The first drawout-type switchgear modules equipped with Framatome ANP's SIPLUG^® Online 3 valve diagnostics system were placed in service in July 2002 at the German PWR plant, Neckar. Since then, around 90 switchgear modules containing this innovative technology have been operating successfully. Neckar now can diagnose its valves on line, with the resulting data sent via the plant's local network to office PCs for further analysis. Therefore, plant personnel can monitor the performance of a valve and its actuator in real time. Then, if necessary, a decision can be made on the type of maintenance work that will be needed - paving the way for condition-based maintenance. By reducing the number of individual valve and/or actuator tests, considerable savings in both time and cost can be achieved.

Installation of the SIPLUG Online 3 components directly at the valve switchgear enables the old drawout switchgear modules to be easily replaced with new ones equipped with SIPLUG while the plant is on line. More of the diagnostics modules already delivered by Framatome ANP will be placed in operation soon.

The order received from the operator of Neckar Nuclear Power Station covered the supply of a valve diagnostics system consisting of Framatome ANP's SIPLUG Online 3 measuring system module along with the standard ADAM^® software for data analysis and trending (“ADAM” is an acronym based on the German words for “Valve Diagnostics and Evaluation Method”). Over the next two years, a total of 1,500 SIPLUG modules will be installed in both units, Neckar 1 and 2.

Replacing a switchgear module takes only a couple of minutes