United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Christopher J Caldwell-Nichols

Alexander Thomson

Peter F Roach

A plumb bob (11) having an upwardly extending tube (12) is located in a support tube (10) having grooves (20) in which are laid sheathed cables (22). The support tube (10) has windows (21) across groups of which pass the bare conductor elements (23) of the cables (22). The upwardly extending tube (12) forms an energizing electrode and the bare conductor elements (23) form two pairs of orthogonally disposed electrodes (30) capacitatively related to the electrode formed by the upwardly extending tube (12). Horizontal movement of the support (10), and hence any structure in which it is located, creates a capacitative charge between the electrodes which allows the movement to be measured in magnitude and direction. The apparatus has one application to the measurement of horizontal movement in a liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor.

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Abingdon, United Kingdom

Christopher J Caldwell-Nichols