Automated software analysis of nuclear core discharge data

Technical Report · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:6649283

Larson, T W; Halbig, J K; Howell, J A; Eccleston, G W; Klosterbuer, S F

Monitoring the fueling process of an on-load nuclear reactor is a full-time job for nuclear safeguarding agencies. Nuclear core discharge monitors (CDMS) can provide continuous, unattended recording of the reactor's fueling activity for later, qualitative review by a safeguards inspector. A quantitative analysis of this collected data could prove to be a great asset to inspectors because more information can be extracted from the data and the analysis time can be reduced considerably. This paper presents a prototype for an automated software analysis system capable of identifying when fuel bundle pushes occurred and monitoring the power level of the reactor. Neural network models were developed for calculating the region on the reactor face from which the fuel was discharged and predicting the burnup. These models were created and tested using actual data collected from a CDM system at an on-load reactor facility. Collectively, these automated quantitative analysis programs could help safeguarding agencies to gain a better perspective on the complete picture of the fueling activity of an on-load nuclear reactor. This type of system can provide a cost-effective solution for automated monitoring of on-load reactors significantly reducing time and effort.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6649283
• Report Number(s): LA-12516-MS; ON: DE93008064
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

055000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACCIDENTS
AUTOMATION
BURNUP
EXCURSIONS
MATERIALS
NEURAL NETWORKS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR FUELING
SAFEGUARDS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS