In-Containment Ex-Core Detector System

Apparatus for amplifying low level signals within a nuclear plant's containment building, derived from the ex-core nuclear instrumentation system. The system employs vacuum micro-electronic devices in place of conventional pre-amplifier assemblies to position the pre-amplifier assemblies closer to and within the vicinity of the ex-core detector outputs. 1. A nuclear reactor system including a nuclear reactor vessel housing a nuclear core in which fission reactions take place and a nuclear instrumentation system for monitoring the fission reactions , with the nuclear reactor vessel and at least a portion of the nuclear instrumentation system situated within a radiation shielded containment , the nuclear instrumentation system comprising:a nuclear detector responsive to the number of fission reactions within the nuclear core to provide an electrical output indicative thereof;a detector cable connected at one end to the electrical output of the nuclear detector, with the detector cable extending between the electrical output of the nuclear detector and a termination location within the containment;a vacuum micro-electronic device low noise amplifier situated at the termination location within the containment and having a vacuum micro-electronic device input connected to the detector cable for receiving the electrical output of the nuclear detector and operable to amplify the electrical output of the nuclear detector to provide a nuclear detector amplified output signal;a field cable connected at an input location of the field cable to an output of the vacuum micro-electronic device low noise amplifier, with the field cable extending from the input location through a penetration in the containment to a field cable output at a processing location outside the containment; anda Nuclear Instrumentation System Signal Processing Assembly located outside the containment at the processing location and connected at the field cable output and operable to receive the nuclear ...

Systems and methods for spent fuel pool subcriticality measurement and monitoring

A system and method for measuring and monitoring axial flux to determine subcriticality in a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. In certain embodiments of this invention, one or more neutron detectors are operable to generate signals resulting from neutron interactions in the spent fuel pool, a counting device counts the signals which are generated by the one or more neutron detectors, a connecting means electrically connects the one or more neutron detectors to the counting device, a signal analyzer is used to determine reactivity of the fuel assemblies in the spent fuel pool based on the counted signals, a power supply provides power for the neutron detectors, the counting device and the system analyzer, and a software code containing an axial flux curve index is used to correlate the counted signals to determine the subcriticality of the spent fuel pool.

Solid state radiation detector with enhanced gamma radiation sensitivity

A silicon carbide Schottky diode solid state radiation detector that has an electron donor layer such as platinum placed over and spaced above the Schottky contact to contribute high energy Compton and photoelectrical electrons from the platinum layer to the active region of the detector to enhance charged particle collection from incident gamma radiation.

REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM PIPING TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

A system that measures the temperature distribution of the reactor coolant flowing through the hot leg or cold leg pipes by measuring the speed of sound time delay. This concept uses radiation hardened and temperature tolerant ultrasonic signal drivers based on vacuum micro-electronic technology. The system employs ultrasonic signals propagated through water, and relies on the characteristic that the speed of sound changes as the density and temperature of the water changes. Thus, a measured difference in the speed of sound in water may be directly correlated to a temperature change of the water. 1. A nuclear reactor system comprising:a reactor vessel;a nuclear core including a plurality of nuclear fuel assemblies housed within the reactor vessel and immersed within a reactor coolant, the fuel assemblies structured to heat the reactor coolant;a primary coolant loop piping system in fluid communication with a heat utilization mechanism and the reactor vessel for conveying the reactor coolant between the reactor vessel and the heat utilization mechanism and back to the reactor vessel;an auxiliary piping system in fluid communication with the primary coolant piping for adding or extracting reactor coolant to or from the primary coolant loop piping system;an acoustic transmitter acoustically coupled to a first location on an outer surface of either the primary coolant loop piping system or the auxiliary piping system and configured to transmit an acoustic pulse through the reactor coolant;an acoustic receiver acoustically coupled to a second location on an outer surface of the either of the primary coolant piping system or the auxiliary piping system that is substantially diametrically opposed to the first location, with the acoustic receiver configured to receive the acoustic pulse; andan acoustic control system connected to the acoustic transmitter and the acoustic receiver and configured to determine the time lag between the transmission of the acoustic pulse at the ...

