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Title: Johnson Noise Thermometry for Advanced Small Modular Reactors

Abstract

Temperature is a key process variable at any nuclear power plant (NPP). The harsh reactor environment causes all sensor properties to drift over time. At the higher temperatures of advanced NPPs the drift occurs more rapidly. The allowable reactor operating temperature must be reduced by the amount of the potential measurement error to assure adequate margin to material damage. Johnson noise is a fundamental expression of temperature and as such is immune to drift in a sensor s physical condition. In and near core, only Johnson noise thermometry (JNT) and radiation pyrometry offer the possibility for long-term, high-accuracy temperature measurement due to their fundamental natures. Small, Modular Reactors (SMRs) place a higher value on long-term stability in their temperature measurements in that they produce less power per reactor core and thus cannot afford as much instrument recalibration labor as their larger brethren. The purpose of this project is to develop and demonstrate a drift free Johnson noise-based thermometer suitable for deployment near core in advanced SMR plants.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. ORNL
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1055088
Report Number(s):
ORNL/TM-2012/346
NT0107000; NENT010
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Britton, Jr, Charles L, Roberts, Michael, Bull, Nora D, Holcomb, David Eugene, and Wood, Richard Thomas. Johnson Noise Thermometry for Advanced Small Modular Reactors. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.2172/1055088.
Britton, Jr, Charles L, Roberts, Michael, Bull, Nora D, Holcomb, David Eugene, & Wood, Richard Thomas. Johnson Noise Thermometry for Advanced Small Modular Reactors. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1055088
Britton, Jr, Charles L, Roberts, Michael, Bull, Nora D, Holcomb, David Eugene, and Wood, Richard Thomas. 2012. "Johnson Noise Thermometry for Advanced Small Modular Reactors". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1055088. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1055088.
@article{osti_1055088,
title = {Johnson Noise Thermometry for Advanced Small Modular Reactors},
author = {Britton, Jr, Charles L and Roberts, Michael and Bull, Nora D and Holcomb, David Eugene and Wood, Richard Thomas},
abstractNote = {Temperature is a key process variable at any nuclear power plant (NPP). The harsh reactor environment causes all sensor properties to drift over time. At the higher temperatures of advanced NPPs the drift occurs more rapidly. The allowable reactor operating temperature must be reduced by the amount of the potential measurement error to assure adequate margin to material damage. Johnson noise is a fundamental expression of temperature and as such is immune to drift in a sensor s physical condition. In and near core, only Johnson noise thermometry (JNT) and radiation pyrometry offer the possibility for long-term, high-accuracy temperature measurement due to their fundamental natures. Small, Modular Reactors (SMRs) place a higher value on long-term stability in their temperature measurements in that they produce less power per reactor core and thus cannot afford as much instrument recalibration labor as their larger brethren. The purpose of this project is to develop and demonstrate a drift free Johnson noise-based thermometer suitable for deployment near core in advanced SMR plants.},
doi = {10.2172/1055088},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1055088}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}