RU2801595C2 - Energetically autonomous intra-room detector device for measuring flow in the core of a nuclear reactor - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: nuclear industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention is related to a detector assembly for measuring the flow in the core of a nuclear reactor and a method for its formation. The assembly includes a number of self-contained detector devices, each of which is designed to measure the flow in one axial location in the core of a nuclear reactor, different for each device, as well as an assembly connector configured to connect to a power plant connector. The connector includes several outputs of the flow signals, each of which is connected to one of the energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices. At least one of the detector devices contains a set of at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors for measuring the flow at the same axial locations in the reactor core. Each of at least two said detectors includes a shell, a zone of detector material within the shell, an insulator between the shell and the detector material, and a flow signal output line. The output lines of the flow signal of at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors are connected to each other.

EFFECT: increase of the accuracy of measurements, as well as the possibility of simplifying the design of the connector.

20 cl, 4 dwg

Description

The present invention relates generally to nuclear reactor cores, and more particularly to detectors for measuring the neutron flux in a reactor core.

State of the art

Inside nuclear reactors, inside the reactor core, local power is measured using intrazone detectors designed to operate and withstand such environmental conditions. Intrazone detectors include energetically autonomous neutron detectors (SPND) or energy autonomous detectors (SPDs). A short area of detector material, electrical wire and fragile ceramic insulators are housed inside a long thin metal case. The metal body is made from Inconel or stainless steel tubing and is called the sheath. The outer diameter of the sheath is reduced by several times when the ceramic insulators around the detector material and the electrical wire are crushed to isolate it from the sheath, producing continuous length SPND or SPD. The jacketed detector material, when inserted, is linearly aligned at a particular location in the reactor core. The electrical wire is connected to the bottom of the short zone of the detector material and runs along the entire length of the sheath to transfer the electrical signal from the detector material to the connector so that it can be transferred to the needs of the power plant.

The material of the detector in the shell, when inserted, is aligned in a special place in the reactor core. Alignment of the detectors is maintained by a cylindrical outer shell of similar materials and is folded around the individual detectors in a similar manner for each individual detector. An electrical wire may be connected to the end of a short length of the detector material and may extend along the entire length of the sheath to transmit an electrical signal from the detector material to the connector so that the electrical signal can be transmitted to the needs of the power plant. There is also a background signal running parallel to the wire in the background detector, which can be inside the same sheath in a double wire detector, or outside the sheath as a separate detector.

If signals higher than the average output signals are needed, then several different techniques are typically used. The first common technology for designing intraband detectors involves the use of a special detector material that produces sufficiently high signals for a given application. The second common technique is to design such intrazone detectors that are large enough to provide strong enough output signals for a given application. A third common technique involves using several very long elements of varying length that cover large portions of the reactor core, then subtracting the element signals and using the difference as a measure for a single location covered by only one of the elements. A fourth common technique is to roll up the detector instead of using a straight detector to get a stronger signal than the straight detector can produce.

The essence of the invention

The detector assembly for measuring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor includes several energy autonomous intrazone detector devices, each of which is designed to measure the neutron flux at one of several locations in the axial direction in the core of the nuclear reactor, and a connector configured to connection to the power plant connector. The connector includes several signal contacts, each of which is connected to one of the self-contained intrazonal detector devices. At least one of the energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices contains a set of at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors for measuring the neutron flux at the same places along the axis in the nuclear reactor core. Each of at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a shell, a section of the detector material inside the shell, an insulator between the shell and the detector material, and an output line for the neutron flux signal. The output lines for the neutron flux signal of at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors are connected to each other.

A method for forming a detector assembly for measuring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor is also proposed. The method includes the following: several energy-autonomous detector devices are placed in the nuclear reactor core, each of which is designed to measure the neutron flux at different locations from a plurality of locations along the axis in the nuclear reactor core, and the connector is connected to energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices. The connector includes several signal contacts, each of which is connected to one of the self-contained intrazonal detector devices. The connector is made with the possibility of connection with the connector of the power plant. At least one of the energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices includes a set of at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors for measuring the neutron flux at the same locations along the axis in the nuclear reactor core. Each of at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a shell, a section of the detector material inside the shell, an insulator between the shell and the detector material, and an output line for the neutron flux signal. The output lines for the neutron flux signal of at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors are connected to each other.

