Patent ID: 11862350
Assignee: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY LLC
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  Y | IPC G

Claim 14:
15. A system for monitoring a position of a control rod disposed in a nuclear reactor vessel disposed in a radioactive environment, the system comprising:
a data processing unit located outside a containment structure, the data processing unit comprising a processor coupled to a memory storing executable instructions;
a nuclear reactor vessel located inside the containment structure;
a plurality of control rods disposed in the nuclear reactor vessel;
a coil stack comprising a plurality of control rod position indicator coils, wherein the coil stack is located proximate to the control rod disposed in the nuclear reactor vessel;
a data cabinet mounted on the nuclear reactor vessel head inside the containment structure, the data cabinet comprising:
an analog multiplexer; and
a communication circuit coupled to the analog multiplexer and the processor;

wherein when executed by the processor the executable instructions cause the processor to:
(a) select a control rod position indicator coil arranged in a coil stack through the analog multiplexer;
(b) pass an analog signal from the control rod position indicator coil through the analog multiplexer;
(c) receive the analog signal from the analog multiplexer through the communication circuit; and
(d) determine a position of the control rod based on the received analog signal.