TY - GEN
T1 - Three-dimensional imaging and precision metrology for liquid-salt-cooled reactors
AU - Forsberg, Charles W.
AU - Varma, Venugopal K.
AU - Burgess, Thomas W.
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - The liquid-salt-cooled very high temperature reactor, also called the Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR), is a new large high-temperature reactor concept that combines in a novel way four established technologies: (1) coated-particle graphite-matrix nuclear fuels, (2) Brayton power cycles, (3) passive safety systems and plant designs previously developed for liquid-metal-cooled fast reactors, and (4) low-pressure liquid-salt coolants. The AHTR will require refueling, in-service inspection, and maintenance (RIM) with supporting instrumentation systems. The fluoride salts that are being evaluated as potential reactor coolants have melting points between 350 and 500°C, values that imply minimum RIM temperatures between 400 and 550°C. These salts are transparent over a wider range of the light spectrum than is water. The high temperatures, the optical characteristics of the coolant, and advances in metrology may enable the use of lasers to create three-dimensional images of the reactor interior to assist refueling, monitor vibrations in components, map fluid flow, and enable inspections of internal reactor components. A description of the reactor and an initial evaluation of the use of optical techniques for AHTR instrumentation are provided.
AB - The liquid-salt-cooled very high temperature reactor, also called the Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR), is a new large high-temperature reactor concept that combines in a novel way four established technologies: (1) coated-particle graphite-matrix nuclear fuels, (2) Brayton power cycles, (3) passive safety systems and plant designs previously developed for liquid-metal-cooled fast reactors, and (4) low-pressure liquid-salt coolants. The AHTR will require refueling, in-service inspection, and maintenance (RIM) with supporting instrumentation systems. The fluoride salts that are being evaluated as potential reactor coolants have melting points between 350 and 500°C, values that imply minimum RIM temperatures between 400 and 550°C. These salts are transparent over a wider range of the light spectrum than is water. The high temperatures, the optical characteristics of the coolant, and advances in metrology may enable the use of lasers to create three-dimensional images of the reactor interior to assist refueling, monitor vibrations in components, map fluid flow, and enable inspections of internal reactor components. A description of the reactor and an initial evaluation of the use of optical techniques for AHTR instrumentation are provided.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34047103818&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:34047103818
SN - 0894480510
SN - 9780894480515
T3 - 5th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Plant Instrumentation Controls, and Human Machine Interface Technology (NPIC and HMIT 2006)
SP - 371
EP - 378
BT - 5th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Plant Instrumentation Controls, and Human Machine Interface Technology (NPIC and HMIT 2006)
T2 - 5th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Plant Instrumentation Controls, and Human Machine Interface Technology (NPIC and HMIT 2006)
Y2 - 12 November 2006 through 16 November 2006
ER -