Integrated monitoring method for nuclear device and system using the same

• US 20080069290A1
• Filed: 08/15/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (Government of The Republic of Korea)
• Original Assignee: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (Government of The Republic of Korea)
• Inventors: Park, Jin-Ho, Choi, Young-Chul, Yoon, Doo-Byung, Son, Chang-Ho, Koo, In-Soo
• Application Number:
  US11/889,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20080069290A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 376/259
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 17/00 Monitoring; Testing measuring in general G01; Maintaining
• CPC Class Codes: G21D 3/008 Man-machine interface, e.g. control room layout
• CPC Class Codes: G21D 3/04 Safety arrangements emergency protection of reactor G21C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/00 Energy generation of nuclear origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

An integrated monitoring method and a system using the same which can monitor structural integrity or an operating state of a nuclear device are provided. One integrated analysis unit receives a plurality of signals in order to integrate, mutually exchange, and analyze from a plurality of heterogeneous sensors installed in the nuclear device. The integrated analysis unit may notify an operator with an alarm since an alarm unit may be adhered to the integrated analysis unit. Accordingly, the present invention may provide accurate, useful, and various information due to integration of the sensor signal while not increasing a number of installed sensors, manufacture a simulator by generating a database of the sensor signals, or use a past signal as data for an optimum design by researching and analyzing the past signal.

Claims

1. An integrated monitoring system for a nuclear device which performs power generation, material extraction, or a test by using nuclear energy, the system comprising:

a sensor unit including a plurality of sensor modules being adhered to the nuclear device and sensing a heterogeneous signal;

an integrated signal acquisition unit being connected with the sensor unit and acquiring a measured signals; and

an integrated analysis unit being connected with the integrated signal acquisition unit, mutually exchanging the heterogeneous signal, and analyzing the heterogeneous signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises:

a first sensor module detecting an impact wave due to a foreign substance in an internal system of the nuclear device;

a second sensor module detecting a leak or a crack in the system;

a third sensor module detecting a natural frequencies of vibrations of an internal structure of a nuclear reactor of the nuclear device; and

a fourth sensor module detecting an abnormal vibration state of a frame and rotating shaft of a coolant pump in the nuclear device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first sensor module is a vibration sensor installed in an outside of a pressure boundary of the nuclear device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the second module is an acoustic detection sensor corresponding to an Acoustic Emission (AE) sensor installed in an outside of a pressure boundary of the nuclear device.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the third sensor module detects the natural frequencies of vibrations of the internal structure of the nuclear reactor by analyzing a noise signal component of a neutron detector.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the fourth sensor module is a vibration sensor and non-contact displacement sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit measures a vibration of the nuclear device, and frequency ranges measured by each sensor are different.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an alarm unit notifying an operator of an alarm when a numerical value in the integrated analysis unit is greater than or equal to a predetermined numerical value.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the alarm unit provides at least one of an audible warning signal and a visible warning signal for an operator.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the integrated analysis unit includes an auxiliary memory medium, and generates a database of the analyzed or measurement signals.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a number of the integrated signal acquisition units and a number of the integrated analysis units are equal to a number of sensor units, and the signal received from the integrated signal acquisition unit is respectively provided for a plurality of integrated analysis units.

12. An integrated monitoring method of a nuclear device, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of sensor modules sensing a heterogeneous signal for the nuclear device which performs power generation, material extraction, or a test by using nuclear energy;

acquiring a plurality of signals generated from the plurality of sensor modules;

notifying, by an alarm, when a numerical value of any one of the plurality of signals is greater than a predetermined numerical value; and

exchanging and analyzing the plurality of signals.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing provides a first sensor module detecting an impact wave due to a foreign substance in an internal system of the nuclear device;

a second sensor module detecting a leak or a crack in the system;

a third sensor module detecting a natural frequencies of vibrations of an internal structure of a nuclear reactor of the nuclear device; and

a fourth sensor module detecting an abnormal vibration state of a frame and rotating shaft of a coolant pump in the nuclear device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of sensor modules measures a vibration of the nuclear device, and frequency ranges measured by each sensor are different.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the notifying provides at least one of an audible warning signal and a visible warning signal for an operator.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the exchanging and analyzing further comprises:

generating a database of the analyzed signal or measured signal.