WG 2 - TC 112/WG 2

IEC 60544-5:2022 is available as IEC 60544-5:2022 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.
IEC 60544-5:2022 covers ageing assessment methods which can be applied to components based on polymeric materials (e.g. cable insulation and jackets, elastomeric seals, polymeric coatings, gaiters) which are used in environments where they are exposed to radiation. The object of this document is aimed at providing methods for the assessment of ageing in service. The approaches discussed in Clause 5 through Clause 9 cover ageing assessment programmes based on condition monitoring (CM), the use of sample deposits in severe environments and sampling of real-time aged components. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
- added recent references in 7.4 showing that some electrical condition monitoring methods show promising correlations with ageing;
- updated recommendations for implementation of a sample deposit in 9.2, installation of a sample deposit in 9.3 and testing of samples from the deposit in 9.4;
- updated list of references.

IEC TR 61244-4:2019(E) provides general guidance for the evaluation/verification of electrical insulation materials (EIM) and electrical insulation systems (EIS) intended to be used in types of equipment exposed to ionizing radiation. Beside sensors, actuators/motors as well as plugs and terminals, cables are a well-known typical application of those EIM and EIS. Their type spectrum covers low voltage power cables, control cables and instrumentation cables. Because of their comparable simple design, cables are the ideal type of equipment to study EIM and EIS degradation processes. But the results of these studies can be easily transferred to the enumerated types of equipment.
Nonetheless, this document provides a state-of-the art report on qualification/verification procedures used to simulate simultaneous effects of temperature and radiation at varying intensities rather than give detailed test programmes valid for specific test methods.
NOTE 1 Use of this document with specific products can require specification of additional product related procedures.
NOTE 2 Some of the procedures described in this document are emerging technologies. Therefore, specified prerequisites, former experiences as well as boundary conditions can be additionally taken into account.

IEC TS 61244-2:2014, which is a technical specification, applies to procedures for predicting ageing of polymeric materials at low dose rates. The object is to present three methods which can be used to extrapolate data obtained from high dose rate experiments to the low dose rates typical of service conditions. The techniques described are methods which have been found to be useful for a range of elastomeric, thermoplastic and thermoset materials. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) examples and background information moved to annexes;
b) examples updated with more recent references.

IEC TS 61244-1:2014, which is a technical specification, reviews experimental techniques to quantitatively monitor the effects when oxygen is present during ageing of polymers in various environments including temperature, radiation or ultraviolet. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) numerical simulation of DLO is much improved;
b) geometry of samples has been expanded from only the case of the infinite plane to the cylindrical and the spherical cases.

IEC 60544-1:2013 deals broadly with the aspects to be considered in evaluating the effects of ionizing radiation on all types of organic insulating materials. It also provides, for X-rays, gamma-rays, and electrons, a guide to dosimetry terminology, methods for dose measurements, testing carried out at irradiation facilities, evaluation and testing of material characteristics and properties, documenting the irradiation process. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) recent advances in simulation methods of radiation interaction with different matter enables the prediction of the energy-deposition profile in matter and design the irradiation procedure;
b) many new dosimetry systems have become available.

IEC 60544-2:2012 specifies the controls maintained over the exposure conditions during and after the irradiation of insulating materials with ionizing radiation prior to the determination of radiation-induced changes in physical or chemical properties. This standard specifies a number of potentially significant irradiation conditions as well as various parameters which can influence the radiation-induced reactions under these conditions. The objective of this standard is to emphasize the importance of selecting suitable specimens, exposure conditions and test methods for determining the effect of radiation on appropriately chosen properties. Since many materials are used either in air or in inert environments, standard exposure conditions are recommended for both of these situations. It should be noted that this standard does not consider measurements which are performed during the irradiation. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
- alignment with standards recently developed by SC 45A as well as with other parts in the IEC 60544 series.

IEC 60544-5:2011 covers ageing assessment methods which can be applied to components based on polymeric materials (e.g. cable insulation and jackets, elastomeric seals, polymeric coatings, gaiters) which are used in environments where they are exposed to radiation. The object of this standard is aimed at providing methods for the assessment of ageing in service. The approaches discussed in the following clauses cover ageing assessment programmes based on condition monitoring (CM), the use of sample deposits in severe environments and sampling of real-time aged components. This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition, published in 2003, and constitutes an editorial revision to align it with standards recently developed by SC 45A as well as with other parts in the IEC 60544 series.

Provides a classification system that serves as a guide for the selection and indexing of insulating materials intended to serve in the radiation environment of nuclear reactor facilities, reactor fuel-processing facilities, irradiation facilities, particle accelerators, and X-ray apparatus. The classification system provides a set of parameters defining the utility of the three types of polymeric materials (rigid plastics, flexible plastics, elastomers) for use in devices which are exposed to ionizing radiation. This part of IEC 60544 forms the basis for a quantitative statement of the suitability of such materials for radiation environments and therefore provides a guide for material specifications and for procurement agreements between suppliers and users. The purpose of the revision was to bring Part 4 in line with the revision of Part 1 (1994) and Part 2 (1991), in particular the fact that Part 3 has been incorporated in Part 2. This concerns mainly all the cross-references (which were wrong in the previous edition), and therefore the main changes were editorial.