US4045282A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and a device for thermal monitoring of a nuclear reactor core
Assignee: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et Aux Énergies Alternatives
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Filing: 1976-02-26
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Granted: 1977-08-30
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Expires: 1996-02-26
Abstract
Abstract Thermal monitoring of a reactor core is carried out by utilizng coolant temperatures detected at the outlets of a plurality of fuel assemblies. The mean value of the "hot" and "cold" core outlet temperatures and the difference between these latter are established at each instant. An analog signal corresponding to the temperature difference between the coolant temperature at the outlet of said assembly and the mean core outlet temperature is delivered in respect of each fuel assembly. The signal is processed in order to initiate the appropriate safety actions.
Inventors
- 👤 Georges Barbier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 14:41
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C17/00; G21C17/10; G21C17/112; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of thermal monitoring of a nuclear reactor core having fuel assemblies at temperatures T 1 and T 2 utilizing coolant temperatures detected at the outlets of a plurality of said fuel assemblies comprising the steps of establishing at each instant the mean core outlet temperature by forming the half-sum of the mean T 1 and T 2 core outlet temperatures corresponding respectively to the mean value of the coolant temperatures at the outlet of at least part of the fuel assemblies at temperatures T 1 and to the mean value of the coolant temperatures at the outlet of at least part of the fueld assemblies at temperatures T 2 and the difference between said core outlet temperatures T 1 and T 2 , producing for each fuel assembly an analog signal corresponding to the temperature difference between the coolant temperature at the outlet of said fuel assembly and the mean core outlet temperature as initially increased or decreased by a predetermined fraction of the difference between the mean core outlet temperatures T 1 and T 2 to define a state of equilibrium at which said temperature difference is equal to zero, and processing said signal to initiate appropriate safety actions by overstepping of threshold values corresponding to temperature variations permitted on each side of the equilibrium zero.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of thermal monitoring of a nuclear reactor core having fuel assemblies at temperatures T 1 and T 2 utilizing coolant temperatures detected at the outlets of a plurality of said fuel assemblies comprising the steps of establishing at each instant the mean core outlet temperature by forming the half-sum of the mean T 1 and T 2 core outlet temperatures corresponding respectively to the mean value of the coolant temperatures at the outlet of at least part of the fuel assemblies at temperatures T 1 and to the mean value of the coolant temperatures at the outlet of at least part of the fueld assemblies at temperatures T 2 and the difference between said core outlet temperatures T 1 and T 2 , producing for each fuel assembly an analog signal corresponding to the temperature difference between the coolant temperature at the outlet of said fuel assembly and the mean core outlet temperature as initially increased or decreased by a predetermined fraction of the difference between the mean core outlet temperatures T 1 and T 2 to define a state of equilibrium at which said temperature difference is equal to zero, and processing said signal to initiate appropriate safety actions by overstepping of threshold values corresponding to temperature variations permitted on each side of the equilibrium zero.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said analog signal representing said temperature difference is generated for each fuel assembly aforesaid by forming the sum of three signals representing respectively the temperature of the coolant at the outlet of said fuel assembly, a value of opposite sign value of said mean core outlet temperature and the fraction of said difference between the mean core outlet temperatures T 1 and T 2 corresponding to the position of said fuel assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
192 words
An electric device for the thermal monitoring of a nuclear reactor core comprising N thermocouples which are equal in number to the number N of reactor core fuel assemblies at temperatures T 1 and T 2 , N measuring channels connected individually to each of the N thermocouples and each comprising in series: at least one amplifier for the signal detected by the thermocouple, a summing amplifier at the output of the preceding amplifier and also at the output of two analog circuits supplied by at least a certain number of the N measuring channels and each comprising means enabling one circuit to deliver a signal corresponding to a value of opposite sign value of the mean core outlet temperature and enabling the other circuit to deliver a signal corresponding to a fraction of the difference between the mean core outlet temperatures T 1 and T 2 , at the output of said summing amplifier, devices comprising different thresholds for pre-alarm, emergency shutdown and/or control rod drop, each device aforesaid delivering command signals for appropriate orders by at least one regrouping OR-circuit in the event of overstepping of the corresponding threshold value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
192 words
An electric device for the thermal monitoring of a nuclear reactor core comprising N thermocouples which are equal in number to the number N of reactor core fuel assemblies at temperatures T 1 and T 2 , N measuring channels connected individually to each of the N thermocouples and each comprising in series: at least one amplifier for the signal detected by the thermocouple, a summing amplifier at the output of the preceding amplifier and also at the output of two analog circuits supplied by at least a certain number of the N measuring channels and each comprising means enabling one circuit to deliver a signal corresponding to a value of opposite sign value of the mean core outlet temperature and enabling the other circuit to deliver a signal corresponding to a fraction of the difference between the mean core outlet temperatures T 1 and T 2 , at the output of said summing amplifier, devices comprising different thresholds for pre-alarm, emergency shutdown and/or control rod drop, each device aforesaid delivering command signals for appropriate orders by at least one regrouping OR-circuit in the event of overstepping of the corresponding threshold value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
87 words
An electronic device for the thermal monitoring of a nuclear reactor core according to claim 3, wherein said associated analog circuits comprise in common two operational amplifiers for delivering respectively a signal corresponding to the mean core outlet temperature T 1 and to the mean core outlet temperature T 2 , these two amplifiers being each placed at the output of a plurality of said amplifiers for the signals detected by the thermocouples selected as a function of the nature of the mean value to be established.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
111 words
A device for the thermal monitoring of a nuclear reactor core according to claim 4, wherein the associated analog circuit for delivering the characteristic fraction of each fuel assembly of the difference between the mean core outlet temperatures T 1 and T 2 has successively at the output of said mean temperature T 1 amplifier and at the output of an inverting amplifier which is in turn placed at the output of said mean temperature T 2 amplifier, a summing amplifier and a series of amplifiers having symmetrical outputs between which are connected N potentiometers for adjusting said difference between the mean core outlet temperatures T 1 and T 2 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
An electronic device for the thermal monitoring of a reactor core according to claim 4, wherein said associated analog circuit for delivering the value of opposite sign value of the mean core outlet temperature comprises at the output of said T 1 and T 2 core outlet temperature a summing amplifier having a gain of 2:1 and an inverting amplifier.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-08-29 | 1981-02-28 | 1981-08-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-29 | 1985-02-28 | 1985-08-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-29 | 1989-02-28 | 1989-08-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |