System and method for determining coolant level and flow velocity in a nuclear reactor

Brisson, Bruce William; Morris, William Guy; Zheng, Danian; Monk, David James; Fang, Biao; Surman, Cheryl Margaret; Anderson, David Deloyd

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Title: System and method for determining coolant level and flow velocity in a nuclear reactor

Abstract

A boiling water reactor includes a reactor pressure vessel having a feedwater inlet for the introduction of recycled steam condensate and/or makeup coolant into the vessel, and a steam outlet for the discharge of produced steam for appropriate work. A fuel core is located within a lower area of the pressure vessel. The fuel core is surrounded by a core shroud spaced inward from the wall of the pressure vessel to provide an annular downcomer forming a coolant flow path between the vessel wall and the core shroud. A probe system that includes a combination of conductivity/resistivity probes and/or one or more time-domain reflectometer (TDR) probes is at least partially located within the downcomer. The probe system measures the coolant level and flow velocity within the downcomer.

Inventors:: Brisson, Bruce William; Morris, William Guy; Zheng, Danian; Monk, David James; Fang, Biao; Surman, Cheryl Margaret; Anderson, David Deloyd

Issue Date:: 2013-09-10

Research Org.:: GE Global Research, Niskayuna, New York (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1093234

Patent Number(s):: 8532244

Application Number:: 11/762,986

Assignee:: General Electric Company (Niskayuna, NY)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01F - MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01P - MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK

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G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01F - MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL
G01F1/6888 - {Thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples, thermopiles}
G01F23/242 - {Mounting arrangements for electrodes}
G01F23/247 - {for discrete levels}
G01F23/284 - Electromagnetic waves

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01P - MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK
G01P5/10 - by measuring thermal variables

G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
G21C17/032 - Reactor-coolant flow measuring or monitoring {
G21C17/035 - Moderator- or coolant-level detecting devices {

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
Y02E30/30 - Nuclear fission reactors

Show less

DOE Contract Number:: FC07-05ID14636; FC07-05ID14635

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS

Citation Formats


                    Brisson, Bruce William, Morris, William Guy, Zheng, Danian, Monk, David James, Fang, Biao, Surman, Cheryl Margaret, and Anderson, David Deloyd. System and method for determining coolant level and flow velocity in a nuclear reactor.  United States: N. p., 2013. 
        Web.

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                    Brisson, Bruce William, Morris, William Guy, Zheng, Danian, Monk, David James, Fang, Biao, Surman, Cheryl Margaret, & Anderson, David Deloyd. System and method for determining coolant level and flow velocity in a nuclear reactor.  United States.

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                    Brisson, Bruce William, Morris, William Guy, Zheng, Danian, Monk, David James, Fang, Biao, Surman, Cheryl Margaret, and Anderson, David Deloyd. Tue .  
        "System and method for determining coolant level and flow velocity in a nuclear reactor".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1093234.

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@article{osti_1093234,

  title        = {System and method for determining coolant level and flow velocity in a nuclear reactor},

  author       = {Brisson, Bruce William and Morris, William Guy and Zheng, Danian and Monk, David James and Fang, Biao and Surman, Cheryl Margaret and Anderson, David Deloyd},

  abstractNote = {A boiling water reactor includes a reactor pressure vessel having a feedwater inlet for the introduction of recycled steam condensate and/or makeup coolant into the vessel, and a steam outlet for the discharge of produced steam for appropriate work. A fuel core is located within a lower area of the pressure vessel. The fuel core is surrounded by a core shroud spaced inward from the wall of the pressure vessel to provide an annular downcomer forming a coolant flow path between the vessel wall and the core shroud. A probe system that includes a combination of conductivity/resistivity probes and/or one or more time-domain reflectometer (TDR) probes is at least partially located within the downcomer. The probe system measures the coolant level and flow velocity within the downcomer.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2013},

  month        = {9}

}

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Similar Records

Title: System and method for determining coolant level and flow velocity in a nuclear reactor

