Optical fiber-based gamma calorimeter (OFBGC)
AssigneesOhio State Innovation Foundation, UT-Battelle, LLC
InventorsThomas E. Blue, Anthony Birri, Christian M. Petrie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical fiber-based gamma-ray calorimeter (OFBGC) sensor array which uses a thermal mass with a low thermal conductivity is provided. Advantages of the OFBGC sensor array include: 1) the number of sensors in the OFBGC sensor array is adjustable and limited only by the spatial resolution of the OFBGC sensors, within the OFBGC sensor array, and 2) the OFBGC sensor design is simpler to build than a conventional optical fiber-based gamma thermometer (OFBGT) sensor array. One purpose of the OFBGC is to determine the power distribution in nuclear reactors.
Claims19
An optical fiber-based gamma calorimeter (OFBGC) comprising:
- a thermal mass;
- an insulating tube disposed within a central region of the thermal mass;
- a plurality of optical fiber sensors running through respective holes in the insulating tube, wherein the optical fiber sensors are configured to monitor a temperature of the thermal mass;
- an outer sheath;
- a gas backfilling between the thermal mass and the outer sheath;
- and
- a heating wire running through two holes in the insulating tube,
- wherein the heating wire has a predetermined length and linear heating rate, q′(z), and
- wherein the linear heating rate q′(z), is used to derive a relationship with an axially dependent temperature difference, ΔT(z), between the plurality of optical fiber sensors to calibrate the OFBGC.
An optical fiber-based gamma-ray calorimeter (OFBGC) sensor array comprising:
- an optical fiber,
- a heating wire,
- wherein the optical fiber is used to measure the temperature of an annular cylindrical thermal mass with a low thermal conductivity,
- wherein the heating wire has a predetermined length and linear heating rate, q′(z), and
- wherein the linear heating rate q′(z), is used to derive a relationship with an axially dependent temperature difference, ΔT(z), between the optical fiber and a second optical fiber-based temperature sensor to calibrate the OFBGC.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.