After the completion of the five-week Online Nuclear Instrumentation (NIS) Course, Westinghouse will conduct a 5-day face-to-face NIS troubleshooting course. The face-to-face segments will be conducted in the Westinghouse NIS Mobile Instrumentation Training Unit (MITU). The MITU contains a fully operational NIS system including Source Range, Intermediate Range, Power Range and Auxiliary drawers.

Using the foundational concepts learned during the online course and during previous NIS courses, a qualified Westinghouse NIS instructor will guide the students through a series of hands-on learning opportunities and troubleshooting exercises.  Since the online course covers the basics and general knowledge of the NIS, this allows the class to go directly into the instruments. By the afternoon of the first day students begin going through each instrument drawer schematic in great detail. The class is kept involved by having groups of 2 students rotate through the equipment taking readings and verifying the theoretical concepts match up to real equipment operation.

On Wednesday the students begin troubleshooting faults in the NIS. Using the six step troubleshooting process, wiring diagrams, and schematics, students are expected to troubleshoot to the card, switch, wire, or drawer mounted component as appropriate for the installed fault.

Throughout the remainder of the week, faults of increasing complexity are used to hone the technicians NIS troubleshooting skills and reinforce the knowledge gained during the online phase of the course. Extensive use of schematics and discussion of integrated plant concepts related to maintenance and troubleshooting of the NIS are used to provide a “real plant” learning environment. Some of the more difficult maintenance items such as Power Range Rate Circuit alignment are also practiced.