Patent ID: 9640284
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: G21C,G21D,Y02E

Claim:
1. A method of controlling a nuclear reactor shutdown system, the method comprising: detecting a first neutron flux within a core of the reactor with a first sensor, the first sensor providing a first output signal representing the first neutron flux; detecting a second neutron flux within the core of the reactor with a second sensor, the second sensor providing a second output signal representing the second neutron flux; processing at least the first output signal and the second output signal into at least a first measured flux signal and a second measured flux signal with a signal processing device, the first measured flux signal and the second measured flux signal each representing a percentage of a reactor power; calculating an average flux signal from the first measured flux signal and the second measured flux signal with an averaging module; calculating a second derivative of the average flux signal with a rate module, the rate module outputting an average flux acceleration signal representing a percentage of reactor power per unit of time, per unit of time; comparing the average flux acceleration signal to an acceleration signal setpoint with a comparator module, the comparator module outputting a trip signal if the average flux acceleration signal is greater than the acceleration signal setpoint; and introducing one selected from a group consisting of a neutron-absorbing solution and neutron-absorbing rods into the core of the reactor in response to the trip signal being outputted, wherein processing the first output signal and the second output signal includes processing at least a first linear output signal and a second linear output signal into at least a first linear measured flux signal and a second linear measured flux signal with a signal processing device, the first linear measured flux signal and the second measured linear flux signal each representing a linear percentage of a reactor power.