A method is proposed for replacing the first detector assembly for measuring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor with the second detector assembly for measuring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor. The method includes the following: dismantling the first detector assembly from the active zone of the nuclear reactor. The first detector assembly includes several first energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices, each of which is designed to measure the neutron flux in one of several places in the axial direction in the nuclear reactor core, and the first connector configured to be connected to the power plant connector. The first connector includes several first outputs of the neutron flux signal, each of which is connected to one of the first energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices. At least one of the first energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices includes a set of at least two first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors for measuring the neutron flux at the same locations along the axis in the nuclear reactor core. Each of at least two first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a shell, a section of the detector material inside the shell, an insulator between the shell and the detector material, and an output line for the neutron flux signal. The output lines for the neutron flux signal of at least the first two intrazonal energy autonomous detectors are connected to each other. The dismantling of the first detector assembly of the nuclear reactor core includes disconnecting the first connector from the electrical connector of the power plant.

The replacement method also includes placing the second detector assembly in the core of the nuclear reactor in place of the first detector assembly. The second detector assembly includes several second energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices, each of which is designed to measure the neutron flux in one of several places in the axial direction in the nuclear reactor core, and a second connector configured to be connected to the power plant connector. The second connector includes several second outputs of the neutron flux signal, each of which is connected to one of the second energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices. At least one of the second energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices includes a set of at least two second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors for measuring the neutron flux at the same locations along the axis in the nuclear reactor core. Each of at least two second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a shell, a section of the detector material inside the shell, an insulator between the shell and the detector material, and an output line for the neutron flux signal. The output lines for the neutron flux signal of at least two second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors are connected to each other. Installing the second detector assembly in the core of a nuclear reactor includes attaching a second connector to an electrical connector of the power plant.

Brief description of the drawings

The present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

In FIG. 1 schematically shows a high pressure reactor vessel including an energy self-contained in-zone detector assembly installed in a reactor core, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

in fig. 2 is a schematic detail view of the detector assembly of the detector assembly shown in FIG. 1;

in fig. 3 is a schematic enlarged view of the detector assembly shown in FIG. 1; And

in fig. 4a is a schematic axial view showing how the detectors of the detector assembly can be positioned within the outer shell, in cross section along line A-A in FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention; And

in fig. 4b is a schematic axial view showing how the terminals of a detector assembly connector can be positioned within the connector, in section along line B-B in FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

One problem with conventional technologies is that when different detector materials are placed at a specific location along an axis to characterize this axial measurement in the core, different materials will produce a greater or lesser amount of output current depending on the interactions induced radiation of each material, in a given radiation field. Some of these materials do not always produce a signal that is considered high enough for this application and this detector design. The dimensions of the detector design components are carefully designed, and changing them to increase the detector output for a given application is not always possible for a variety of reasons, such as limited space in the detector assembly or the expense of redesigning and reviewing the design of detector components.

In other words, redesigning a given detector for every situation just because the signal level is not as high as desired or expected can be very costly and unacceptable in most situations. Most detector materials that provide higher output also have significant disadvantages, as a self-powered detector typically requires much more material depletion to provide higher output, resulting in the detector becoming a consumable component with a very short life. For decades, analyzes and measurements have been made of materials such as rhodium, platinum and vanadium, which are used today, to achieve a balance between sufficiently high performance and service life. Using multiple long pieces that cover large parts of the core is difficult to construct, they will integrate other unwanted signals into the signals, and there is a big uncertainty problem when taking two large signals and subtracting them to get one smaller signal. The spiral design is more expensive, harder to model and analyze, while the coil assembly takes up more space, making it too large to fit in some limited spaces.

The present invention provides methods for constructing assemblies each having multiple detector components in each axial space, with lead wires tied together and their respective background wires tied together to create one electrically combined detector with multiple single detector signal outputs for one and the same axial location of the active zone. Such methods are easier to implement than a helical or multiple long element design. Modeling and analysis also become easier as you simply model already developed detector designs of normal size and length. In addition, connector measurement and design is simplified compared to conventional technologies because multiple detectors electrically combined in an assembly will have the same connector, with the same number of pins as a single detector, per axial space. The error is expected to be reduced by increasing the amount of radiation interaction in the same assembly space, thereby increasing the useful signal without having to do any external subtraction. Builds can include as many detectors as will fit within the available space to increase the output as needed.

