Development of a data acquisition and control system for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor neutron flux monitor

Abstract

To satisfy high-precision, wide-range, and real-time neutron flux measurement requirements by the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), a data acquisition and control system based on fission chamber detectors and fast controller technology, has been developed for neutron flux monitor in ITER Equatorial Port #7. The signal processing units which are based on a field programmable gate array and the PXI Express platform are designed to realize the neutron flux measurement with 1 ms time resolution and a fast response less than 0.2 ms, together with real-time timestamps provided by a timing board. The application of the wide-range algorithm allows the system to measure up to 1010 cps with a relative error of less than 5%. Furthermore, the system is managed and controlled by a software based on the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System, compliant with COntrol, Data Access and Communication architecture.