Method of detecting and outputting radiation dose rate information

A method includes detecting on an ongoing basis the currently existing dose rates while a worker is performing a maintenance or other operation within the RCA, and visually outputting information that pertains to the ionizing radiation to which the worker is being exposed during the operation. The information that is visually output can include information such as the current dose rate and the overall dose to which the worker has been subjected, but can additionally include information such as the time remaining before which the worker will have been exposed to the maximum allowable dose. Furthermore, it is possible for the visual display to output visual indicia that represent a comparison the exposure to ionizing radiation that had been planned as a function of time prior to the operation being commenced with the actual exposure to ionizing radiation as the operation is performed.

REAL-TIME REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM BORON CONCENTRATION MONITOR UTILIZING AN ULTRASONIC SPECTROSCPOPY SYSTEM

A method and a system for performing real-time, continuous, measurements of the boron concentration in the water entering a nuclear reactor coolant system. The invention utilizes knowledge of the impact that boron contained in liquid water has on the attenuation of acoustic or ultrasonic waves. This information, coupled with radiation damage resistant and high temperature operability capable transmitter and receiver equipment, provides the means to place the measurement system sensors and signal processing electronics on the reactor coolant system charging flow piping or the hot leg or cold leg of the reactor coolant loop. This will allow the reactor operator to directly monitor both the reactor coolant system boron concentration value and detect changes in the reactor coolant system boron concentration relative to a reference value as they occur. 1. A boron concentration monitor for measuring , in real time , the boron concentration of coolant within a piping servicing a primary loop of a nuclear reactor comprising:an acoustic transmitter acoustically coupled to or through the piping operable to transmit an acoustic signal substantially through an interior of the piping;an acoustic receiver supported at a location around a circumference of the piping that is spaced from the acoustic transmitter, for receiving the acoustic signal;a communication mechanism in electrical communication with the acoustic transmitter and the acoustic receiver and configured to convey the transmitted acoustic signal and the received acoustic signal to a remote location; andan analyzer is structured to be in communication with the remote location and is configured to receive the received acoustic signal and the transmitted acoustic signal from the communication mechanism and compare the received acoustic signal and the transmitted acoustic signal and from the comparison determine the boron concentration within the piping.2. The boron concentration monitor of wherein the analyzer compares ...

NUCLEAR CONTROL ROD POSITION INDICATION SYSTEM

A pulsed sonar-based wireless rod position indication system that utilizes nuclear radiation and high temperature tolerant hardware. The pulsed sonar-based rod position indication system can precisely locate the rod position by measuring the time of flight of a transmitted signal and by using the phase and amplitude information of the same transmitted signal. Primary and secondary antenna probes located in the interior of the control rod drive rod travel housing and full hardware redundancy provide for improved accuracy. The time of flight, phase and amplitude raw signals are inputted to a wireless data transmitter capable of sending the raw signals to a receiver antenna located elsewhere inside a containment for further processing.

SOLID STATE RADIATION DETECTOR WITH ENHANCED GAMMA RADIATION SENSITIVITY

A silicon carbide Schottky diode solid state radiation detector that has an electron donor layer such as platinum placed over and spaced above the Schottky contact to contribute high energy Compton and photoelectrical electrons from the platinum layer to the active region of the detector to enhance charged particle collection from incident gamma radiation. 1. A solid state radiation detector comprising:a Schottky diode having an active semiconductor region and a Schottky contact over at least a portion of the active semiconductor region;a layer of a Compton and photoelectron source material that reacts with incident gamma radiation to interact with electrons surrounding source atoms of the source material to produce high energy Compton and photoelectric electrons to penetrate into the active region of the Schottky diode, the layer of the Compton and photoelectron source material being supported above the Schottky contact; anda layer of fluid interposed between the Schottky contact and the layer of the Compton and photoelectron source material.2. The solid state radiation detector of wherein the Compton and photoelectron source material is selected from platinum claim 1 , or other materials with atomic numbers substantially equal to or greater than platinum.3. The solid state radiation detector of wherein the Compton and photoelectron source material is platinum.4. The solid state radiation detector of wherein a Schottky contact is layered on top of the active region which comprises silicon carbide.5. The solid state radiation detector of wherein a thickness of the layer of the Compton and photoelectron source material is determined using a gamma radiation transport method to enhance a number of photoelectrons from the desired incident gamma radiation energy to deposit their energy in the active region of the Schottky diode.6. The solid state radiation detector of wherein the thickness of the layer of fluid is user variable.7. The solid state radiation detector of ...

