Dynamic compensation of vanadium SPND using direct inversion and rank order filtering

This paper proposes a dynamic compensation scheme for the Vanadium Self Powered Neutron Detector (VSPND) that uses a combination of the direct inversion (DI) and a relatively simple non-linear filtering (Rank Order filtering) algorithm. The proposed scheme, unlike the earlier used Kalman filtering approach, is independent of the basic process. We need to know the transfer function of the detector only. The non-linear filtering algorithm, while reducing the noise induced by the DI, does not affect the information bearing transients. This property of the non-linear filter makes the DI scheme practicable. The compensated VSPND response was compared with the response of two others prompt in-core detectors namely cobalt SPND and fission chamber and the observations showed good agreement between the three. (author). 7 refs., 2 figs