In FIG. 1 schematically shows a high pressure reactor vessel 10 including a power-free intrazonal detector assembly 12 formed in the core 14 of the pressure reactor vessel 10 to measure local power in the reactor core 14. The high pressure reactor body 10 is centered on a vertically extending central axis CA. Unless otherwise indicated, the terms axial, radial, circumferential and their derivatives are used in relation to the central axis CA, with the radial direction R and the axial direction A shown in FIG. 1. Detector assembly 12 includes several energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices, each of which contains a set of 16, 17, 18, 19 detectors. In an embodiment, each of the detector sets 16, 17, 18, 19 includes two detectors in the form of SPND or SPD, while the detector set 16 includes detectors 16a, 16b, the detector set 17 includes detectors 17a, 17b, detector set 18 includes detectors 18a, 18b, and detector set 19 includes detectors 19a, 19b. Each detector 16a, 16b, 17a, 17b, 18a, 18b, 19a, 19b includes a first section 20 including detector material and a second section 22 extending axially from the first section 20 and including at least one lead wire. The first section 20 has a larger outer diameter than the section 22 and is the radially thickest part of the corresponding detector 18. The second section 22 is located vertically below the first section 20 in the reactor core 14. While each set of detectors 16-19 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes only two detectors per set, in other embodiments each set may include three or more detectors, with the number of detectors in a set depending on core space constraints and how strong a signal is needed. In other embodiments, the detector assembly 12 may be loaded through the lid of the reactor vessel.

As shown in FIG. 1, detector arrays 16-19 are arranged and configured such that the first detector portions 20 of each of the respective detector array 16-19 are in the same axial position in the core 14, and the first detector portions 20 of each detector array 16-19 offset in the axial direction from the first sections 20 of the detectors of other sets 16-19 detectors. In other words, the detectors 16a, 16b of the detector array 16 are at a first axial location in the core 14, the detectors 17a, 17b of the detector array 17 are at a second axial location in the core 14 that is axially offset from the first axial location, the detectors 18a, 18b of the detector set 18 are located in the third location in the axial direction in the core 14, which is axially offset from the first and second axial locations, and the detectors 19a, 19b of the detector set 19 are in the fourth location in the axial direction in the core 14, which is offset in the axial direction from the first, second and third axial locations. The detectors of each set of 16-19 detectors have the same configuration, ie. the same size and shape (in the context of manufacturing tolerances) and materials, the same as the other detectors in the set of detectors 16-19, while the detectors 16a, 16b are the same configuration with each other, the detectors 17a, 17b are the same configuration with each other, the detectors 18a, 18b are in the same configuration with each other, and the detectors 19a, 19b are in the same configuration with each other. All detectors 16a-19b have a first section 20 of the same size, and the detectors of each set of detectors 16-19 have a section 22 of the same length and material as the other detector (or detectors if each set of detectors includes more than two detectors). ) of a set of 16-19 detectors, but differs from sections 22 of all other sets. More specifically, the detectors 16a, 16b have sections 22 of the first length, the detectors 17a, 17b have sections 22 of the second length, which is less than the first length, the detectors 18a, 18b have sections 22 of the third length, which is less than the first and second lengths, and the detectors 19a, 19b have sections 22 of the fourth length, which is less than the first, second and third lengths.

The detectors 16a-19b are held together by an outer shell 27 which is pressed against the detectors 16a-19b to firmly hold the detectors 16a-19b together. The outer shell 27 may be made of stainless steel or Inconel, for example. The outer shell 27 and the detectors 16a-19b extend beyond the reactor core 14 and pressure vessel 10 to connect to the connector 24. flux coupled to the signals of other detector(s) of the array of detectors to output the combined neutron flux signal from connector 24 of assembly 12. This configuration allows connector 24 to be inserted into an existing power plant connector 26. The power plant connector 26 then sends signals over the wire to the power plant computer 28, which is configured to determine the local power in the reactor core 14 based on the signals from the detectors 16a-19b for display on a graphical user interface and analysis by the user of the operation of the core 14.

Although the assembly 12 is shown schematically as occupying the majority of the core 14, it should be understood that a typical cylindrical outer-shell assembly 12 containing up to seven detectors and one thermocouple may, for example, have an outer diameter of <1 cm, and each detector 16a-19b in a sheath may have a typical outer diameter of <0.2 cm and a tapering portion about half of the detector.

In FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of a detector array 16 including detectors 16a, 16b. The detectors of the sets 17-19 are configured in the same way as the detectors 16a, 16b, but their sections 22 have a different length from the length of the section 22 of the detectors 16a, 16b. Each of the detectors 16a, 16b includes a continuous section of neutron flux detecting material 30 and a lead wire 32 extending from the first axial end 30a of the detector material section 30. The first axial end 32a of the lead wire 32 is embedded in the first axial end 30a of the detector material section 30 . Each detector 16a, 16b also includes a background wire 33 extending parallel to the lead wire 32. The first axial end of the background wire 33 is located axially away from the detector material portion 30 so that the background wire 33 is not directly connected to the detector material portion 30 . A portion 30 of the detector material and parts of lead wire 32 and background wire 33 inside the reactor core 14 are embedded in insulator 34 and directly surrounded by insulator 34 in the radial direction. The first axial end 33a of the background wire 33 is axially separated from the first axial end 30a of the detector material section 30 by an insulator 34. The insulator 34 is directly surrounded by sheath 36 in the radial direction and in the axial direction at the second axial end 30b of the detector material section 30.

