Three-dimensional imaging and precision metrology for liquid-salt-cooled reactors
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6165 (United States)
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6304 (United States)
The liquid-salt-cooled very high temperature reactor, also called the Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR), is a new large high-temperature reactor concept that combines in a novel way four established technologies: (1) coated-particle graphite-matrix nuclear fuels, (2) Brayton power cycles, (3) passive safety systems and plant designs previously developed for liquid-metal-cooled fast reactors, and (4) low-pressure liquid-salt coolants. The AHTR will require refueling, in-service inspection, and maintenance (RIM) with supporting instrumentation systems. The fluoride salts that are being evaluated as potential reactor coolants have melting points between 350 and 500 deg. C, values that imply minimum RIM temperatures between 400 and 550 deg. C. These salts are transparent over a wider range of the light spectrum than is water. The high temperatures, the optical characteristics of the coolant, and advances in metrology may enable the use of lasers to create three-dimensional images of the reactor interior to assist refueling, monitor vibrations in components, map fluid flow, and enable inspections of internal reactor components. A description of the reactor and an initial evaluation of the use of optical techniques for AHTR instrumentation are provided. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 22030031
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: NPIC and HMIT 2006: 5. International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Plant Instrumentation Controls, and Human Machine Interface Technology, Albuquerque, NM (United States), 12-16 Nov 2006; Other Information: Country of input: France; 13 refs.; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the 5. International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Plant Instrumentation Controls, and Human Machine Interface Technology| 1430 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ACCURACY
COATED FUEL PARTICLES
COOLANTS
DESIGN
FLUID FLOW
FLUORIDES
GRAPHITE
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
IN-SERVICE INSPECTION
LMFBR TYPE REACTORS
MAINTENANCE
MELTING POINTS
NUCLEAR FUELS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
TEMPERATURE RANGE 1000-4000 K
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VISIBLE RADIATION