Scram signal generator

Patent ·

OSTI ID:5670698

Johanson, E W; Simms, R

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.

• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: TIC; ERA-05-018887; EDB-80-049474
• Patent Number(s): None
• OSTI ID: 5670698
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
440300 -- Miscellaneous Instruments-- (-1989)
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
ALARM SYSTEMS
ALKALI METALS
AMPLIFIERS
COOLANTS
DESIGN
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLOW RATE
FLOWMETERS
FUELS
LOGIC CIRCUITS
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MONITORING
MOTION
NUCLEAR FUELS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTOR SHUTDOWN
SCRAM
SHUTDOWNS
SIGNALS
SODIUM