Aparna J, Philip Sebin, Topkar Anita
Reactor Engineering Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400085, India.
Electronics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400085, India.
Rev Sci Instrum. 2019 Apr;90(4):044705. doi: 10.1063/1.5050666.
To access the crucial parameters of a nuclear reactor during station blackout condition, we have proposed a concept of using thermal energy harvester powered sensors and instrumentation with wireless operation. To demonstrate this concept, low power electronics comprising a micro electro mechanical system piezoresistive pressure sensor, amplifier, and wireless transmitter was developed for measurement of pressure in a reactor process. The required electrical power for the sensor and instrumentation was derived from the thermal energy produced by the reactor process itself. A thermoelectric generator was used as an energy harvester for converting the heat energy from the process to electrical energy. A power management circuitry was used for the management of the power which was fed to the sensor and electronics. The complete instrumentation was tested in a test loop to demonstrate the operation of thermal energy harvester powered sensor with wireless operation for static and dynamic pressure measurements. Static pressure, increase or decrease of pressure with time and pressure oscillations were measured in a wireless mode using the developed instrumentation. Differential mode measurements were also carried out. The concept of thermal energy harvester powered sensor and instrumentation presented in this paper would be suitable for wireless sensor network of self-powered/thermal energy harvester powered sensors and for wearable devices by operators. An overview of the design and development of the instrumentation and the results are presented in this paper.
为了在全厂断电情况下获取核反应堆的关键参数，我们提出了一种使用热能采集器供电的传感器及仪器并具备无线操作功能的概念。为了验证这一概念，开发了一种低功耗电子设备，其包括一个微机电系统压阻式压力传感器、放大器和无线发射器，用于测量反应堆过程中的压力。传感器和仪器所需的电能来自反应堆过程本身产生的热能。使用热电发电机作为能量采集器，将过程中的热能转换为电能。采用电源管理电路来管理输送给传感器和电子设备的电力。完整的仪器在测试回路中进行了测试，以展示热能采集器供电的传感器在无线操作下进行静态和动态压力测量的运行情况。使用所开发的仪器以无线模式测量了静态压力、压力随时间的增加或减少以及压力振荡。还进行了差模测量。本文提出的热能采集器供电的传感器及仪器概念适用于自供电/热能采集器供电传感器的无线传感器网络以及操作人员的可穿戴设备。本文介绍了仪器的设计与开发概况以及结果。
