Overview of the CORTEX project
Paper in proceeding, 2018

This paper gives an overview of the CORTEX project, which is a Research and Innovation Action funded by the European Union in the Euratom 2016-2017 work program, under the Horizon 2020 framework. CORTEX, which stands for CORe monitoring Techniques and Experimental validation and demonstration, aims at developing an innovative core monitoring technique that allows detecting anomalies in nuclear reactors, such as excessive vibrations of core internals, flow blockage, coolant inlet perturbations, etc. The technique is based on primarily using the inherent fluctuations in neutron flux recorded by in-core and ex-core instrumentation (often referred to as neutron noise), from which the anomalies will be differentiated depending on their type, location and characteristics. In addition to be non-intrusive and not requiring any external perturbation of the system, the method allows the detection of operational problems at a very early stage. Proper actions could thus be taken by utilities before such problems have any adverse effect on plant safety and reliability. In order to develop a method that can reach a high Technology Readiness Level, the consortium, made of 20 partners, was strategically structured around the required core expertise from all the necessary actors of the nuclear industry, both within Europe and outside. The broad expertise of the consortium members ensures the successful development of new in-situ monitoring techniques.

validation

reactor modelling

noise analysis

machine learning

signal processing

core monitoring and diagnostics

Author

Christophe Demaziere

Chalmers, Physics, Subatomic and Plasma Physics

Paolo Vinai

Chalmers, Physics, Subatomic and Plasma Physics

Mathieu Hursin

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL)

Stefanos Kollias

University of Lincoln

Joachim Herb

Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS)

International Conference on Physics of Reactors, PHYSOR 2018: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems

Vol. Part F168384-5 2971-2980
9781713808510 (ISBN)

2018 International Conference on Physics of Reactors: Reactor Physics Paving the Way Towards More Efficient Systems, PHYSOR 2018
Cancun, Mexico,

Subject Categories

Other Engineering and Technologies

Other Natural Sciences

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Energy

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Latest update

4/21/2023