Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

Emre Tatli

Jorge V Carvajal

Jeffrey T Dederer

Jeffrey L Arndt

Shawn C Stafford

Melissa M Heagy

Cory A Stansbury

John R Abel, Ii

Timothy M Lloyd

Cenk Guler

Baofu Lu

Jorge V Caravajal

John R Abel Ii

A nuclear fuel rod includes a cladding comprising an interior region. A pressure transmission apparatus is configured to measure pressure in the interior region. Fuel pellets and a resonant electrical circuit are in the interior region. The resonant electrical circuit is configured to generate a pulse that travels wirelessly from the interior region through the cladding. A frequency of the pulse varies based on pressure measured by the pressure transmission apparatus. The frequency of the pulse is indicative of the pressure within the interior region.

Detection apparatus comprising a resonant electrical circuit located within a nuclear fuel rod

A nuclear system. The nuclear system includes a fuel rod for use in a nuclear reactor. The fuel rod includes a cladding comprising an interior region, unspent fuel pellets housed in the interior region of the cladding, and a resonant electrical circuit supported within the interior region of the cladding. The resonant electrical circuit is configured to receive an excitation pulse through the cladding, and responsive to the received excitation pulse, generate a response pulse in the form of a magnetic field signal that is structured to travel wirelessly from the interior region and through the cladding. The nuclear system also includes a receiver positioned outside of the cladding and within the nuclear reactor. The receiver is configured to receive the response pulse and generate an output based on the received response pulse.

A detection apparatus includes a resonant electrical circuit supported within an interior of a nuclear fuel rod generates a response pulse in response to an excitation pulse and transmits the response pulse through a cladding of the fuel rod to another location within a reactor in which the fuel rod is housed and without any breach in the cladding. A characteristic of the response pulse is indicative of a condition of the fuel rod. The detection apparatus also includes a transmitter positioned outside the cladding, in the reactor, in the vicinity of the fuel rod and configured to generate the excitation pulse and transmit the excitation pulse through the cladding to the resonant electrical circuit. A receiver is supported within the reactor outside of the cladding and, in response to the response pulse, communicates a signal to an electronic processing apparatus outside of the reactor.

Detection apparatus usable in a nuclear reactor, and associated method

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Pasadena, CA, United States of America

Emre Tatli