Non-invasive liquid metal flow measurement in liquid metal fuel assemblies, reactor coolant pumps, and test cartridges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023154635-A1
Application number	US-202117454920-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 15, 2021
Priority date	Nov 15, 2021
Publication date	May 18, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A non-invasive eddy current flow meter embedded into a coolant channel for measuring the coolant flow velocity of liquid metal coolant in a nuclear reactor. The eddy current flow meter measures the coolant flow velocity in pool-type nuclear reactors and narrow coolant channels without creating bottlenecks that impede the coolant flow within the nuclear reactors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A coolant channel flow meter for measuring the velocity of liquid metal coolant comprising:
a primary coil communicably coupled to a constant current alternating current generator; a first secondary coil; a second secondary coil; a coolant channel comprising:
the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil embedded into a cladding walls of the coolant channel, wherein the primary coil is positioned between the first secondary coil and the second secondary coil, and wherein the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil are configured in a recessed position into the cladding wall;
an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield embedded in the cladding wall, wherein the EMI shield is configured as a continuous barrier between the cladding wall and the exterior circumferential edge of the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil; and
a hollow center channel configured to pass liquid metal coolant through a center defined by the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil;
a control circuit communicably coupled to the primary coil, the first secondary coil, and the second secondary, wherein the control circuit is configured to:
generate a constant current alternating current in the primary coil;
determine a voltage difference and a phase difference between the first secondary coil and second secondary coil; and
determine a velocity of the liquid metal coolant based on the voltage difference and the phase difference between the first secondary coil and second secondary coil, and the liquid metal coolant composition.

2 . The coolant channel flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the recessed position of the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil does not protrude into the coolant channel.

3 . The coolant channel flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the hollow center channel is an inlet for a fuel assembly nozzle.

4 . A test cartridge flow meter for measuring the velocity of test cartridge liquid metal coolant comprising:
a primary coil communicably coupled to a constant current alternating current generator; a first secondary coil; a second secondary coil; a propeller drive motor configured to actuate a propeller; a coolant channel comprising:
the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil embedded into a cladding walls of the coolant channel, wherein the primary coil is positioned between the first secondary coil and the second secondary coil, and wherein the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil are configured in a recessed position into the cladding wall;
an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield embedded in the cladding wall, wherein the EMI shield is configured as a continuous barrier between the cladding wall and the exterior circumferential edge of the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil; and
a hollow center channel configured to allow test cartridge liquid metal coolant to pass through a center defined by the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil;
a control circuit communicably coupled to the primary coil, the first secondary coil, and the second secondary, and the control circuit is configured to:
engage the propeller drive motor according to a predetermined coolant velocity;
generate a constant current alternating current in the primary coil;
determine a voltage differential and a phase differential between the first secondary coil and second secondary coil; and
determine a velocity of the liquid metal coolant based on the voltage differential and the phase differential between the first secondary coil and second secondary coil, and the liquid metal coolant composition.

5 . The test cartridge flow meter of claim 4 , wherein the test cartridge liquid metal coolant is a different metal composition than main reactor liquid metal coolant, and wherein the test cartridge liquid metal coolant and the main reactor liquid metal coolant are separated by a separation barrier.

6 . The test cartridge flow meter of claim 4 , wherein control circuit is further configured to determine the test cartridge liquid metal coolant velocity and adjust the motor speed to achieve the predetermined coolant velocity.

7 . A system for measuring the flow of liquid metal coolant in a pool-type nuclear reactor, the system comprising:
a pool-type nuclear reactor comprising a plurality of submerged coolant channels, the plurality of submerged coolant channels comprising one or more coolant channel flow meters; the one or more coolant channel flow meters comprising:
a primary coil communicably coupled to a constant current alternating current generator;
a first secondary coil; and
a second secondary coil;
a first coolant channel flow meter configured to measure a coolant flow at a first submerged coolant channel, the first submerged coolant channels comprising:
the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil embedded into a cladding walls of the first submerged coolant channel, wherein the primary coil is positioned between the first secondary coil and the second secondary coil, and wherein the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil are configured in a recessed position into the cladding wall;
an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield embedded in the cladding wall, wherein the EMI shield is configured as a continuous barrier between the cladding wall and the exterior circumferential edge of the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil; and
a hollow center channel configured to pass liquid metal coolant through a center defined by the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil;
a control circuit communicably coupled to the primary coil, the first secondary coil, and the second secondary, wherein the control circuit is configured to:
generate a constant current alternating current in the primary coil;
determine a voltage difference and a phase difference between the first secondary coil and second secondary coil; and
determine a velocity of the liquid metal coolant based on the voltage difference and the phase difference between the first secondary coil and second secondary coil, and the liquid metal coolant composition.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the recessed position of the first secondary coil, the primary coil, and the second secondary coil does not protrude into the first submerged coolant channel.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the hollow center channel is an inlet for a fuel assembly nozzle.

10 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a second coolant channel flow meter configured to measure the coolant flow at a second submerged coolant channel.

11 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a second coolant channel flow meter configured to measure the coolant flow at a test cartridge.

Assignees

• Westinghouse Electric Co Llc

Inventors

• Arndt Jeffrey L
• Ferroni Paolo
• Stansbury Cory A

Classifications

• G21C17/022

  for monitoring liquid coolants or moderators · CPC title

• G01F1/588

  combined constructions of electrodes, coils or magnetic circuits, accessories therefor · CPC title

• Y02E30/30

  Nuclear fission reactors · CPC title

• H05K9/0081

  Electromagnetic shielding materials, e.g. EMI, RFI shielding (H05K9/0003 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G21C17/032 Primary

  Reactor-coolant flow measuring or monitoring {(measuring volume or mass flow in general G01F)} · CPC title