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US 4,126,514 AGranted
Method for detecting and locating defective nuclear reactor fuel elements
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorJames W. Wonn
Life of this patent
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AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorJames W. Wonn
Estimating the term…
A method for detecting and locating defective fuel elements in a liquid cooled nuclear reactor employing a sonic/ultrasonic dual test. In accordance with the invention acoustic transducers, sensitive to a broad range of frequencies ranging from the audio to ultrasonic range, are respectively coupled to the exposed top end plugs of the fuel elements of a nuclear reactor fuel assembly. The respective fuel assemblies are voided of coolant, raising the temperature of the individual elements to a point that will boil any liquid coolant present in a defective fuel tube. The audio output of each transducer is translated into a graphic display identifying the presence and location of defective fuel elements. At prescribed intervals passive acoustic monitoring is interrupted for a pulse-echo attenuation measurement of each element. The respective transducers are sequentially energized, communicating pulsed acoustic energy along the fuel element cladding. Attenuation of the acoustic pulses, propagating along the cladding, is highly dependent upon small quantities of moisture in contact with the inside surface of the cladding. The respective transducers monitor attenuation of the reflected energy as a further indication of fuel element defects.
A method for detecting and locating a defective nuclear reactor fuel element normally maintained within an assembly having an ordered array of a plurality of spaced fuel elements respectively comprising fissile material enclosed within an acoustically conductive tubular cladding hermetically sealed at either end with the space between fuel elements defining fluid flow channels for the passage of a cooling liquid among the elements of the array, including the steps of:
A method for detecting and locating a defective nuclear reactor fuel element normally maintained within an assembly having an ordered array of a plurality of spaced fuel elements respectively comprising fissile material enclosed within an internally dry tubular cladding hermetically sealed at either end with the space between fuel elements defining fluid flow channels for the passage of a cooling liquid among the elements of the array, including the steps of:
A method for detecting a defect in a hermetically sealed internally dry tubular cladding at least partially filled with irradiated ceramic nuclear fuel pellets comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.