The detector material portion 30 is a conductive or semiconductor material that emits electrons as a result of neutron and gamma irradiation and may be formed from, for example, rhodium, platinum, vanadium, aluminum, silver, cadmium, gadolinium, cobalt, hafnium, or scandium. The detector material portion 30 is in the form of a cylindrical rod. The insulator 34 is electrically insulating and may be made of a ceramic material, such as pulverized ceramic material. The wires 32, 33 are made of an electrically conductive material, with each lead wire 32 transmitting a neutron flux signal emitted by a respective region 30 of the detector material, and each background wire 33 transmitting a corresponding background signal. Sheath 36 forms a manifold and may be made of stainless steel or Inconel, for example. In response to the neutron flux of neutrons in the reactor core, the detector material section 30 emits electrons that pass through the insulator 34 to the sheath 36, causing the lead wire 32 to transmit a current that generates a neutron flux signal indicative of the neutron flux at the axial position of the reactor core.

The detector material section 30 is formed only in the first section 20, and most of the lead wire 32 is formed in the second section 22. Insulator 34 and sheath 36 extend through all sections 20, 22, with sheath 36 defining the outer peripheral surfaces of sections 20, 22. Accordingly, the outer peripheral surface of the shell 36 has a larger outer diameter in the first portion 20 than in the second portion 22. More specifically, the shell 36 includes a first shell portion 36a that is cylindrical and delimits the outer peripheral surface of the first portion 20, the second shell portion 36b, which is cylindrical and defines the outer peripheral surface of the second section 22. The shell 36 also includes a tapering section 36c extending radially outward and continuing in the axial direction from the second section 36b to the first section 36a. The sheath 36 also includes an end portion 36d axially abutting the portion of the insulator 34 that contacts the second end 30b of the detector material portion 30. The end section 36d defines the closed end of the sheath 36. The axial end of the second section 36b, which is axially farthest from the detector material section 30, defines the open end of the sheath 36. The wires 32, 33 of the detector 16a pass through the open end of the sheath 36 to connect to the wires 32 , 33, respectively, of the detector 16b, as further explained below with reference to FIG. 3.

In other embodiments, as disclosed in US Patent Application 16/149609, which is incorporated herein by reference, detectors 16a-19b may include tails having lead wires, detectors 16a-19b may not have background wires, or the detectors may include tail portions that do not have end wires and include filler portions such that all detectors 16a-19b are the same length.

In FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged view of the detector assembly 12 shown in FIG. 1. As noted with respect to FIG. 1, in this exemplary embodiment, detector assembly 12 includes four detector sets 16-19, with each of sets 16-19 including two detectors. It should be understood that other embodiments include a different number of kits and more than two detectors per kit. As discussed with reference to FIG. 1, detector arrays 16-19 are surrounded by an outer shell 27, with the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 27 in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of some or all of the detectors 16a-19b. Connector 24 is attached to the axial end of outer sheath 27. Detector material portion 30 of each of detectors 16a-19b is of the same material, size, and shape (meaning manufacturing tolerances).

Outside shell 36, the neutron flux signal output lines of the detectors of each set 16-19 are connected together with the neutron flux signal output lines of the other detector (or detectors, where each set includes two or more detectors) in the set to obtain a combined neutron flux signal for identification. neutron flux of the active zone of a nuclear reactor in the axial location of the material of the detector 30 set 16-19 detectors. For example, the neutron flux signal output lines 39a, 39b of the detectors 16a, 16b, respectively, are connected together to provide a combined neutron flux signal to identify the neutron flux of the nuclear reactor core at the axial location of the material 30 of the detectors 16a, 16b.

In addition, outside the sheaths 36, the hum output lines of the background wire 33 of each set 16-19 are connected together with the output lines of the other detector (or detectors where each set includes two or more detectors) in the set to produce one combined hum signal for corresponding set of 16-19 detectors. For example, the hum output lines 41a, 41b of the detectors 16a, 16b, respectively, are combined to provide one combined hum signal for the background wires 33 of the detectors 16a, 16b.

