Patent · US Expired

Low level detector monitor

US4963315A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
9References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 30, 1989
Grant dateOct 16, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 30, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01T3/00
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for monitoring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor by means of a neutron detector which is composed of two electrodes between which a d.c. bias voltage is applied and which has a greater neutron sensitivity when the d.c. bias voltage is applied with one polarity than with the opposite polarity, which involves operating the nuclear reactor at a power level in the vicinity of zero, and applying a d.c. bias level with the one polarity between the detector electrodes and measuring the neutron-induced current flowing through the detector electrodes. To permit reversal of the bias voltage polarity, a safety interlock is provided to permit this to occur only if the bias voltage has been brought below a selected level.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.