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Sensitivity of detecting in-core vibrations and boiling in pressurized water reactors using ex-core neutron detectors

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6202966
;
Neutron transport and diffusion theory space- and energy-dependent reactor kinetics calculations were performed in the frequency domain to determine the sensitivity of an ex-core neutron detector to in-core vibrations and coolant boiling in a PWR. Results of these calculations indicate that the ex-core detectors are sensitive to neutron sources, to vibrations, and to boiling occurring over large regions of the core. Calculations were also performed on the effects of fuel burnup, boron concentration, and xenon poisoning on the spatial detector sensitivity. Results indicate that fuel assembly vibrations would produce approx. 60% greater ex-core detector response at the end of the first fuel cycle at Sequoyah-1. Results were compared with experimental ex-core neutron noise data obtained from Sequoyah-1 during the first fuel cycle. The predicted increase in ex-core neutron noise was experimentally observed in the 2.5- to 4.0-Hz frequency range (the range of frequencies associated with fuel assembly vibration), indicating that the vibrational amplitude of the fuel assemblies did not increase significantly during the first fuel cycle.
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
6202966
Report Number(s):
NUREG/CR-2996; ORNL/TM-8549; ON: TI84014807
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210200* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
BOILING
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS
NEUTRON DETECTORS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
POWER REACTORS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIATION DETECTORS
REACTOR NOISE
REACTORS
SEQUOYAH-1 REACTOR
THERMAL REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS