Devices, systems, and methods for the enhanced operation of hydraulic control units of a control rod drive mechanism to regulate nuclear flux in a reactor core

A system configured to control a plurality of control rod drive mechanisms (“CRDMs”) configured to control the nuclear flux produced by a nuclear reactor, the system comprising:

• a header controller;
• and
• a plurality of hydraulic control units (“HCUs”), wherein each HCU of the plurality of HCUs comprises:
• a plurality of valves configured to attenuate a fluid pressure within a CRDM of the plurality of CRDMs, wherein the attenuation of the fluid pressure is configured to causes a control rod of the CRDM of the plurality of CRDMs to be inserted or withdrawn from a reactor vessel of the nuclear reactor;
• and
• a control circuit comprising:
• a plurality of relay interfaces, wherein each relay of the plurality of relay interfaces is electrically coupled to a valve of the plurality of valves;
• a controller electrically coupled to the plurality of relay interfaces;
• and
• a communications circuit communicably coupled to a header controller, wherein the communications circuit is configured to transmit and receive signals between the controller and the header controller.

A method of controlling a nuclear flux produced by a nuclear reactor, the method comprising:

• receiving, via a control circuit of a hydraulic control unit (“HCU”), a signal from a rod drive control system (“RDCS”) module;
• generating, via the control circuit of the HCU, an operations sequence based on the received signal;
• attenuating, via the control circuit of the HCU, a fluid pressure within a control rod drive mechanism (“CRDM”) via the plurality of valves, such that the fluid pressure causes a control rode of the CRDM to perform the generated operation sequence;
• detecting, via the control circuit of the HCU, a current associated with each valve of a plurality of valves of the HCU;
• detecting, via the control circuit of the HCU, a voltage associated with each valve of the plurality of valves of the HCU;
• determining, via the control circuit of the HCU, a parameter associated with each valve of the plurality of valves of the HCU based on the detected voltage and the detected current;
• and
• determining, via the control circuit of the HCU, a status of the operation sequence based on the determined parameter.