Significant progress in the development of nuclear power core operating condition monitors

[ Instrument Network Instrument Development ] The national key R&D plan “Development of Major Scientific Instruments and Equipments”, which is led by China Guangdong Nuclear Research Institute Co., Ltd., has been broken through the efforts of the “Research and Application of Nuclear Power Core Operation Status Monitor”. Key technologies such as self-powered neutron detector (SPND) signal delay response cancellation, weak signal extraction amplification and detector self-recovery, achieve high reliability measurement of core neutron flux and water level, and are engineered and Industrial development. Recently, the project successfully passed the mid-term inspection organized by the High Technology Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The monitor monitors the power distribution and operating status of the core in real time through continuous online monitoring and analysis of reactor neutron flux, temperature and water level. It is one of the important instrument control systems for nuclear power plants. At present, the monitors of the three-generation nuclear power units under construction in China mainly rely on foreign imports, and the domestic engineering supply cannot be realized. Therefore, carrying out research on the autonomy of monitors is of great significance to the safety, stability and economic operation of nuclear power plants.

The project has mastered many key technologies such as screening, extraction, amplification, SPND signal delay response elimination, high-precision visual recognition, positioning and grabbing, remote visualization control, and flexible force control recovery under high-irradiation environment conditions. The key components of the multi-measurement compact integrated detector, the signal processing of the monitor, and the detector module recovery module satisfy the complex environment of the core, and realize the intelligent recovery of the detector components in a highly radioactive environment.

At present, the self-developed neutron-temperature detector, water level detector, neutron signal processing component and water level signal processing component have completed the prototype development, and respectively realize the application verification on the experimental reactor and the thermal hydraulic rig. The expected results have been achieved.

In the next step, the project will strengthen the overall design of the instrument reliability, failure mechanism and failure use cases, and carry out the engineering prototype test and identification test of the detector and signal processing components, and demonstrate the application demonstration on the experimental reactor and the thermal hydraulic rig. Complete the debugging and testing of the detector module recycling module, and make the results that can be promoted and replicated.

(Original title: Important progress in research and development of nuclear power core operating condition monitor)