Decay ratio estimation using the instantaneous autocorrelation function

Abstract

In this paper a novel method based on the instantaneous autocorrelation function (IACF) is proposed to determine the time evolution of the linear stability parameters of a boiling water reactor (BWR) using neutronic noise signals. The IACF allow us to track the instantaneous signal envelope changes in time by defining an envelope instantaneous decay ratio ( EIDR) which is used as a measure of local stability. In order to account for long-term changes in BWR stability, the accumulated envelope-based decay ratio ( ACEDR) measure is introduced as the product of the local EIDRs. As it is shown in this paper, the ACEDR measure clearly reflects major long-term changes in BWR stability. Last the natural resonant frequency of the nuclear reactor is estimated from the Fourier transform of a weighted version of the IACF called generalized local autocorrelation function (GLACF). In order to validate our method, synthetic and real neutronic signals were used. The methodology was tested on the Laguna Verde Unit 1 and three events reported in the Ringhals stability benchmark.