NUCLEAR RADIATION DOSIMETER USING STRESS INDUCED BIREFRINGENCE CHANGES IN FIBER OPTIC CABLES

The present invention relates to devices and methods for measuring neutron fluence at a pre-selected location which is positioned in a nuclear power plant. The devices and methods include passing neutrons through a fiber optic cable. The fiber optic cable has disposed therein a neutron sensitive material which is capable of absorbing the neutrons to produce a gas. The gas results in a build-up of pressure in the fiber optic cable which causes a change in the optical stress birefringence pattern. This change is measured and used to determine the amount of gas in the fiber optic cable, the number of neutrons absorbed by the neutron sensitive material and subsequently, the neutron fluence at the pre-selected location. 1. A device to measure neutron fluence in a pre-selected location in a nuclear power plant , the pre-selected location comprising a presence of neutrons , the device comprising:a fiber optic cable having a length and an outer surface which forms an cavity, the cavity extending through the length of the fiber optic cable;a neutron sensitive material substantially uniformly contained in the cavity, the neutron sensitive material effective to at least partially absorb the neutrons to produce a gas;an optical measurement tool for measuring a change in an optical stress birefringence pattern of the fiber optic cable, the change produced from a build-up of pressure as a result of the gas produced; anda means for determining an amount of the gas in the fiber optic cable and an amount of neutrons absorbed by the neutron sensitive material to determine total neutron exposure in the pre-selected location.2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the cavity has one or more cores formed therein.3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cores each substantially uniformly contains the neutron sensitive material.4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen claim 1 , helium and mixtures thereof.5. The device of claim 1 , ...

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SPENT FUEL POOL SUBCRITICALITY MEASUREMENT AND MONITORING

A system and method for measuring and monitoring axial flux to determine subcriticality in a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. In certain embodiments of this invention, one or more neutron detectors are operable to generate signals resulting from neutron interactions in the spent fuel pool, a counting device counts the signals which are generated by the one or more neutron detectors, a connecting means electrically connects the one or more neutron detectors to the counting device, a signal analyzer is used to determine reactivity of the fuel assemblies in the spent fuel pool based on the counted signals, a power supply provides power for the neutron detectors, the counting device and the system analyzer, and a software code containing an axial flux curve index is used to correlate the counted signals to determine the subcriticality of the spent fuel pool. 1. A system for measuring and monitoring axial flux to determine subcriticality in a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant , which comprises:one or more neutron detectors operable to generate signals resulting from neutron interactions in the spent fuel pool;a counting device for counting said signals generated by the one or more neutron detectors;a connecting means to electrically connect the one or more neutron detectors to the counting device;a signal analyzer to determine reactivity of the fuel assemblies in the spent fuel pool based on counted signals;a power supply for the neutron detectors, the counting device and the signal analyzer; anda software code to correlate the counted signals to a predetermined axial flux curve index to determine the subcriticality of the spent fuel pool.2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more neutron detector comprises at least one silicon carbide semiconductor diode.3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the nuclear power plant is a pressurized water reactor.4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the software code determines k-effective.5. The system of claim 4 , ...

