determination of dose levels based on Jules Horowitz Reactor environment. The second phase (performed by UCM and ITN) was dedicated to the selection of modules focused on commercial type (COTS approach). Then, irradiation tests of these modules using a 60Co source and in the RPI reactor have been performed by ITN with UCM. The results obtained are presented and discussed. As conclusion, some recommendations are given.