ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Robotics & Remote Systems
The Mission of the Robotics and Remote Systems Division is to promote the development and application of immersive simulation, robotics, and remote systems for hazardous environments for the purpose of reducing hazardous exposure to individuals, reducing environmental hazards and reducing the cost of performing work.
Meeting Spotlight
2024 ANS Annual Conference
June 16–19, 2024
Las Vegas, NV|Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
Apr 2024
Jan 2024
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
June 2024
Nuclear Technology
May 2024
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
NRC wants input on Hermes 2 test reactor construction permit
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is seeking input on its draft environmental assessment and draft finding of no significant impact for Kairos Power’s application to build the Hermes 2 test reactor facility in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
D. N. Fry, R. C. Kryter, M. V. Mathis, J. E. Mott, J. C. Robinson
Nuclear Technology | Volume 43 | Number 1 | April 1979 | Pages 42-54
Techinical paper | Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT79-A16173
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Noise analysis was used to investigate in-core instrument tube vibrations in boiling water reactor-4 (BWR-4)-type reactors. Neutron noise signals from in-core fission chambers and acoustic noise signals from externally mounted accelerometers were used in these studies. The results show that neutron noise can be used to detect vibration and, more important, impacting of instrument tubes against adjacent fuel channel boxes. Externally mounted accelerometers detect impacting but not rubbing of instrument tubes against fuel channel boxes. Accelerometers can monitor impacting only on the particular instrument tube where the accelerometer is mounted. Surveillance for instrument tube impacts can be accomplished using standard BWR-4 in-core power range neutron flux detectors at all instrument tube locations containing these detectors. Ex-vessel accelerometers can then be used to monitor instrument tubes that lack power range neutron flux detectors. However, noise on axial flux profiles obtained with movable in-core detectors is not a reliable indicator of impacting because the recorder used to plot the flux profiles does not respond adequately to the noise frequency generated by impacting. Neutron noise signatures show that modification of the bypass cooling by plugging preexisting holes and drilling new holes in the fuel assembly lower tie plate greatly reduces instrument tube vibration and eliminates impacting of instrument tubes against fuel boxes.