Research Information System
International Ege Energy Symposium and Exhibition, İzmir, Turkey, 28 - 30 June 2012, pp.751-759
Power monitoring of nuclear research reactors is done by using detectors located
around the reactor core and neutronic instruments. Calibration of this system is necessary for
integral power measurements. Thermal methods are generally used to calibrate the nuclear research
reactor power accurately. In this study, thermal calibration methods are considered for power
calibration of TRIGA Mark-II Research Reactor at Istanbul Technical University. In the first step,
electrical heaters are used to raise water temperature in the reactor tank when reactor is in shutdown position, while thermocouples are used to measure temperature from different locations in the
tank. In the second step, reactor is operated and thermocouples are used to measure temperature
rise with time as in the first step. Then reactor power is calculated by comparing first and second
measurements. Primary coolant loop is closed during these experiments. In order to check first
result, power is also determined from temperature rise during reactor operation and known heat
capacity of the reactor. In the third step, primary coolant loop runs and calculation of the reactor
power is made by using energy balance of the primary cooling loop.