Scram signal generator

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:863817

Johanson, Edward W ^[1]; Simms, Richard ^[2]

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1. New Lenox, IL
2. Westmont, IL

A scram signal generating circuit for nuclear reactor installations monitors a flow signal representing the flow rate of the liquid sodium coolant which is circulated through the reactor, and initiates reactor shutdown for a rapid variation in the flow signal, indicative of fuel motion. The scram signal generating circuit includes a long-term drift compensation circuit which processes the flow signal and generates an output signal representing the flow rate of the coolant. The output signal remains substantially unchanged for small variations in the flow signal, attributable to long term drift in the flow rate, but a rapid change in the flow signal, indicative of a fast flow variation, causes a corresponding change in the output signal. A comparator circuit compares the output signal with a reference signal, representing a given percentage of the steady state flow rate of the coolant, and generates a scram signal to initiate reactor shutdown when the output signal equals the reference signal.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4253093
• OSTI ID: 863817
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

scram
signal
generator
generating
circuit
nuclear
reactor
installations
monitors
flow
representing
rate
liquid
sodium
coolant
circulated
initiates
shutdown
rapid
variation
indicative
fuel
motion
long-term
drift
compensation
processes
generates
output
remains
substantially
unchanged
variations
attributable
term
change
fast
causes
corresponding
comparator
compares
reference
percentage
steady
initiate
equals
sodium coolant
scram signal
signal representing
reference signal
nuclear reactor
flow rate
output signal
liquid sodium
reactor shutdown
signal generator
remains substantially
signal generating
corresponding change
comparator circuit
reactor installations
generating circuit
reactor installation
compensation circuit
/376/73/327/340/976/