More specifically, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the second axial end 32b of each lead wire 32 forms the output line 39a and is connected to the second axial end 32b of the other lead wire 32, which forms the output line 39b, in the respective detector set 16-19, and the second axial end 33b of each background wire 33 forms output line 41a and is connected to the second axial end 33b of the other background wire 33, which forms the output line 41b, in the corresponding set of detectors 16-19. For example, the second axial end 32b of the lead wire 32 of the detector 16a is connected to the second axial end 32b of the lead wire 32 in the detector 16b at the node 40a, and the second axial end 33b of the background wire 33 of the detector 16a is connected to the second axial end 33b of the background wire 33 of the detector 16b at the node 40b. Accordingly, the neutron flux signal from lead wires 32 is added together at node 40a to obtain a combined neutron flux signal greater than that obtained separately from the detector material portion 30 of detectors 16a, 16b, and the background signal from background wires 33 is added together at node 40b to obtain a combined background signal that is greater than the background signal of the 33 detectors 16a, 16b obtained individually. The lead wire portion 42a after node 40a transmits the combined neutron flux signal to the first neutron flux signal terminal as the first neutron flux signal terminal 44a of connector 24, and the lead wire portion 42b after node 40b transmits the combined background signal to the first background signal terminal as the first terminal 44b connector 24 background signal.

In other words, the detector assembly 12 thus includes a plurality of energy-sustained in-zone detector devices, each of which is designed to measure the neutron flux at one of several axial locations in the nuclear reactor core 14, and an assembly connector 24 configured to connect to connector 26 of the power plant. The assembly connector 24 includes several signal contacts 44a, each of which is connected to one of the energy-free intrazone detector devices. At least one of the energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices includes a set 16-19 of at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors 16a-19b for measuring the neutron flux at the same locations along the axis in the core 14 of the nuclear reactor. Each of at least two self-contained intrazone detectors 16a-19b includes a shell 36, a section 30 of the detector material inside the shell 36, an insulator 34 between the shell 36 and the detector material 30, and an output line 39a-39b for the neutron flux signal. Output lines 39a or 39b for the neutron flux signal of at least two energy independent intrazone detectors 16a-19b are connected to each other.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, connector 24 includes four neutron flux signal terminals 44a for eight detector material portions 30 and four background signal terminals 44b for eight background wires 33. In other words, there is one neutron flux signal terminal 44a for each array of detectors 16-19 and one contact 44b background signal for each set of 16-19 detectors. For the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, connector 26 (FIG. 1) includes four neutron flux signal leads in the form of neutron flux signal receivers, each for receiving one of the leads 44a, and four background signal leads in the form of background signal receivers, each for receiving one of the leads 44b. . Thus, connector 24 includes two pins for each set of detectors, and connector 26 includes two pin receptacles for mating with pins for each set of detector assemblies.

In FIG. 4a is a schematic axial view showing how the detectors 16-19 may be positioned within the outer shell 27, taken along line A-A in FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4b is a schematic axial view showing how terminals 44a, 44b can be positioned within connector 24, taken in section along line B-B in FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4a, the outer shell 27 may be cylindrical in at least some parts, and the detectors 16a-19b may be arranged in a circular configuration when viewed in the axial direction, and the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell 27 is in contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of each shell 36 detectors 16a-19b. A thermocouple 46, which includes two conductors 46a, 46b, may also be located within the outer sheath 27 to measure the temperature within the reactor core.

As shown in FIG. 4b, connector 24 may include four neutron flux outputs in the form of contacts 44a - one for each array of detectors 16-19, four background signal outputs in the form of contacts 44b - one background signal terminal 44b for each array of detectors, two outputs thermocouples as terminals 46c, 46d and one collector signal terminal as collector signal terminal 36e, for a total of eleven terminals. Electrical lines from all shells 36 of detectors 16a-19b electrically connect shells 36 to collector signal terminal 36e. This configuration minimizes the number of pins in the electrical connector for detector assembly 12. For example, if in this example a pin was provided for each of lead wires 32 and background wires 33, the electrical connector could include nineteen pins, which is significantly more than electrical connector in this example. If the number of detectors for each of the four sets of detectors is increased from two to three, then the difference in the number of pins will be even greater than with an electrical connector including a pin for each detector, because the electrical connector according to the embodiment of the present invention is still will include eleven pins, while the electrical connector, including a pin for each detector, will include twenty-seven pins. The cables that carry the signals and the amount of electronics needed to measure all those signals are greatly reduced, reducing cost and space outside of the reactor.

Combining detectors from each detector set allows the same connector 24 to be used with different detector assemblies in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. For example, if the first detector assembly, made in the same manner as the detector assembly 12, which consists of the first detectors 16a-19b, including the first detector material, such as rhodium, has reached the end of its life and needs to be replaced, but only detectors containing a second detector material, such as vanadium, that is different from the first detector material, then second detector sets including a different number of second detectors per set can be used to produce an acceptably high electrical signal without changing the number of output pins on the electrical connector the second detector assembly compared to the first detector assembly. For example, if each of the first sets of detectors includes only two detectors, but each second set of detectors requires three detectors to obtain an acceptable high signal level, because the electrical signals emitted by the second detector material are lower than the electrical signals emitted by the first detector material, then the electrical connector 24 for the first and second detector assemblies may be the same and may have the same number of pins, because the lead wires of the detectors of each set are connected to each other and transferred to one pin. Accordingly, the electrical connector for both the first and second detector assembly is compatible with the electrical connector 26 of the power plant.

