Nuclear reactor scram control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10224120-B2
Application number	US-201514960769-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2015
Priority date	Dec 7, 2015
Publication date	Mar 5, 2019
Grant date	Mar 5, 2019

Abstract

A nuclear reactor scram control system for a nuclear reactor includes a solenoid pilot valve (SSPV). The SSPV includes a solenoid indicator light electrically coupled to an SSPV solenoid of the SSPV. The solenoid indicator light may be selectively activated based on an energization state of the SSPV solenoid, thereby providing an immediate and visually observable indication of the SSPV energization state. The immediate and visually observable indication of the SSPV energization state may enable quicker and more reliable verification of SSPV solenoid energization state. As a result, operator radiation exposure associated with verification may be reduced, and a risk of inadvertent nuclear reactor scram based on a de-energized SSPV solenoid may be reduced, thus streamlined nuclear reactor operations.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A nuclear reactor scram control system, comprising:
a scram solenoid pilot valve (SSPV) including a plurality of SSPV solenoids and a plurality of power terminals, the plurality of power terminals configured to be coupled to separate power supplies, the plurality of SSPV solenoids electrically coupled to separate, respective power terminals of the plurality of power terminals, each SSPV solenoid of the plurality of SSPV solenoids configured to be energized or de-energized based on whether electrical power is supplied from an electrically coupled power terminal of the plurality of power terminals to the SSPV solenoid, the SSPV configured to actuate to permit a working fluid to pass through the SSPV to cause a control rod to be inserted into a nuclear reactor core based at least in part upon whether the plurality of SSPV solenoids are commonly energized or de-energized; and
a plurality of solenoid indicator lights mounted directly to a housing of the SSPV, the plurality of solenoid indicator lights electrically coupled to separate, respective SSPV solenoids of the plurality of SSPV solenoids and the separate, respective power terminals electrically coupled to the separate, respective SSPV solenoids, such that each separate solenoid indicator light of the plurality of solenoid indicator lights is configured to selectively activate based on whether electrical power is supplied from a separate, coupled power terminal of the plurality of power terminals to a separate, coupled SSPV solenoid of the plurality of SSPV solenoids.

2. The nuclear reactor scram control system of claim 1 , the SSPV further including
a direct current rectifier coupled in series with the SSPV solenoid of the plurality of SSPV solenoids to one power terminal of the plurality of power terminals that is electrically coupled to one SSPV solenoid, the direct current rectifier configured to convert AC electrical power received from one power terminal to direct current (DC) electrical power and supply the DC electrical power to the SSPV solenoid.

3. The nuclear reactor scram control system of claim 2 , wherein
the SSPV includes an instance of circuitry electrically coupled to the SSPV solenoid of the plurality of SSPV solenoids, and
the nuclear reactor scram control system further includes at least one circuit indicator light mounted directly to the housing of the SSPV and electrically coupled to the instance of circuitry, the at least one circuit indicator light configured to selectively activate based at least in part upon a fault state of the instance of circuitry.

4. The nuclear reactor scram control system of claim 3 , wherein the instance of circuitry includes an instance of voltage reduction circuitry, the instance of voltage reduction circuitry configured to reduce a voltage of DC electrical power supplied to the SSPV solenoid.

5. The nuclear reactor scram control system of claim 1 , wherein each solenoid indicator light of the plurality of solenoid indicator lights includes at least one light emitting diode (LED).