ELECTRONIC ENCLOSURE WITH NEUTRON SHIELD FOR NUCLEAR IN-CORE APPLICATIONS

An enclosure for non-organic electronic components is provided which includes an inner cavity for housing non-organic electronic components and a neutron shielding barrier surrounding the inner cavity and the electronic components housed within the cavity. The barrier is formed from a neutron reflecting material in solid or powdered form and a neutron absorbing material in solid or powdered form. An optional structural support is provided in certain aspects of the enclosure design. 1. An enclosure for non-organic electronic components comprising:a supporting structure defining an inner cavity for housing non-organic electronic components; and,a neutron barrier formed from neutron reflecting materials and neutron absorbing materials for shielding electronic components housed in the cavity from neutrons.2. The enclosure recited in wherein the neutron barrier is comprised of a solid neutron reflecting layer surrounding the neutron absorbing material.3. The enclosure recited in wherein the solid neutron reflecting layer is the supporting structure.4. The enclosure recited in wherein the neutron absorbing material comprises a solid inner layer adjacent to and surrounding the cavity.5. The enclosure recited in wherein the neutron absorbing material comprises a powder filling the cavity and claim 3 , in use claim 3 , surrounding the electronic components.6. The enclosure recited in wherein the supporting structure is a neutron transparent material surrounding the solid neutron reflecting layer.7. The enclosure recited in wherein the neutron absorbing material comprises a solid inner layer adjacent to and surrounding the cavity.8. The enclosure recited in wherein the neutron absorbing material comprises a powder filling the cavity and claim 6 , in use claim 6 , surrounding the electronic components.9. The enclosure recited in wherein the supporting structure is a solid neutron transparent material; and claim 1 ,the neutron reflecting material and the neutron absorbing ...

THERMO-ACOUSTIC NUCLEAR POWER DISTRIBUTION MEASUREMENT ASSEMBLY

A nuclear power distribution measurement assembly that is sized to fit within an instrumentation thimble of a nuclear fuel assembly, that employs a spaced tandem arrangement of thermo-acoustic engines, each of which has a heat source side that is insulated from the reactor coolant traversing the nuclear core in which the fuel assembly is to be placed and a cold side housing a resonator chamber with enhanced thermal conductance to the coolant. The resonator chamber of each of the thermo-acoustic engines is of a different length to generate a different frequency whose amplitude is proportional to the neutron activity at the axial and radial position of the thermo-acoustic engine. The frequency identifies the measurement assembly's position. Acoustic telemetry is employed to monitor the acoustic waves generated by the individual thermo-acoustic engines to provide a remote reading of the axial and radial power distribution of a reactor core. 1. A thermo-acoustic nuclear power distribution measurement assembly comprising:a plurality of thermo-acoustic engines supported in a spaced tandem array and sized to fit within an instrument thimble in a nuclear fuel assembly, substantially each of said plurality of thermo-acoustic engines having an outer cladding with a self sustaining heat source supported within an interior of the cladding substantially on one side of the interior of the cladding, separated from a resonant chamber on another side of the interior of the cladding with a heat exchanger stack separating the heat source from the resonant chamber, the cladding being sized to loosely fit within the instrument thimble to enable coolant to flow around an outside surface of the cladding, with each of the resonant chambers designed to generate a different frequency of sound whose amplitude is representative of the difference in temperature between a first location within the resonant chamber substantially on the one side of the heat exchanger stack and a second location ...

Method of detecting and outputting radiation dose rate information

A method includes detecting on an ongoing basis the currently existing dose rates while a worker is performing a maintenance or other operation within the RCA, and visually outputting information that pertains to the ionizing radiation to which the worker is being exposed during the operation. The information that is visually output can include information such as the current dose rate and the overall dose to which the worker has been subjected, but can additionally include information such as the time remaining before which the worker will have been exposed to the maximum allowable dose. Furthermore, it is possible for the visual display to output visual indicia that represent a comparison the exposure to ionizing radiation that had been planned as a function of time prior to the operation being commenced with the actual exposure to ionizing radiation as the operation is performed.

