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Digital Signal Processing Methods for Safety Systems Employed in Nuclear Power Industry

Popescu, George
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0532-9097
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1479815935917872

Abstract Details

2016, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Engineering and Applied Science: Nuclear and Radiological Engineering.
Some of the major safety concerns in the nuclear power industry focus on the readiness of nuclear power plant safety systems to respond to an abnormal event, the security of special nuclear materials in used nuclear fuels, and the need for physical security to protect personnel and reactor safety systems from an act of terror. Routine maintenance and tests of all nuclear reactor safety systems are performed on a regular basis to confirm the ability of these systems to operate as expected. However, these tests do not determine the reliability of these safety systems and whether the systems will perform for the duration of an accident and whether they will perform their tasks without failure after being engaged. This research has investigated the progression of spindle asynchronous error motion determined from spindle accelerations to predict bearings failure onset. This method could be applied to coolant pumps that are essential components of emergency core cooling systems at all nuclear power plants. Recent security upgrades mandated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Homeland Security have resulted in implementation of multiple physical security barriers around all of the commercial and research nuclear reactors in the United States. A second part of this research attempts to address an increased concern about illegal trafficking of Special Nuclear Materials (SNM). This research describes a multi element scintillation detector system designed for non – invasive (passive) gamma ray surveillance for concealed SNM that may be within an area or sealed in a package, vehicle or shipping container. Detection capabilities of the system were greatly enhanced through digital signal processing, which allows the combination of two very powerful techniques: 1) Compton Suppression (CS) and 2) Pulse Shape Discrimination (PSD) with less reliance on complicated analog instrumentation.
Randall Allemang, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Sam Glover, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
David L. Brown, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Henry Spitz, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
124 p.
Nuclear Engineering
Nuclear Reactor Safety Systems; Roller Bearings Failure Onset; Predictive Maintenance; Gamma Spectroscopy; Compton Suppression; Pulse Shape Discrimination

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Popescu, G. (2016). Digital Signal Processing Methods for Safety Systems Employed in Nuclear Power Industry [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1479815935917872

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Popescu, George. Digital Signal Processing Methods for Safety Systems Employed in Nuclear Power Industry. 2016. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1479815935917872.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Popescu, George. "Digital Signal Processing Methods for Safety Systems Employed in Nuclear Power Industry." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1479815935917872

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1479815935917872
574
© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.