The article presents the results of theoretical and experimental studies of methods for measuring the coolant level in relation to promising fast neutron reactor installations with a heavy liquid metal coolant (lead coolant and lead-bismuth eutectic alloy) having an integrated layout, as well as bench and experimental circulation and static installations. This review shows the insufficient reliability and accuracy of existing methods and instruments.
The team of authors proposed promising methods for measuring the level of lead or lead-bismuth coolant for the conditions of the circulation circuits of reactor and bench installations.
A number of experimental studies have been carried out to confirm the use of the reflex-radar method for measuring the lead and lead-bismuth coolants level in a container with sufficient simplicity of the method and its implementation. At the same time, it is planned to carry out work on the development and manufacture of a prototype and its development on a circulation stand with lead-bismuth coolant during resource tests, close to the conditions of a real reactor plant.
A method of float-discrete measurement of the heavy liquid metal coolant level using sealed magnetically controlled contacts as sensitive elements registering the level in the magnetic field of a permanent magnet on the surface of a heavy liquid metal coolant is proposed. This method is even simpler, but it has difficulties in maintaining the integrity of sealed magnetically controlled contacts at high temperatures of a heavy liquid metal coolant.
Thus, the team of authors proposed and worked out sufficiently accurate, technologically advanced and reliable methods for measuring the coolant level of fast neutron reactor installations, bench and experimental installations with heavy liquid metal heat carriers.
1. Adamov E.O., Bolshov L.A., Ganev I.Kh., Zrodnikov A.V., Kuznetsov A.K., Lopatkin A.V., Mastepanov A.M., Orlov V.V., Rachkov V.I., Smirnov V.S., Solonin M.I., Uzhanova V.V., Chernoplekov N.A., Shatalov G.E. Belaya kniga yadernoy energetiki [White book of nuclear power]. Moscow, GUP NIKIET Publ., 2001. 269 p.
2. Beznosov A.V., Bokova T.A. Oborudovaniye, komponovka i rezhimy ekspluatatsii konturov s tyazhelymi zhidkometallicheskimi teplonositelyami v atomnoy energetike [Equipment, layout and operation modes of circuits with heavy liquid metal coolants in nuclear power]. Nizhny Novgorod, NGTU Publ., 2011. 536 p.
3. Dzhangobekov V.V., Stepanov V.S., Dedul A.V., Klimov N.N., Bolvanchikov S.N., Vakhrushin M.P. Reaktornaya ustanovka SVBR-100 dlya modulʹnykh atomnykh stantsiy maloy i sredney moshchnosti [Reactor unit SVBR-100 for modular stations of low and medium power]. Sbornik trudov chetvertoy konferentsii “Tyazhelyye zhidkometallicheskiye teplonositeli v yadernykh tekhnologiyakh (TZHMT-2013)” Proc. of the 4th Conference “Heavy liquid metal coolants in nuclear technologies (HLMC-2013)”. Obninsk, IPPE Publ., pp. 81–91.
4. Beznosov A.V., Bokova T.A., Bokov P.A., Marov A.R., Lvov A.V., Volkov N.S. Obosnovaniye tekhnicheskikh resheniy reaktornogo kontura ustanovok BRS-GPG maloy i sredney moshchnosti s tyazhelym zhidkometallicheskim teplonositelem dlya nazemnykh i plavuchikh AEC [Substantiation of technical solutions of the reactor circuit of the BRS-GPG units of small and medium power with a heavy liquid metal coolant for ground and floating NNPs]. Trudy NGTU im. R.Ye. Alekseyeva [Proc. NNSTU n.a. R.E. Alekseev], 2020, vol. 2 (129), pp. 64–76. DOI: 10.46960/1816-210X_2020_2_64.
5. Beznosov A.V., Bokova T.A., Bokov P.A., Marov A.R., Lvov A.V., Volkov N.S. Substantiation of technical solutions of the reactor circuit of the BRS-GPG units of small and medium power with a heavy liquid metal coolant. Voprosy atomnoy nauki i tekhniki. Seriya: Yaderno-reaktornyye konstanty – Problems of Atomic Science and Technology. Series: Nuclear and Reactor Constants, 2020, no. 1, pp. 132–139.
6. Chirkin V.S. Teplofizicheskiye svoystva materialov yadernoy energetiki: spravochnik [Thermophysical properties of materials in nuclear power]. Moscow. Atomizdat Publ., 1968. 484 p.
7. Chechetkin A.V. Vysokotemperaturnyye teplonositeli [High temperature heat transfer fluids]. Moscow, Energiya Publ., 1971, 496 p.
8. Beznosov A.V., Dragunov Ju.G., Rachkov V.I. Tyazhelyye zhidkometallicheskiye teplonositeli v atomnoy energetike [Heavy Liquid Metal Coolants in Nuclear Energy]. Nizhny Novgorod, NGTU Publ., 2006. 435 p.