THERMO-ACOUSTIC NUCLEAR POWER DISTRIBUTION MEASUREMENT ASSEMBLY

A nuclear power distribution measurement assembly that is sized to fit within an instrumentation thimble of a nuclear fuel assembly, that employs a spaced tandem arrangement of thermo-acoustic engines, each of which has a heat source side that is insulated from the reactor coolant traversing the nuclear core in which the fuel assembly is to be placed and a cold side housing a resonator chamber with enhanced thermal conductance to the coolant. The resonator chamber of each of the thermo-acoustic engines is of a different length to generate a different frequency whose amplitude is proportional to the neutron activity at the axial and radial position of the thermo-acoustic engine. The frequency identifies the measurement assembly's position. Acoustic telemetry is employed to monitor the acoustic waves generated by the individual thermo-acoustic engines to provide a remote reading of the axial and radial power distribution of a reactor core. 1. A thermo-acoustic nuclear power distribution measurement assembly comprising:a plurality of thermo-acoustic engines supported in a spaced tandem array and sized to fit within an instrument thimble in a nuclear fuel assembly, substantially each of said plurality of thermo-acoustic engines having an outer cladding with a self-sustaining heat source supported within an interior of the cladding substantially on one side of the interior of the cladding, separated from a resonant chamber on another side of the interior of the cladding with a heat exchanger stack separating the heat source from the resonant chamber, the cladding being sized to loosely fit within the instrument thimble to enable coolant to flow around an outside surface of the cladding, with each of the resonant chambers designed to generate a different frequency of sound whose amplitude is representative of the difference in temperature between a first location within the resonant chamber substantially on the one side of the heat exchanger stack and a second location ...

Nuclear powered vacuum microelectronic device

A vacuum micro-electronics device that utilizes fissile material capable of using the existing neutron leakage from the fuel assemblies of a nuclear reactor to produce thermal energy to power the heater/cathode element of the vacuum micro-electronics device and a self-powered detector emitter to produce the voltage/current necessary to power the anode/plate terminal of the vacuum micro-electronics device.

NUCLEAR RADIATION DOSIMETER USING STRESS INDUCED BIREFRINGENCE CHANGES IN FIBER OPTIC CABLES

The present invention relates to devices and methods for measuring neutron fluence at a pre-selected location which is positioned in a nuclear power plant. The devices and methods include passing neutrons through a fiber optic cable. The fiber optic cable has disposed therein a neutron sensitive material which is capable of absorbing the neutrons to produce a gas. The gas results in a build-up of pressure in the fiber optic cable which causes a change in the optical stress birefringence pattern. This change is measured and used to determine the amount of gas in the fiber optic cable, the number of neutrons absorbed by the neutron sensitive material and subsequently, the neutron fluence at the pre-selected location. 1. A method for measuring neutron fluence at a pre-selected location in a nuclear power plant , comprising:obtaining a fiber optic cable having an outer cylindrical surface and an inner cavity, the inner cavity having one or more cores formed therein;passing one or more neutrons through the fiber optic cable;substantially uniformly introducing a neutron sensitive material into the one or more cores;absorbing the one or more neutrons in the neutron sensitive material;producing a gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, helium and mixtures thereof from the interaction of the one or more neutrons with the neutron sensitive material;obtaining a first optical stress birefringence pattern of the fiber optic cable prior to being positioned in the pre-selected location;obtaining a second optical stress birefringence pattern of the fiber optic cable after being positioned in the pre-selected location;measuring a change in the first and second optical stress birefringence patterns, the change being produced from pressure build-up of the gas in the fiber optic cable; anddetermining an amount of the gas in the one or more cavities and the number of neutrons absorbed by the neutron sensitive material to determine the total neutron exposure in the location.2 ...

REAL-TIME REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM BORON CONCENTRATION MONITOR UTILIZING AN ULTRASONIC SPECTROSCPOPY SYSTEM

A method and a system for performing real-time, continuous, measurements of the boron concentration in the water entering a nuclear reactor coolant system. The invention utilizes knowledge of the impact that boron contained in liquid water has on the attenuation of acoustic or ultrasonic waves. This information, coupled with radiation damage resistant and high temperature operability capable transmitter and receiver equipment, provides the means to place the measurement system sensors and signal processing electronics on the reactor coolant system charging flow piping or the hot leg or cold leg of the reactor coolant loop. This will allow the reactor operator to directly monitor both the reactor coolant system boron concentration value and detect changes in the reactor coolant system boron concentration relative to a reference value as they occur. 117-. (canceled)18. A method of monitoring a boron concentration of a borated water solution in real-time , comprising the steps of:transmitting an acoustic signal through the borated water solution;receiving the transmitted acoustic signal after the transmitted acoustic signal has passed through at least a portion of the borated water solution, at a known distance between a transmitter structured to transmit the acoustic signal and a receiver configured to receive the transmitted acoustic signal;comparing the received acoustic signal to the transmitted acoustic signal to determine an attenuation of the transmitted acoustic signal through the borated water solution; anddetermining the boron concentration from the attenuation of the transmitted signal.19. The method of wherein the determining step compares the attenuation with a standard obtained by chemically analyzing a plurality of different concentrations of boron in borated water solutions and measuring the attenuation over the known distance in each of the plurality of different concentrations of boron.20. The method of wherein the determining step comprises:obtaining ...

