Fission-powered in-core thermoacoustic sensor

Steven L. Garrett, James A. Smith, Robert W.M. Smith, Brenden J. Heidrich, Michael D. Heibel

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    11 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    A thermoacoustic engine is operated within the core of a nuclear reactor to acoustically telemeter coolant temperature (frequency-encoded) and reactor power level (amplitude-encoded) outside the reactor, thus providing the values of these important parameters without external electrical power or wiring. We present data from two hydrophones in the coolant (far from the core) and an accelerometer attached to a structure outside the reactor. These signals have been detected even in the presence of substantial background noise generated by the reactor's fluid pumps.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Article number144102
    JournalApplied Physics Letters
    Volume108
    Issue number14
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Apr 4 2016

    All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

    • Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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