Behaviour of Aged and New Flux Detectors in Darlington Reactors

Abstract

In-core neutron flux detectors are used for protective and safety functions in the Darlington NGS "A" CANDU reactors. This paper presents new observations regarding the aging of flux detectors, including response to fuelling, response to unit shutdown and indicators of detector noise. Comparisons of detector signals before and after replacement confirm previous assumptions about aging effects.