PCE
PCE turns up in 2 fields: refractories, nuclear. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
PCE in refractories
Pyrometric cone equivalent: a refractory's softening point expressed as the number of a matching standard cone.
Pyrometric cone equivalent: a test, ASTM C24, in which a small cone formed from the ground refractory is heated alongside standard pyrometric cones, and the PCE is the number of the standard cone that bends over in step with it. It measures softening under heat alone, not a safe operating temperature. Fireclay brick classes are partly defined by it, with super duty brick required to reach cone 33.
"Clay from the new pit only makes PCE 31, so it can't go into super duty brick."
PCE in nuclear
Personnel contamination event: contamination found on a worker's skin or personal clothing above a set threshold.
A personnel contamination event is any detection of contamination on skin or personal clothing above the plant's reporting threshold, usually found at a PCM or frisker. Each PCE means decontamination, a skin dose assessment, a log entry and a review of the cause, such as poor step-off technique or a torn glove. Plants track PCE counts per outage as a key radiological performance measure.
"Third PCE this shift from the same job, all at the wrists, stop and look at how they're taping gloves."