Advanced Small Modular Reactors (aSMRs) promise sustainable, economically viable, safe, reliable, proliferation resistant, and carbon neutral energy sources. These designs also represent a revolutionary advancement in sustainability and their small modular size significantly departs from the massive scale of past nuclear power generation systems. Operation temperatures within aSMR designs are significantly higher than inside conventional reactors, and hence will require new instrumentation and control architectures for plant operation and management. In-vessel reactor sensing and monitoring will require understanding and overcoming the significant technical challenges presented by extremes of high temperature, pressures, corrosive environments, and radiation flux. The future viability of aSMRs depends on solutions to this problem.Optical-based sensing, measurement, and process control has a long history in extreme environment applications. We review the feasibility of using optical sensing technology for in-vessel aSMRs measurements. Current technology gaps are identified and enabling engineering solutions and materials advancements are considered.

Optical measurement technologies for advanced small modular reactors

245th National Meeting (2013)

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