New reactor safety circuit for low-power-level operation

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978

OSTI ID:6527476

McDowell, W P; Keefe, D J; Rusch, G K

In the operation of nuclear reactors at low-power levels, one of the primary instrumentation problems is that the statistical fluctuations of reactor neutron population are accentuated by conventional log-count-rate and differentiating circuits and can cause frequent spurious scrams unless long time constants are incorporated in the circuit. Excessive time constants may introduce undesirable delay in the circuit response to legitimate scram signals. The paper develops the concept of a count doubling-time monitor which generates a scram signal if the number of counts from a pulse type neutron detector doubles in a given period of time. The paper demonstrates the theoretical relation between count doubling time and asymptomatic periods. A practical circuit to implement the function is described.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6527476
• Report Number(s): CONF-781033-12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220400* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Control Systems
220600 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
CONTROL SYSTEMS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
IN CORE INSTRUMENTS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS
REACTOR INSTRUMENTATION
REACTOR SAFETY FUSES
REACTOR SHUTDOWN
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
SCRAM
SHUTDOWNS
ZERO POWER REACTORS
ZPR-6 REACTOR