Ronald B Perry

US Patent:

39954854, Dec 7, 1976

Filed:

Oct 20, 1975

Appl. No.:

5/624194

Inventors:

Norman S. Beyer - Elmhurst IL
Robert N. Lewis - Clarendon Hills IL
Ronald B. Perry - Hinsdale IL

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the United States Energy
Research and Development Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

G01K 1700

US Classification:

73190R

Abstract:

The activity of a quantity of heat-producing nuclear fuel is measured rapidly, accurately and nondestructively by a portable dry calorimeter comprising a preheater, an array of temperature-controlled structures comprising a thermally guarded temperature-controlled oven, and a calculation and control unit. The difference between the amounts of electric power required to maintain the oven temperature with and without nuclear fuel in the oven is measured to determine the power produced by radioactive disintegration and hence the activity of the fuel. A portion of the electronic control system is designed to terminate a continuing sequence of measurements when the standard deviation of the variations of the amount of electric power required to maintain oven temperature is within a predetermined value.