Method and system for monitoring control rod element assembly position
AssigneeCombustion Engineering, Inc.
InventorCharles F. Ridolfo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Compliance with administrative limits on cumulative exposure of control rod groups in the reactor core, is monitored by computing the incremental effective exposure for each group commensurate with core power, for each time increment at which each group is within the position range where an administrative limit is imposed. The increments of effective exposures for each group are accumulated, and the accumulated effective exposure for each group is compared with the administrative limit to each group. This comparison is then displayed to the reactor operator, preferably using either a “rolling wheel” or “sliding bar” format.
Claims4
In a pressurized water nuclear power plant having a nuclear reactor core and a multiplicity of control rods arranged as groups for movement sequentially through the core for controlling the reactor power while exposed to the nuclear reactions in the core, a system for the operator to monitor compliance with administrative limits on the cumulative exposure in the core of the control rod groups, comprising:
- means for measuring the core power and generating a power signal commensurate therewith;
- means for measuring the position of each control rod group in the core;
- means for establishing an incremental time base common to the measuring of the core power and the measuring of the position of each group;
- means responsive to said means for measuring of position, for determining when on said time base, each group is within said position range;
- means for determining the core power when each group is in said position range;
- means for computing an incremental effective exposure for each group, commensurate with core power, for each time increment at which each group is within said position range;
- means for accumulating said incremental effective exposure for each group;
- means for comparing the accumulated effective exposure for each group with the administrative limit for each group;
- and
- means for displaying said comparison to the reactor operator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.