6. A method, comprising:
configuring a scram solenoid pilot valve (SSPV) including a plurality of SSPV solenoids to provide a visible indication of an energization state of SSPV solenoid of the plurality of SSPV solenoids of the SSPV, the SSPV including a plurality of power terminals, the plurality of power terminals configured to be coupled to a separate power supplies, the plurality of SSPV solenoids electrically coupled to separate, respective power terminals of the plurality of power terminals, each SSPV solenoid of the plurality of SSPV solenoids configured to be energized or de-energized based on whether electrical power is supplied from an electrically coupled power terminal of the plurality of power terminals to the SSPV solenoid, the SSPV configured to actuate to permit a working fluid to pass through the SSPV to cause a control rod to be inserted into a nuclear reactor core based at least in part upon whether the plurality of SSPV solenoids are commonly energized or de-energized, the configuring including,
mounting a plurality of solenoid indicator lights directly to a housing of the SSPV and electrically coupling the plurality of solenoid indicator lights to separate, respective SSPV solenoids of the plurality of SSPV solenoids and the separate, respective power terminals electrically coupled to the separate, respective SSPV solenoids, such that each separate solenoid indicator light of the plurality of solenoid indicator lights is configured to selectively activate based on whether electrical power is supplied from a separate, coupled power terminal of the plurality of power terminals to a separate, coupled SSPV solenoid of the plurality of SSPV solenoids.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
electrically coupling a direct current (DC) rectifier in series with the SSPV solenoid of the plurality of SSPV solenoids to one power terminal of the plurality of power terminals that is electrically coupled to the one SSPV solenoid, to configure one SSPV solenoid to be energized via DC electrical power.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein,
the SSPV includes an instance of circuitry electrically coupled to the SSPV solenoid of the plurality of SSPV solenoids; and
the method includes configuring the SSPV to provide a visible indication of a fault state of the instance of circuitry, the configuring including mounting at least one circuit indicator light directly to the housing of the SSPV and electrically coupling the at least one circuit indicator light to the instance of circuitry, such that the at least one circuit indicator light is configured to selectively activate based at least in part upon the fault state of the instance of circuitry.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the instance of circuitry includes an instance of voltage reduction circuitry, the instance of voltage reduction circuitry configured to reduce a voltage of DC electrical power supplied to the SSPV solenoid.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein each solenoid indicator light of the plurality of solenoid indicator lights includes a light emitting diode (LED).

11. A method for operating a scram solenoid pilot valve (SSPV), the method comprising:
electrically coupling a plurality of SSPV solenoids included in the SSPV to a separate, respective power supplies of a plurality of power supplies via separate, respective power terminals of a plurality of power terminals, such that the each SSPV solenoid of the plurality of SSPV solenoids is configured to be energized or de-energized based on whether electrical power is supplied from an electrically coupled power supply of the plurality of power supplies to the SSPV solenoid via an electrically coupled power terminal of the plurality of power terminals, the SSPV is configured to actuate to permit a working fluid to pass through the SSPV to cause a control rod to be inserted into a nuclear reactor core based at least in part upon whether the plurality of SSPV solenoids are commonly energized or de-energized; and
selectively activating a solenoid indicator light of a plurality of solenoid indicator lights mounted directly to a housing of the SSPV and electrically coupled to separate, respective SSPV solenoids and separate, respective power terminals of the plurality of power terminals that are electrically coupled to the separate, respective SSPV solenoids, the selectively activating is based on whether the electrical power is supplied from a power supply of the plurality of power supplies to a SSPV solenoid of the plurality of SSPV solenoids that is electrically coupled to the solenoid indicator light.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein,
each solenoid

Assignees

• Bass John Robert
• BAHENSKY Ted Gordon
• MIERS Sean Wilson
• Ayer Robert A
• Ge Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas Llc

Inventors

• Bass John Robert
• BAHENSKY Ted Gordon
• MIERS Sean Wilson
• Ayer Robert A

Classifications

• F16K37/0041

  for measuring valve parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G21C9/02

  Means for effecting very rapid reduction of the reactivity factor under fault conditions, e.g. reactor fuse; {Control elements having arrangements activated in an emergency}(control elements per se G21C7/00) · CPC title

• G21C7/16 Primary

  Hydraulic or pneumatic drive · CPC title

• G21D3/06

  responsive to faults within the plant (in the reactor G21C9/00) · CPC title

• G21C17/10

  Structural combination of fuel element, control rod, reactor core, or moderator structure with sensitive instruments, e.g. for measuring radioactivity, strain · CPC title