Wireless Reactor Power Distribution Measurement System Utilizing an In- Core Radiation and Temperature Tolerant Wireless Transmitter and a Radiation-Harvesting Power Supply

摘要

This paper describes the development of radiation and temperature tolerant electronicscapable of functioning inside an operating nuclear reactor vessel. The technology will enableevery fuel assembly in a commercial reactor to be instrumented with self-powered neutrondetectors (SPND) at different axial locations. Thermocouples for measuring the reactor coolanttemperature may also be installed in every fuel assembly, as will an associated vacuum microelectronic(VME) wireless transmitter to continuously broadcast the signals from the SPND and/orthermocouples to a single receiving antenna inside the reactor vessel that will route the signal outof the reactor vessel.The successful development of this technology would enable key operating parameters ofevery fuel assembly in a commercial reactor core to be continuously monitored. The increase inreactor power distribution measurement density relative to existing densities, where roughly onethirdof the fuel assemblies are instrumented, will significantly reduce the uncertainty in themeasured core peaking factors. Reducing the uncertainty in the measured core peaking factors willallow the core operating power levels to be increased. This result will, in turn, allow the reactor togenerate more electrical power from the same amount of fuel, operate at the same electrical outputpower level for longer periods before refueling with the same amount of fuel, or generate the sameamount of electricity from less fuel.