9. Methods for measuring and controlling the level. Types of level gauges. Comparison and overview of level gauges. ElectroTechInfo: Electrotechnical portal. Available at: https://eti.su/articles/izmeritelnaya-tehnika/izmeritelnaya-tehnika_1521.html (accessed 01.02.2021).
10. Kuzmenko V.P., Sirenko N.I., Movchan A.P. Kontrolʹ urovnya teplonositelya v reaktore VVER-1000 pri tyazhelykh avariyakh s ispolʹzovaniyem TIU [Control of the level of the heat carrier in the WWER-1000 reactor in case of serious accidents using TLI]. Vísnik NTU “KHPÍ”. Seríya: Avtomatika ta priladobuduvannya – Bulletin of NTU “KHPI”. Series: Automation and Instrument Engineering, 2013, vol. 8 (982), pp. 69–75.
11. Leshkov V.V., Taranin V.D. Induktivnyy urovnemer [Inductive level gauge]. Patent RF 2328704, 2008.
12. Taranin V.D. Induktivnyy urovnemer zhidkometallicheskogo teplonositelya [Inductive level gauge for liquid metal coolant]. Patent RF 2558010, 2015.
13. Trakhtenberg L.I., Deniskin V.P. Ustroystvo dlya beskontaktnogo izmereniya urovnya i udelʹnogo soprotivleniya rasplavlennykh metallov [Device for non-contact measurement of the level and resistivity of molten metals]. Patent USSR 197214, 1967.
14. Kirillov P.L., Kolesnikov V.D., Kuznetsov V.A., Turchin N.M. Pribory i metody izmereniya davleniya, raskhoda i urovnya rasplavlennykh metallov [Instruments and methods for measuring pressure, flow rate and level of molten metals]. Atomnaya energiya – Atomic Energy. 1960, vol. 10, issue 3, pp. 173–181.
15. Vorontsov A.C., Frolov P.A. Impulʹsnyye izmereniya koaksialʹnykh kabeley svyazi [Pulse measurements of coaxial communication cables]. Moscow, Radio i svyaz' Publ., 1985. 96 p.
16. Tarasov N.A. Ispolʹzovaniye metoda impulʹsnoy reflektometrii dlya opredeleniya povrezhdeniy kabelʹnykh liniy [Using the method of impulse reflectometry to determine the damage of cable lines]. Available at: http://reis.narod.ru/metod.htm. (accessed 11.02.2021).
17. Needle D., Shepard S.F. Apparatus and methods for time domain reflectometry. Patent USA 5726578A, 1998.
18. Instruktsii po ustanovke i ekspluatatsii urovnemera BM100 firmy KROHNE [Instructions for installation and operation of the KROHNE BM100 level gauge]. Available at: www.ste.ru/krohne/pdf/rus/russ_op_manualBM100.pdf (accessed 08.01.2020).
19. Melnikov V.I., Ivanov V.V., Teplyashin I.A., Timonin M.A. Razrabotka i issledovaniye mikrovolnovogo refleks-radarnogo urovnemera zhidkosti [Development and research of a microwave reflex-radar liquid level gauge]. Datchiki i sistemy – Sensors and systems, 2017, no. 3, pp. 50–54.
20. Melnikov V.I., Ivanov V.V., Teplyashin I.A., Timonin M.A. Development and study of a microwave reflex-radar level gauge of the nuclear reactor coolant. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya energetika, 2018, no. 2, pр. 185–190. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2018.2.02.
21. Trenkal E.I., Loshchilov A.G. Izmereniye urovney zhidkostey metodom impulʹsnoy reflektometrii (obzor) [Measurement of liquid levels by the method of pulse reflectometry (review)]. Doklady TUSURa, 2016, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 67–73. Available at: https://journal.tusur.ru/ storage/57419/14-%D0%A2%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C-%D0%9B%D0%BE%D1%89%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2.pdf?1489565764&ysclid=l5kokenrq3429075271 (accessed 14.07.2022). DOI: 10.21293/1818-0442-2016-19-4-67-73.
22. Lobaeva N.A. Eksperimentalʹnyye issledovaniya primenimosti refleks-radarnogo metoda izmereniya urovnya tyazhelogo zhidkometallicheskogo teplonositely. Diss. mag. [Experimental studies of the applicability of the reflex-radar method for measuring the level of heavy liquid metal coolant. Diss. mag.]. Nizhny Novgorod, 2021. 73 p.
23. Azimov A.A., Gulyamov Sh.M., Hamadov I.B. Diskretnyy urovnemer [Discrete level gauge]. Patent USSR 469890, 1975.
24. Polyaev G.V., Tel'minov P.V., Tsymbalist V.A. Diskretnyy urovnemer [Discrete level gauge]. Patent RF 2193165, 2002.
