Localization of a neutron flux increase source in the nuclear reactor using the signal of the under-core detectors by solving a system of non-linear equations

The algorithm of localization of an irregular neutron flux source in the core of the nuclear reactor is suggested. The algorithm allows determining the position of the neutron flux source using the signals of the three or more nearest to the source detectors. The detectors are fission chambers distributed under the bottom of the core. The problem is solved in the two dimensional approximation. The algorithm is based on the experimentally obtained functional connection between the camera signal and the distance to the source of the flux increase. A system of equations in three unknowns is formed of the three equations describing cameras signals. The system is solved by numerical computations. The algorithm was implemented in the program in the C++ language. The results obtained during the experiments carried out on the reactor in the years 2007-2008 when local increases of the reactivity were generated were used as the input data for measuring the accuracy of the algorithm.

nuclear reactor, localization, neutron flux, algorithm, power flux