Towards in-situ fibre-optic measurements of temperature

and flow-induced vibration in lead bismuth eutectic

B. De Pauw1,2, G. Kennedy2, K. Van Tichelen1, S. Vanlanduit2, F. Berghmans2
1 Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCKCEN, Mol, Belgium
2 Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium

E-mail: bdpauw@sckcen.be

LEAD-BISMUTH EUTECTIC (LBE) + FIBRE OPTICS SENSORS (FBG) A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN?

REFLECT IN REFLECT

MEASURABLE QUANTITIES:

+ temperature

unstrained strained displacement

sensor sensor =
optical fibre vibration

OUT OUT
The shift in the Bragg wavelength of A alteration in the local strain level is
300C LBE opaque the reflected light from a fibre Bragg the result of a change in a physical
grating (FBG) out of an optical fibre is quantity such as thermal stresses,
proportional to the local strain level displacement, vibration and others

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS:
TEMPERATURE VIBRATION
During the filling and The small vibrations of
draining phase of the nuclear fuel pin mock-
installation, the FBGs ups in the flow of LBE
were used to monitor can be recorded. With
the level of LBE. To do increasing flow speed,
so, the LBE coolant the vibration amplitude
was kept at a different as well as the drag on
temperature. these pins increases.

A simulated outage of Modal analysis under

the power to the operational conditions
heating circuits can be using the vibration data
detected using the gathered with the FBGs
FBGs. The decrease in allows identifying several
temperature can be eigen-modes. The modal
accurately sensed with parameters of the first 4
a resolution as low as modes for the 700 mm
30 mK. long fuel pins are shown.

CONCLUSION: FBGS CAN BE USED TO MEASURE TEMPERATURE AND VIBRATION IN A FLOW OF LBE

FUTURE WORK:
ASSESSMENT OF FLOW-INDUCED-VIBRATION OF A NUCLEAR FUEL ASSEMBLY IN A FLOW OF LBE COOLANT
vibration amplitude

design and lifetime

full fuel assembly in LBE vibrations
of fuel assembly
instrumentation with
optical fibre and FBGs modal analysis

Acknowledgements: the authors gratefully acknowledge the support of Bel V

SCKCEN II Boeretang 200 II BE-2400 Mol II http://sckcen.be II bdpauw@sckcen.be II Measuring techniques in liquid metals 2015