In view of this, the present invention also provides a method for replacing the first detector assembly for measuring the neutron flux in a nuclear reactor core with a second detector assembly for measuring the neutron flux in a nuclear reactor core. The method may include dismantling the first detector assembly from the core of the nuclear reactor. The first detector assembly may be configured, for example, in the same manner as the detector assembly 12 discussed with respect to FIG. 3, and may include several first energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices, each of which is designed to measure the neutron flux at one of several locations in the axial direction in the core 14 of the nuclear reactor, and the first connector 24, configured to connect to the connector 26 power plants. The first connector 26 of the assembly includes a plurality of first neutron flux signal contacts 44a, each of which is connected to one of the first power independent intrazone detector devices. At least one of the energy-autonomous intrazone first detector devices, containing a corresponding set 16-19 of at least two first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors 16a-19b for measuring the neutron flux at the same place in the axial direction in the core of a nuclear reactor - for example, a set 16 of first intrazone detectors 16a, 16b, a set 17 of first intrazone detectors 17a, 17b, a set 18 of first intrazone detectors 18a, 18b, and/or a set 19 of first intrazone detectors 19a, 19b. Each of the at least two first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors 16a-19b includes a shell 36, a section 30 of the detector material inside the shell 36, an insulator 34 between the shell 36 and the detector material 30, and an output line 39a-39b for the neutron flux signal. Output lines 39a or 39b for the neutron flux signal of at least two first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors are connected to each other. Dismantling the first detector assembly 12 from the nuclear reactor core 14 includes disconnecting the first connector 24 from the electrical connector 26 of the power plant.

The replacement method may also include installing a second detector assembly in the core of the nuclear reactor in place of the first detector assembly. The second detector assembly may be similar to the detector assembly shown in FIG. 3, and may include several second energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices, each of which is designed to measure the neutron flux at one of several locations in the axial direction in the core 14 of the nuclear reactor, and a second connector configured to connect to the connector 26 of the power plant. . The second connector contains a plurality of signal contacts 44a, each of which is connected to one of the second power independent intrazone detector devices. At least one of the energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices contains a corresponding set of at least two second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors for measuring the neutron flux in the same places along the axis in the nuclear reactor core. Each of at least two second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a shell 36, a section 30 of the detector material inside the shell 36, an insulator 34 between the shell 36 and the detector material 30, and an output line 39a-39b for the neutron flux signal. Output lines 39a or 39b for the neutron flux signal of at least two second energetically autonomous intrazone detectors are connected to each other. Installing the second detector assembly in the core 14 of the nuclear reactor includes attaching a second connector to the electrical connector 26 of the power plant.

In the replacement method, the detector material portions of the first energy free intraband detectors may be formed from a first material such as, for example, rhodium, and the detector material portions of the second energy free intraband detectors may be formed from a second material, such as vanadium, for example, other than first material. It should be noted that any of the materials mentioned above may be used for the detector material portion 20. Each set(s) of the first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors has a first number of detectors, and each set(s) of the second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors has a second number of detectors different from the first number. For example, the first set(s) may include two detectors and the second set(s) may include three detectors; or the first set(s) may include four detectors and the second set(s) may include two detectors. The first assembly connector and the second assembly connector may have the same number of pins, for example both sets may include 13 pins as described with reference to FIG. 4.

In another replacement method, a conventional detector assembly having one detector per axial level may be replaced with a new detector assembly having at least a detector device with a set of at least two separate detectors connected for the same axial level. This will replace the traditional single detector detector assembly with one material such as rhodium with a new detector assembly having a coupled pair of detectors made of a different material (platinum or vanadium) without changing the electrical connector 26 of the power plant, since the coupled pair of detectors in the replacement assembly is connected to one pin of connector 24 and without changing the electronic range of the input signal of the computer and the conversion signal, since the signal supplied by the rhodium detector has the same order as the signal supplied by the connected pair of detectors.

In the foregoing description, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments and examples thereof. However, it is obvious that various modifications and changes can be made without deviating from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative and not as limiting.

