Patent · US Active

Optical gamma thermometer

US8503599B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
2References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 28, 2008
Grant dateAug 6, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 26, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E30/30
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical gamma thermometer includes a metal mass having a temperature proportional to a gamma flux within a core of a nuclear reactor, and an optical fiber cable for measuring the temperature of the heated metal mass. The temperature of the heated mass may be measured by using one or more fiber grating structures and/or by using scattering techniques, such as Raman, Brillouin, and the like. The optical gamma thermometer may be used in conjunction with a conventional reactor heat balance to calibrate the local power range monitors over their useful in-service life. The optical gamma thermometer occupies much less space within the in-core instrument tube and costs much less than the conventional gamma thermometer.

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