Abstract

Citation Formats

Distributed RTD patent, December 1990

Distributed RTD patent, May 1992

Method and system for fine control of thermal power of a boiling water reactor with natural circulation patent, June 1994

Heated junction thermocouple cable arrangement patent, April 2001

BWR turbopump recirculation system patent, December 1991

Method & apparatus for liquid level conductance probe control unit with increased sensitivity patent, June 1993

Method of making average mass flow velocity measurements patent, October 1994

Differential temperature sensors patent, August 1989

Pressure compensated thermal flow meter patent, June 1999

Fluid measuring system patent, February 1983

Fluid level sensing systems patent, October 1996

Instrument for monitoring the cooling conditions in a light water reactor patent, October 1990

Level detector patent, April 1997

Methods and apparatus for time domain reflectometry determination of relative proportion, fluid inventory and turbulence patent, November 1988

Liquid Level Sensor patent, October 1966

Method of sensing fluid flow and level employing a heated extended resistance temperature sensor patent, April 1993

Thermal dispersion mass flow rate and liquid level switch/transmitter patent, September 2003

Thermal dispersion mass flow rate and liquid level switch/transmitter patent, March 2001

Heated junction thermocouple level measurement apparatus patent, April 1984

Heated extended resistance temperature sensor patent, June 1993

Method of monitoring the level of a liquid in a container patent, August 1998

Fluid level sensing systems patent, September 1996

Method of measuring physical phenomena using a distributed RTD patent, December 1992

Method of making a U-shaped heated extended resistance temperature sensor patent, August 1992

Shaft-Mounted Time Domain Reflectometry Probe for Water Content and Electrical Conductivity Measurements journal, November 2002

Apparatus for and method of determining the liquid coolant level in a nuclear reactor patent, June 1986

In-vessel water level monitor for boiling water reactors patent, May 1993

Method of making a heated extended resistance temperature sensor patent, October 1992

Distributed RTD
patent, December 1990

Distributed RTD
patent, May 1992

Method and system for fine control of thermal power of a boiling water reactor with natural circulation
patent, June 1994

Heated junction thermocouple cable arrangement
patent, April 2001

BWR turbopump recirculation system
patent, December 1991

Method & apparatus for liquid level conductance probe control unit with increased sensitivity
patent, June 1993

Method of making average mass flow velocity measurements
patent, October 1994

Differential temperature sensors
patent, August 1989

Pressure compensated thermal flow meter
patent, June 1999

Fluid measuring system
patent, February 1983

Fluid level sensing systems
patent, October 1996

Instrument for monitoring the cooling conditions in a light water reactor
patent, October 1990

Level detector
patent, April 1997

Methods and apparatus for time domain reflectometry determination of relative proportion, fluid inventory and turbulence
patent, November 1988

Liquid Level Sensor
patent, October 1966

Method of sensing fluid flow and level employing a heated extended resistance temperature sensor
patent, April 1993

Thermal dispersion mass flow rate and liquid level switch/transmitter
patent, September 2003

Thermal dispersion mass flow rate and liquid level switch/transmitter
patent, March 2001

Heated junction thermocouple level measurement apparatus
patent, April 1984

Heated extended resistance temperature sensor
patent, June 1993

Method of monitoring the level of a liquid in a container
patent, August 1998

Fluid level sensing systems
patent, September 1996

Method of measuring physical phenomena using a distributed RTD
patent, December 1992

Method of making a U-shaped heated extended resistance temperature sensor
patent, August 1992

Shaft-Mounted Time Domain Reflectometry Probe for Water Content and Electrical Conductivity Measurements
journal, November 2002

Apparatus for and method of determining the liquid coolant level in a nuclear reactor
patent, June 1986

In-vessel water level monitor for boiling water reactors
patent, May 1993

Method of making a heated extended resistance temperature sensor
patent, October 1992