Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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Radiological Alert Network of Extremadura (RAREx) at 2021:30 years of development and current performance of real-time monitoring

  • Ontalba, Maria Angeles (Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (LARUEX). University of Extremadura) ;
  • Corbacho, Jose Angel (Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (LARUEX). University of Extremadura) ;
  • Baeza, Antonio (Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (LARUEX). University of Extremadura) ;
  • Vasco, Jose (Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (LARUEX). University of Extremadura) ;
  • Caballero, Jose Manuel (Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (LARUEX). University of Extremadura) ;
  • Valencia, David (Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (LARUEX). University of Extremadura) ;
  • Baeza, Juan Antonio (Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (LARUEX). University of Extremadura)
  • Received : 2021.01.13
  • Accepted : 2021.08.04
  • Published : 2022.02.25
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Abstract

In 1993 the University of Extremadura initiated the design, construction and management of the Radiological Alert Network of Extremadura (RAREx). The goal was to acquire reliable near-real-time information on the environmental radiological status in the surroundings of the Almaraz Nuclear Power Plant by measuring, mainly, the ambient dose equivalent. However, the phased development of this network has been carried out from two points of view. Firstly, there has been an increase in the number of stations comprising the network. Secondly, there has been an increase in the number of monitored parameters. As a consequence of the growth of RAREx network, large data volumes are daily generated. To face this big data paradigm, software applications have been developed and implemented in order to maintain the indispensable real-time and efficient performance of the alert network. In this paper, the description of the current status of RAREx network after 30 years of design and performance is showed. Also, the performance of the graphing software for daily assessment of the registered parameters and the automatic on real time warning notification system, which aid with the decision making process and analysis of values of possible radiological and non-radiological alterations, is briefly described in this paper.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The performance and development of the RAREx network during the last 30 years has been possible thanks to the collaboration and financial support of Regional Government of Extremadura (Junta de Extremadura) and Spain's Nuclear Safety Council (CSN), through different cooperation agreements and research projects.

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