METHOD OF MEASURING HELIUM CONCENTRATION IN FUEL ELEMENT Russian patent published in 2017 - IPC G21C17/00 

FIELD: electricity-producing industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention can be used in the manufacture of fuel elements (fuel rods). The measuring method of the helium concentration in the fuel rod includes feeding the fuel rod to the installation at the measuring position. Local impulse heating of the fuel rod coat spot, a measurement of the time temperature dependences, and determination of helium concentrations in the fuel rod are carried out. Before the feeding the controlled fuel rod to the installation, the temperature of the air in the installation is measured, after the fuel rod is placed on the measurement position, the fuel rod coat temperature is measured, the time temperature dependences of standard samples are measured, the measurements are carried out with all combinations of permissible lower and upper air temperature values in the installation and the temperature of the fuel rod coat. From the aggregate of the results of measurements with standard samples and a controlled fuel rod, the helium concentration is determined from the corresponding formula.

EFFECT: improving the quality of fuel rod production due to the ability to realise a complete control of the helium content in the fuel rods.

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