Title: Monitoring system for a liquid-cooled nuclear fission reactor. [PWR]

Abstract

The invention provides improved means for detecting the water levels in various regions of a water-cooled nuclear power reactor, viz., in the downcomer, in the core, in the inlet and outlet plenums, at the head, and elsewhere; and also for detecting the density of the water in these regions. The invention utilizes a plurality of exterior gamma radiation detectors and a collimator technique operable to sense separate regions of the reactor vessel to give respectively, unique signals for these regions, whereby comparative analysis of these signals can be used to advise of the presence and density of cooling water in the vessel.

Inventors:

DeVolpi, A

Issue Date:

1984-07-20

Research Org.:

Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)

OSTI Identifier:

5801537

Application Number:

ON: DE85011638

Assignee:

Dept. of Energy

DOE Contract Number:  

W-31-109-ENG-38

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; LEVEL INDICATORS; RADIATION DETECTORS; PRIMARY COOLANT CIRCUITS; PWR TYPE REACTORS; GAMMA RADIATION; REACTOR INTERNALS; COOLING SYSTEMS; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; ENERGY SYSTEMS; IONIZING RADIATIONS; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; RADIATIONS; REACTOR COMPONENTS; REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS; REACTORS; WATER COOLED REACTORS; WATER MODERATED REACTORS; 210200* - Power Reactors, Nonbreeding, Light-Water Moderated, Nonboiling Water Cooled; 440101 - Radiation Instrumentation- General Detectors or Monitors & Radiometric Instruments