Laser induced fluorescence water measurement system for nuclear reactors
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsLucas Lemar Clarke, Robert L. Jett
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Abstract
A water monitoring system for a nuclear reactor is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the water monitoring system includes a fiber optic cable having a first end and a second end, with the first end configured to optically couple to the reactor cooling water distribution system, and at least one laser light source optically coupled to the second end of the fiber optic cable. The water monitoring system also includes a spectrophotometer optically coupled to the second end of the fiber optic cable.
Claims13
A water monitoring system for a nuclear reactor, the reactor comprising a pressure vessel, a core positioned in the pressure vessel, reactor coolant water, and a water distribution system, said water monitoring system comprising:
- a water distribution system water sampling port;
- a fiber optic cable having a first end and a second end, said first end optically coupled to said water distribution system water sampling port;
- at least one laser light source optically coupled to said second end of said fiber optic cable, each said laser light source configured to emit a laser light beam at a wavelength that causes a fluorescent or a phosphorescent emission from at least one predetermined chemical species present in the reactor water;
- a spectrophotometer optically coupled to said second end of said fiber optic cable;
- and
- a water sampling port coupling assembly attached to said first end of said fiber optic cable, said water sampling port coupling assembly attachable to said water sampling port.
A nuclear reactor comprising:
- a reactor pressure vessel;
- a core positioned in said pressure vessel;
- a water distribution system comprising reactor coolant water;
- and
- a water monitoring system comprising:
- a fiber optic cable having a first end and a second end, said first end optically coupled to said reactor water distribution system;
- at least one laser light source optically coupled to said second end of said fiber optic cable, each said laser light source configured to emit a laser light beam at a wavelength that causes a fluorescent or a phosphorescent emission from at least one predetermined chemical species present in the reactor water;
- and
- a spectrophotometer optically coupled to said second end of said fiber optic cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.