Expert system for surveillance and diagnosis of breach fuel elements

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:866840

Gross, Kenny C ^[1]

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1. Lemont, IL

An apparatus and method are disclosed for surveillance and diagnosis of breached fuel elements in a nuclear reactor. A delayed neutron monitoring system provides output signals indicating the delayed neutron activity and age and the equivalent recoil areas of a breached fuel element. Sensors are used to provide outputs indicating the status of each component of the delayed neutron monitoring system. Detectors also generate output signals indicating the reactor power level and the primary coolant flow rate of the reactor. The outputs from the detectors and sensors are interfaced with an artificial intelligence-based knowledge system which implements predetermined logic and generates output signals indicating the operability of the reactor.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4803040
• OSTI ID: 866840
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

expert
surveillance
diagnosis
breach
fuel
elements
apparatus
method
disclosed
breached
nuclear
reactor
delayed
neutron
monitoring
provides
output
signals
indicating
activity
age
equivalent
recoil
element
sensors
provide
outputs
status
component
detectors
generate
power
level
primary
coolant
flow
rate
interfaced
artificial
intelligence-based
knowledge
implements
predetermined
logic
generates
operability
breached fuel
generates output
provide output
output signals
power level
fuel elements
fuel element
nuclear reactor
flow rate
output signal
coolant flow
primary coolant
reactor power
provides output
delayed neutron
generate output
neutron activity
rate output
/376/706/976/