Wireless in-core neutron monitor

An in-core neutron monitor that employs vacuum microelectronic devices to configure an in-core instrument thimble assembly that monitors and wirelessly transmits a number of reactor parameters directly from the core of a nuclear reactor without the use of external cabling. The in-core instrument thimble assembly is substantially wholly contained within an instrument guide tube within a nuclear fuel assembly.

Wireless in-core neutron monitor

An in-core neutron monitor that employs vacuum microelectronic devices to configure an in-core instrument thimble assembly that monitors and wirelessly transmits a number of reactor parameters directly from the core of a nuclear reactor without the use of external cabling. The in-core instrument thimble assembly is substantially wholly contained within an instrument guide tube within a nuclear fuel assembly.

A solid state radiation detector with enhanced gamma radiation sensitivity

A silicon carbide Schottky diode solid state radiation detector that has an electron donor layer such as platinum placed over and spaced above the Schottky contact to contribute high energy Compton and photoelectrical electrons from the platinum layer to the active region of the detector to enhance charged particle collection from incident gamma radiation.

Reactor coolant system piping temperature distribution measurement system

A system that measures the temperature distribution of the reactor coolant flowing through the hot leg or cold leg pipes by measuring the speed of sound time delay. This concept uses radiation hardened and temperature tolerant ultrasonic signal drivers based on vacuum micro-electronic technology. The system employs ultrasonic signals propagated through water, and relies on the characteristic that the speed of sound changes as the density and temperature of the water changes. Thus, a measured difference in the speed of sound in water may be directly correlated to a temperature change of the water.

Wireless in-core neutron monitor

An in-core neutron monitor that employs vacuum microelectronic devices to configure an in-core instrument thimble assembly that monitors and wirelessly transmits a number of reactor parameters directly from the core of a nuclear reactor without the use of external cabling. The in-core instrument thimble assembly is substantially wholly contained within an instrument guide tube within a nuclear fuel assembly.

A solid state radiation detector with enhanced gamma radiation sensitivity

Nuclear radiation dosimeter using tension-induced birefringence changes in fiber optic cables

Un dispositivo para medir la fluencia neutrónica en un lugar preseleccionado en una planta de energía nuclear, comprendiendo la ubicación preseleccionada una presencia de neutrones, el dispositivo está caracterizado porque comprende: un cable de fibra óptica que tiene una longitud y una superficie exterior que forma una cavidad, extendiéndose la cavidad a lo largo de la longitud del cable de fibra óptica; un material sensible a los neutrones que se encuentra contenido sustancial y uniformemente en la cavidad, siendo efectivo el material sensible a los neutrones para absorber al menos parcialmente los neutrones para producir un gas; una herramienta de medición óptica para medir un cambio en un patrón de birrefringencia óptica por tensión del cable de fibra óptica, siendo producido el cambio por una acumulación de presión como resultado del gas producido; y un medio para determinar una cantidad de gas en el cable de fibra óptica y una cantidad de neutrones absorbidos por el material sensible a los neutrones para determinar la exposición total de neutrones en la posición preseleccionada. A device for measuring neutron creep at a pre-selected location in a nuclear power plant, the preselected location comprising a presence of neutrons, the device is characterized in that it comprises: a fiber optic cable having a length and an outer surface that forms a cavity, the cavity extending along the length of the fiber optic cable; a neutron-sensitive material that is substantially and uniformly contained in the cavity, the neutron-sensitive material being effective at least partially absorbing the neutrons to produce a gas; an optical measuring tool for measuring a change in a pattern of optical birefringence by tension of the fiber optic cable, the change being produced by an accumulation of pressure as a result of the gas produced; and a means for determining a quantity of gas in the fiber optic cable and a quantity of neutrons absorbed by the neutron-sensitive material to ...

