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

• Main Authors: Abel, II, John R, Carvajal, Jorge V, Arndt, Jeffrey L, Tatli, Emre, Stafford, Shawn C, Heagy, Melissa M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.11.2023
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER,MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING; NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR REACTORS; PHYSICS; SELECTING; TESTING

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.