NUCLEAR FUEL FAILURE PROTECTION METHOD
    1.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20200027599A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-01-23

    申请号:US16264815

    申请日:2019-02-01

    IPC分类号: G21C17/112 G21C17/022

    摘要: A method that provides a more direct indication of peak fuel rod centerline temperature and peak fuel rod clad temperature than conventionally inferred from the power distribution by directly and continuously measuring the fuel temperatures of the fuel pellets in one or more of the hottest fuel elements in the core. The peak fuel rod clad temperature is then obtained from the maximum measured peak fuel rod centerline temperature in combination with the maximum coolant core exit temperature and the minimum coolant flow rate.

    Method and system to detect and locate the in-core position of fuel bundles with cladding perforations in candu-style nuclear reactors

    公开(公告)号:US11170903B2

    公开(公告)日:2021-11-09

    申请号:US16439061

    申请日:2019-06-12

    摘要: A method for detecting a leak in a cladding tube in a nuclear reactor is described. The method is well-suited for use in a reactor having a plurality of cladding tubes housed in a plurality of linearly arranged channels for flowing coolant past the cladding tubes. The method includes monitoring the channels for the occurrence of an increase in radiation above a selected base line indicative of the presence of at least one fission product in the coolant in at least one of the plurality of channels, and monitoring the channels for the occurrence of time dependent changes in the strength of radiation in the coolant above the base line along the length of the at least one of the plurality of channels. The leak location is calculated by triangulating the radiation readings from a fixed linear array of detectors positioned adjacent to the channels to determine the location of the strongest radiation reading and the location along the length of the channel where the increase in radiation occurred.

    Fuel rod sensor system with inductive coupling

    公开(公告)号:US11127507B2

    公开(公告)日:2021-09-21

    申请号:US16564150

    申请日:2019-09-09

    摘要: A sensor system for a fuel rod including a fuel pellet stack, the sensor system including a wireless interrogator disposed outside the fuel rod and a passive sensor component disposed within the fuel rod. The passive sensor component includes a receiver structured to receive an interrogation signal and output an excitation signal in response to receiving the interrogation signal, a reference transmitter structured to output a reference signal to the reference receiver in response to the excitation signal, a sensing transmitter structured to output a sensing signal to the sensing receiver in response to the excitation signal, and a core at least partially disposed within the sensing transmitter and coupled to move in conjunction with expansion or contraction of the fuel pellet stack, to move based on changes in pressure within the fuel rod, or to change temperature based on temperature changes within the fuel rod.

    Detection Apparatus Usable In A Nuclear Reactor, and Associated Method

    公开(公告)号:US20200027598A1

    公开(公告)日:2020-01-23

    申请号:US16214445

    申请日:2018-12-10

    摘要: A detection apparatus includes a resonant electrical circuit supported within an interior of a nuclear fuel rod generates a response pulse in response to an excitation pulse and transmits the response pulse through a cladding of the fuel rod to another location within a reactor in which the fuel rod is housed and without any breach in the cladding. A characteristic of the response pulse is indicative of a condition of the fuel rod. The detection apparatus also includes a transmitter positioned outside the cladding, in the reactor, in the vicinity of the fuel rod and configured to generate the excitation pulse and transmit the excitation pulse through the cladding to the resonant electrical circuit. A receiver is supported within the reactor outside of the cladding and, in response to the response pulse, communicates a signal to an electronic processing apparatus outside of the reactor.

    Devices, Systems, and Methods for Detecting Radiation with Schottky Diodes for Enhanced In-Core Measurements n-Core Measurements

    公开(公告)号:US20240125950A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-04-18

    申请号:US18484780

    申请日:2023-10-11

    摘要: An in-core detector configured to measure a power distribution in a nuclear reactor is disclosed herein. The in-core detector includes a housing configured to be placed within a predetermined location of the nuclear reactor and a plurality of a gamma detectors. Each gamma detector of the plurality of gamma detectors includes a Schottky diode including an active semiconductor region and a Schottky contact, an Ohmic contact, a photoelectron source material configured to transfer electrons to the active region upon contact with gamma radiation, and a first and second lead. The plurality of gamma detectors are positioned within the housing such that each gamma detector of the plurality of gamma detectors is radially offset relative to an adjacent gamma detector of the plurality of gamma detectors, such that the first and second leads of each gamma detector are offset relative to the first and second leads of the adjacent gamma detector.

    FUEL ROD SENSOR SYSTEM WITH INDUCTIVE COUPLING

    公开(公告)号:US20210074441A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-03-11

    申请号:US16564150

    申请日:2019-09-09

    IPC分类号: G21C17/10 G21C3/16 G21C17/06

    摘要: A sensor system for a fuel rod including a fuel pellet stack, the sensor system including a wireless interrogator disposed outside the fuel rod and a passive sensor component disposed within the fuel rod. The passive sensor component includes a receiver structured to receive an interrogation signal and output an excitation signal in response to receiving the interrogation signal, a reference transmitter structured to output a reference signal to the reference receiver in response to the excitation signal, a sensing transmitter structured to output a sensing signal to the sensing receiver in response to the excitation signal, and a core at least partially disposed within the sensing transmitter and coupled to move in conjunction with expansion or contraction of the fuel pellet stack, to move based on changes in pressure within the fuel rod, or to change temperature based on temperature changes within the fuel rod.

    Fuel rod sensor system with inductive coupling

    公开(公告)号:US12046378B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-07-23

    申请号:US17411424

    申请日:2021-08-25

    摘要: A sensor system for a fuel rod including a fuel pellet stack, the sensor system including a wireless interrogator disposed outside the fuel rod and a passive sensor component disposed within the fuel rod. The passive sensor component includes a receiver structured to receive an interrogation signal and output an excitation signal in response to receiving the interrogation signal, a reference transmitter structured to output a reference signal to the reference receiver in response to the excitation signal, a sensing transmitter structured to output a sensing signal to the sensing receiver in response to the excitation signal, and a core at least partially disposed within the sensing transmitter and coupled to move in conjunction with expansion or contraction of the fuel pellet stack, to move based on changes in pressure within the fuel rod, or to change temperature based on temperature changes within the fuel rod.