Claims (55)

1. Detector assembly for measuring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor, containing several energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices, each of which is designed to measure the neutron flux at one axial location, correspondingly different for each device, from a plurality of axial locations in the core of a nuclear reactor; And an assembly connector configured to be connected to a power plant connector, wherein the assembly connector contains several neutron flux signal leads, each of which is connected to one of the energy-autonomous intrazonal detector devices, at least one of the energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices contains a set of at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors for measuring the neutron flux at the same axial locations in the nuclear reactor core, each of the said at least two energetically autonomous intrazone detectors includes a shell, a zone of the detector material inside the shell, an insulator between the shell and the detector material, and a neutron flux signal output line, wherein the neutron flux signal output lines of the said at least two energetically autonomous intrazonal detectors connected to each other to obtain a combined neutron flux signal, wherein said associated neutron flux signal output lines are connected to the same terminal from said neutron flux signal outputs of said assembly connector. 2. The detector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the zone of the detector material is the same detector material for all said at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors. 3. Detector assembly according to claim 2, in which the zone of the detector material has the same size and shape for all of the said at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors. 4. Detector assembly according to claim 1, in which said at least one of the energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices, containing a set of at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors, contains: the first energy-autonomous intrazone detector device, comprising a set of first energy-autonomous intrazonal detectors for measuring the neutron flux at a first axial location in the core of a nuclear reactor, and the neutron flux signal output lines of the first energy-autonomous detectors are connected to each other to obtain a first combined neutron flux signal for identifying the neutron flux of the active zone of the nuclear reactor at the specified first axial location; And the second energy-autonomous intrazone detector device, containing a set of second energy-autonomous intrazonal detectors for measuring the neutron flux at a second axial location in the nuclear reactor core, axially displaced from the specified first axial location, wherein the neutron flux signal output lines of the second energy-autonomous detectors are connected to each other with the other to obtain a second combined neutron flux signal to identify the neutron flux of the nuclear reactor core at said second axial location. 5. Detector assembly according to claim 4, wherein each of said first energy-free intrazone detectors includes an output wire extending from the detector material zone and transmitting a neutron flux signal to one of said neutron flux signal output lines, each of the said first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a background wire separated from the zone of the detector material by an insulator and transmitting the background signal to the first output line of the background signal, each of said second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes an output wire extending from the zone of the detector material and transmitting a neutron flux signal to one of the neutron flux signal output lines, each of the second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a background wire separated from the zone of the detector material by an insulator and transmitting the background signal to the second background signal output line. 6. Detector assembly according to claim 5, in which the first output lines of the background signal of the first energy-autonomous detectors are connected to each other to obtain the first combined background signal for the specified set of first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors and the second output lines of the background signal of the second energy-autonomous detectors are connected to each other with a friend to obtain a second combined background signal for the specified set of second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors. 7. The detector assembly of claim 6, wherein the connector includes a first first background output for outputting the first combined background signal and a second background signal output for outputting the second combined background signal. 8. The detector assembly of claim 7, wherein the connector includes two thermocouple leads and a collector lead electrically connected to the sheaths. 9. Detector assembly according to claim 4, also containing: a set of third energy-autonomous intrazone detectors at a third axial location, wherein the third neutron flux signal output lines of the third energy-autonomous detectors are connected to each other to obtain a third combined neutron flux signal for identifying the neutron flux of the nuclear reactor core at the third axial location; And a set of fourth energy-autonomous intrazone detectors at a fourth axial location offset along the axis from the third axial location, wherein the fourth neutron flux signal output lines of the fourth energy-autonomous detectors are connected to each other to obtain a fourth combined neutron flux signal for identifying the neutron flux of the nuclear reactor core at the fourth axial location; each of said third energy-autonomous intrazone detectors and fourth energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a respective shell, a detector material zone inside the shell, and an insulator between the shell and the detector material zone. 10. A method for forming a detector assembly for measuring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor, characterized in that placing several energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices in the nuclear reactor core, each of these devices is designed to measure the neutron flux in one axial location, correspondingly different for each device, from a plurality of axial locations in the nuclear reactor core; And the assembly connector is connected to the indicated energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices, while the assembly connector contains several neutron flux signal leads, each of which is connected to one of the energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices, and the assembly connector is configured to be connected to the power station connector, at least one of said energy-autonomous intrazonal detector devices comprises a set of at least two energy-autonomous intrazonal detectors for measuring the neutron flux at the same axial locations in the nuclear reactor core, each of said at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a shell, a detector material zone inside the shell, an insulator between the shell and the detector material, and a neutron flux signal output line, wherein said neutron flux signal output lines of said at least two energy-autonomous intrazonal the detectors are connected to each other to obtain a combined neutron flux signal, wherein said associated neutron flux signal output lines are connected to the same terminal from said neutron flux signal terminals of said assembly connector. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the zone of the detector material is the same detector material for all of said at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors. 12. The method of claim. 