Instrumentation at Berkeley Nuclear Power Station

From the shut-down power of about 10 watts upwards neutron flux instrumentation is used for reactor power measurement and to operate safety trips. At high powers, control and protection is based on temperature measurements (fuel element, channel gas, graphite etc.). Selected fuel element temperatures can shut down the reactor, others being recorded by multi-point recorders and automatic loggers. The shut-down initiating devices shut down the reactor only if at least two out of the three give a trip signal. The system of faulty fuel element detection employs an automatic logger which computes averages, giving discrimination between random and significant rises in CO2 gas activity. Equipment is also provided, for the detection of leaks between steam and CO2 circuits; in addition radiation activity in and around the station is monitored. Gas and steam flows are measured and the data transmitted by a pneumatic system. The display equipment for the major instrumentation is centralized in or near the station control room.