Gravity-based, non-invasive reactor system and method for coolant inventory monitoring

Abstract

A gravity-based, non-invasive method of measuring a level of fluid in a container comprises use of at least one gravity meter located as proximate a center of mass of the fluid as possible. In a nuclear reactor system a method for monitoring the level of fluid in a nuclear reactor module, a report of a loss or gain of fluid within a cylindrical module may be generated from capturing a time series of gravity data from a first gravity meter mounted as an upper gravity meter and a second gravity meter mounted as a lower gravity meter, for example, proximate a cylindrical nuclear reactor module so as not to require any invasive conduit through, for example, a containment pressure vessel (CPV) or a reactor pressure vessel (RPV). In one embodiment, the upper and lower gravity meters are mounted on stable mounts as close to the fluid in the module as possible within a coolant pool or a structure containing cooled air. If a coolant pool of water surrounds a nuclear reactor module, the meters may be housed within a dry housing in the coolant pool such that the meters may be accessed from above the coolant pool and are located as close as possible to the reactor module and its contained mass of fluid.