Nuclear powered vacuum microelectronic device

A vacuum micro-electronics device that utilizes fissile material capable of using the existing neutron leakage from the fuel assemblies of a nuclear reactor to produce thermal energy to power the heater/cathode element of the vacuum micro-electronics device and a self-powered detector emitter to produce the voltage/current necessary to power the anode/plate terminal of the vacuum micro-electronics device.

Wireless in-core neutron monitor

Nuclear control rod position indication system

A pulsed sonar-based wireless rod position indication system that utilizes nuclear radiation and high temperature tolerant hardware. The pulsed sonar-based rod position indication system can precisely locate the rod position by measuring the time of flight of a transmitted signal and by using the phase and amplitude information of the same transmitted signal. Primary and secondary antenna probes located in the interior of the control rod drive rod travel housing and full hardware redundancy provide for improved accuracy. The time of flight, phase and amplitude raw signals are inputted to a wireless data transmitter capable of sending the raw signals to a receiver antenna located elsewhere inside a containment for further processing.

Nuclear control rod position indication system

A pulsed sonar-based wireless rod position indication system that utilizes nuclear radiation and high temperature tolerant hardware. The pulsed sonar-based rod position indication system can precisely locate the rod position by measuring the time of flight of a transmitted signal and by using the phase and amplitude information of the same transmitted signal. Primary and secondary antenna probes located in the interior of the control rod drive rod travel housing and full hardware redundancy provide for improved accuracy. The time of flight, phase and amplitude raw signals are inputted to a wireless data transmitter capable of sending the raw signals to a receiver antenna located elsewhere inside a containment for further processing.

Real-time reactor coolant system boron concentration monitor utilizing an ultrasonic spectroscopy system

A method and a system for performing real-time, continuous, measurements of the boron concentration in the water entering a nuclear reactor coolant system. The invention utilizes knowledge of the impact that boron contained in liquid water has on the attenuation of acoustic or ultrasonic waves. This information, coupled with radiation damage resistant and high temperature operability capable transmitter and receiver equipment, provides the means to place the measurement system sensors and signal processing electronics on the reactor coolant system charging flow piping or the hot leg or cold leg of the reactor coolant loop. This will allow the reactor operator to directly monitor both the reactor coolant system boron concentration value and detect changes in the reactor coolant system boron concentration relative to a reference value as they occur.

In-containment ex-core detector system

Apparatus for amplifying low level signals within a nuclear plant's containment building, derived from the ex-core nuclear instrumentation system. The system employs vacuum micro-electronic devices in place of conventional pre-amplifier assemblies to position the pre-amplifier assemblies closer to and within the vicinity of the ex-core detector outputs.

In-containment ex-core detector system

Apparatus for amplifying low level signals within a nuclear plant's containment building, derived from the ex-core nuclear instrumentation system. The system employs vacuum micro-electronic devices in place of conventional pre-amplifier assemblies to position the pre-amplifier assemblies closer to and within the vicinity of the ex-core detector outputs.

Electronic enclosure with neutron shield for nuclear in-core applications

An enclosure for non-organic electronic components is provided which includes an inner cavity for housing non-organic electronic components and a neutron shielding barrier surrounding the inner cavity and the electronic components housed within the cavity. The barrier is formed from a neutron reflecting material in solid or powdered form and a neutron absorbing material in solid or powdered form. An optional structural support is provided in certain aspects of the enclosure design.

Electronic enclosure with neutron shield for nuclear in-core applications

An enclosure for non-organic electronic components is provided which includes an inner cavity for housing non-organic electronic components and a neutron shielding barrier surrounding the inner cavity and the electronic components housed within the cavity. The barrier is formed from a neutron reflecting material in solid or powdered form and a neutron absorbing material in solid or powdered form. An optional structural support is provided in certain aspects of the enclosure design.