11, in which the zone of the material of the detector has the same size and shape for all of these at least two energy-autonomous intrazone detectors. 13. The method according to p. 12, in which the placement of these several energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices in the active zone of a nuclear reactor includes: placement of the first energy-autonomous intrazone detector device in the nuclear reactor core at the first axial location, while the first energy-autonomous intrazone detector device contains a set of the first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors designed to measure the neutron flux at the specified first axial location in the nuclear reactor core, wherein the output lines of the neutron flux signal of the first energetically autonomous detectors are connected to each other to obtain a first combined neutron flux signal to identify the neutron flux of the nuclear reactor core at the specified first axial location; And placement of the second energy-autonomous intrazone detector device in the core of a nuclear reactor in the second axial location, axially displaced from the specified first axial location, while the second energy-autonomous intrazone detector device contains a set of second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors for measuring the neutron flux in the second axial location , wherein the neutron flux signal output lines of the second energetically autonomous detectors are connected to each other to obtain a second combined neutron flux signal for identifying the neutron flux of the nuclear reactor core at said second axial location. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of said first energy-free intrazone detectors includes an output wire extending from a detector material zone and transmitting a neutron flux signal to one of said neutron flux signal output lines, each of the said first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a background wire separated from the zone of the detector material by an insulator and transmitting the background signal to the first output line of the background signal, each of said second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes an output wire extending from the zone of the detector material and transmitting a neutron flux signal to one of the neutron flux signal output lines, each of the second self-contained intrazone detectors includes a background wire separated from the zone of the detector material by an insulator and transmitting the background signal to the second output line of the background signal, the first output lines of the background signal of the first energetically autonomous detectors are connected to each other to obtain the first combined background signal for the specified set of the first energetically autonomous intrazone detectors and the second output lines of the background signal of the second energetically autonomous detectors are connected to each other to obtain the second combined background signal for the specified a set of the second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the connector includes a first first background output for outputting the first combined background signal and a second background signal output for outputting the second combined background signal. 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the connector includes two thermocouple leads and a collector lead electrically connected to the sheaths. 17. A method for replacing the first detector assembly for measuring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor with the second detector assembly for measuring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor, including operations on which: the first detector assembly is dismantled from the core of the nuclear reactor, the first detector assembly comprising: several first energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices, each of which is designed to measure the neutron flux at one axial location, correspondingly different for each device, from a plurality of axial locations in the core of a nuclear reactor; And a first assembly connector configured to be connected to a power plant connector, wherein the first assembly connector comprises several first neutron flux signal terminals, each of which is connected to one of the first energy-autonomous intrazonal detector devices, at least one of the first energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices contains a set of at least two first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors for measuring the neutron flux at the same axial locations in the nuclear reactor core, each of the said at least two first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a shell, a detector material zone inside the shell, an insulator between the shell and the detector material, and a neutron flux signal output line, wherein the neutron flux signal output lines of the at least two first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors are connected to each other to obtain a combined neutron flux signal, wherein said associated neutron flux signal output lines are connected to the same output from said neutron flux signal outputs of said assembly connector, dismantling the first detector assembly from the core of the nuclear reactor includes disconnecting the connector of the first assembly from the electrical connector of the power plant; a second detector assembly is installed in the nuclear reactor core instead of the first detector assembly, the second detector assembly comprising: a plurality of second power-sustained intrazone detector devices, each of which is designed to measure the neutron flux at one axial location, correspondingly different for each device, from a plurality of axial locations in the nuclear reactor core; And a connector of the second assembly configured to be connected to the connector of the power plant, wherein the connector of the second assembly contains several second outputs of the neutron flux signal, each of which is connected to one of the second energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices, at least one of the second energy-autonomous intrazone detector devices contains a set of at least two second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors for measuring the neutron flux at the same axial locations in the nuclear reactor core, each of the said at least two second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors includes a shell, a detector material zone inside the shell, an insulator between the shell and the detector material, and a neutron flux signal output line, wherein the neutron flux signal output lines of the said at least two second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors are connected to each other to obtain a combined neutron flux signal, wherein said associated neutron flux signal output lines are connected to the same output from said neutron flux signal outputs of said assembly connector, installation of the second detector assembly in the core of the nuclear reactor includes attaching the connector of the second assembly to the electrical connector of the power plant. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the detector material zones of the first energy-free intra-zone detectors are formed from a first material, and the detector material zones of the second energy-autonomous intra-zone detectors are formed from a second material different from the first material. 19. The method according to claim 17, in which the set of first energy-autonomous intrazone detectors has a first number of detectors, and the set of second energy-autonomous intrazone detectors has a second number of detectors different from the first number. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the connector of the first assembly and the connector of the second assembly have the same number of pins.