Fast Reactors and Accelerator Driven Systems Knowledge Base

Conference Article: Sodium/water reaction detection confirmation and location with time domain beam former

Cornu, C. (CEA Centre d'Etudes de Cadarache, 13 - Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (France))

Abstract

The CEA studied the validity of a time beamforming method for the detection and location of Sodium/water reaction in steam generators of breeder reactors. In the context of the RCM, we apply this method on recorded data during a water injection in Sodium in ASB loop, artificially mixed with PFR background. Despite the severity of experiment conditions (the signal to noise ratio is between -6 and -24 dB). We show that the employed method completed with a low frequency pass band filter allows us to locate the injection with a precision of 30% of the diameter of the loop. Using the method in the course of time allows us to coarsely locate the start time and the duration of the leak. The good functioning of the method is however perturbed by uncertainty about the wave celebrity in the sodium about wave propagation in waves guides that are mounted with the sensors and in the structure of the loop.

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key words: Fast Neutron Spectrum Systems, Nuclear Technology
Reference:
Acoustic signal processing for the detection of sodium boiling or sodium-water reaction in LMFRs. Final report of a co-ordinated research programme 1990-1995
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
IAEA-TECDOC--946, pp:117-133