Induced nuclear reactions: processes – systems – and elements – With control of reactor – By electronic signal processing circuitry
Patent
1981-04-28
1983-11-15
Walsh, Donald P.
Induced nuclear reactions: processes, systems, and elements
With control of reactor
By electronic signal processing circuitry
376245, 376246, 376253, 376450, G21C 736
Patent
active
044155247
ABSTRACT:
This invention teaches improved apparatus for the method of detecting a breach in cladded fuel used in a nuclear reactor. The detector apparatus uses a separate bypass loop for conveying part of the reactor coolant away from the core, and at least three separate delayed-neutron detectors mounted proximate this detector loop. The detectors are spaced apart so that the coolant flow time from the core to each detector is different, and these differences are known. The delayed-neutron activity at the detectors is a function of the dealy time after the reaction in the fuel until the coolant carrying the delayed-neutron emitter passes the respective detector. This time delay is broken down into separate components including an isotopic holdup time required for the emitter to move through the fuel from the reaction to the coolant at the breach, and two transit times required for the emitter now in the coolant to flow from the breach to the detector loop and then via the loop to the detector. At least two of these time components are determined during calibrated operation of the reactor. Thereafter during normal reactor operation, repeated comparisons are made by the method of regression approximation of the third time component for the best-fit line correlating measured delayed-neutron activity against activity that is approximated according to specific equations. The equations use these time-delay components and known parameter values of the fuel and of the part and emitting daughter isotopes.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3786257 (1974-01-01), Weiss
Gross et al.; "Development of a Methodology For Analysis of Delayed-Neutron Signals" ANL-79-57.
Gross Kenny C.
Strain Robert V.
Besha Richard G.
Glenn Hugh W.
Lind Charles F.
The United States of America as represented by the United States
Walsh Donald P.
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