Review of CALORRE Calorimeter Characterizations Under Laboratory and Irradiation Conditions

A. Volte (1, 1) , M. Carette (1) , A. Lyoussi (2) , G. Kohse (3) , J. Rebaud (1) , V. Valero (1) , C. Reynard-Carette (1)

1 IM2NP - Institut des Matériaux, de Microélectronique et des Nanosciences de Provence
2 CEA/DES/IRESNE/DER, Section of Experimental Physics, Safety Tests and Instrumentation, Cadarache, F-13108, Saint Paul-lez-Durance, France
3 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Nuclear Reactor Laboratory, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

This paper reviews the work to date on the CALORRE differential calorimeter patented by Aix-Marseille University and the CEA in 2015. The paper presents the results obtained with the first prototype of the CALORRE calorimeter qualified under real conditions during an irradiation campaign in the MARIA reactor in 2015, including previously unpublished details. Then, studies of different CALORRE calorimetric cells characterized by experiments under laboratory conditions are described. Several configurations were studied to determine the influence of cell height, horizontal fin geometry and structural material composition on calorimeter response. These calculations provide for a calibration protocol by generating a heat source inside each cell, with evaluation of linearity, sensitivity, range, reproducibility, response time and absolute temperatures. Finally, within the framework of a new research program called CALOR-I and financed by Aix-Marseille University foundation (A*Midex), a design optimization of the calorimeter assembly was carried out in order to remove contact thermal resistances and provide a new very compact CALORRE calorimeter suited for the in-core water loop of the MIT reactor (2 W.g-1 peak nuclear heating rate). The response of this new very compact calorimeter is estimated using 3-D numerical thermal simulations under real conditions.

Mots clés: Calorimeter Nuclear Heating Rate On-line Measurements Calibration Irradiation campaign; Calorimeter; Nuclear Heating Rate; On-line Measurements; Calibration; Irradiation campaign

Domaines: Physique Nucléaire Expérimentale [nucl-ex]; Instrumentations et Détecteurs [physics.ins-det]

A. Volte, M. Carette, A. Lyoussi, G. Kohse, J. Rebaud, et al.. Review of CALORRE Calorimeter Characterizations Under Laboratory and Irradiation Conditions. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 2022, 69 (4), pp.840 - 848. ⟨10.1109/TNS.2022.3150148⟩. ⟨hal-03970227⟩