UChicago Argonne, LLC

The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Energy

Arch Development Corporation

U.S. Department of Energy

Richard B Vilim

Raymond T Klann

Tat Nghia Nguyen

Roberto Ponciroli

Stephan W Wegerich

Kenneth C Gross

Alexander Heifetz

Humberto Enrique Garcia

Young Soo Park

Haoyu Wang

Sergio De La Barrera

Frederick W Chen

A method for determining an optimal sensor set includes identifying a set of possible faults of a thermal hydraulic system and a set of diagnostic objectives. The method also includes obtaining descriptions of sensor sets, which includes: receiving a first description of a first sensor set, and generating, based on the first description, a second description of a second sensor set. The method further includes, for each sensor set: determining a diagnostic capability of the sensor set, and calculating a score of the particular sensor set based on the particular description and the diagnostic capability, wherein a score of a sensor set is increased by a monetary cost of the sensor set and decreased by the sensor set meeting a diagnostic objective. The method also includes identifying the optimal sensor set that has a lowest score of the sensor sets, and displaying an indication of the optimal sensor set.

Physics-constrained sensor assignment optimization method for thermal hydraulic systems

A method for diagnosing faults includes receiving a description of a component of a thermal hydraulic system, where the description also indicates one or more sensors of the component. The method also includes constructing, based on a physical conservation law and using the description, a physics-based model describing operation of the component, the physics-based model including one or more unknown parameters. The method further includes calibrating the physics-based model by calculating the one or more unknown parameters using historical measurements to produce a calibrated model. Further, the method includes receiving sensor measurements captured by the one or more sensors, and calculating residuals corresponding to differences between measurements predicted by the calibrated model and the sensor measurements. The method also includes determining, based on the calculated residuals, a fault of the component or of a sensor of the one or more sensors, and generating an alert indicating the fault.

Physics-constrained fault diagnosis framework for monitoring a standalone component of a thermal hydraulic system

A method for diagnosing faults includes receiving a system description of a thermal hydraulic system, the system description indicating a plurality of components and sensors. The method also includes constructing, based on physical conservations laws and using the system description, a plurality of physics-based models for the plurality of components, each of the plurality of physics-based models including unknown parameters. The method further includes receiving historical measurements and calibrating the physics-based models by calculating the unknown parameters of each of the physics-based models using the historical measurements to produce calibrated models. The method also includes receiving sensor measurements of the sensors, and calculating residuals corresponding to differences between measurements predicted by the plurality of calibrated models and the sensor measurements. The method also includes determining, based on the calculated residuals, a fault of a component or a sensor, and generating an alert indicating the fault.

Physics-constrained fault diagnosis framework for monitoring a multi-component thermal hydraulic system

The invention relates to a nuclear plant in which the power of a nuclear reactor is controlled via demand of a connected electric grid. A naturally circulating nuclear reactor coolant loop is linked to a water/steam loop by means of a steam generator. The water/steam loop consists of an electric power generating unit and a water recirculating and steam control system. The generator is coupled to an external power grid. As power requirements of the grid change, a controller linked to the generator and a three way valve divides steam flow between the expansion turbine and a feedwater heater to boost or retard the power output. Altering the steam flow changes the pressure and temperature in the water/steam system and thus the coolant flow rate. The change in coolant flow allows the reactor core to regulate its reactivity to reach a state of equilibrium to the demand for electric power.

System for the highly autonomous operation of a modular liquid-metal reactor with steam cycle

A method and system for performing transient multivariable sensor evaluation. The method and system includes a computer system for identifying a model form, providing training measurement data, generating a basis vector, monitoring system data from sensor, loading the system data in a non-transient memory, performing an estimation to provide desired data and comparing the system data to the desired data and outputting an alarm for a defective sensor.

Transient multivariable sensor evaluation

A system and method for determining the shielding thickness of a detected radiation source. The gamma ray spectrum of a radiation detector is utilized to estimate the shielding between the detector and the radiation source. The determination of the shielding may be used to adjust the information from known source-localization techniques to provide improved performance and accuracy of locating the source of radiation.

Method and system for determining radiation shielding thickness and gamma-ray energy

A system and method for determining a probability of the location of an illicit radiation source within an environment based on directional detectors. An embodiment includes a plurality of directional radiation detectors distributed about the environment and integrated with a processing unit adapted to determine the probability of the source location based on the radiation count data received from the plurality of detectors. The processing unit is further adapted to output information indicative of the location of the radiation source within the environment.

Source localization using multiple units of a tight-pitched detector array

A system for detecting unsecured nuclear materials. Whereas current portal monitors rely in part on physical prominence to deter materials from entering the country, their application at intra-modal transport points may actually serve to divert the movement of nuclear materials rather than aid in interception. A flexible and low-profile system has been developed for unobtrusive detection and tracking of radioactive sources in transit suited for deployment at traffic choke points such as rest stops, toll collection plazas, truck stops, and bridges. The system includes gamma radiation detectors, networking for linking these detectors, signal processing algorithms, and a central processing and control unit.

Tracking of moving radioactive sources

An apparatus and method for monitoring a process involve development and application of a statistically qualified neuro-analytic (SQNA) model to accurately and reliably identify process change. The development of the SQNA model is accomplished in two stages: deterministic model adaption and stochastic model modification of the deterministic model adaptation. Deterministic model adaption involves formulating an analytic model of the process representing known process characteristics, augmenting the analytic model with a neural network that captures unknown process characteristics, and training the resulting neuro-analytic model by adjusting the neural network weights according to a unique scaled equation error minimization technique. Stochastic model modification involves qualifying any remaining uncertainty in the trained neuro-analytic model by formulating a likelihood function, given an error propagation equation, for computing the probability that the neuro-analytic model generates measured process output. Preferably, the developed SQNA model is validated using known sequential probability ratio tests and applied to the process as an on-line monitoring system. Illustrative of the method and apparatus, the method is applied to a peristaltic pump system.

Statistically qualified neuro-analytic failure detection method and system

A method and system for performing surveillance of transient signals of an industrial device to ascertain the operating state. The method and system involves the steps of reading into a memory training data, determining neural network weighting values until achieving target outputs close to the neural network output. If the target outputs are inadequate, wavelet parameters are determined to yield neural network outputs close to the desired set of target outputs and then providing signals characteristic of an industrial process and comparing the neural network output to the industrial process signals to evaluate the operating state of the industrial process.

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Aurora, IL, United States of America

Richard B Vilim