Response time testing of temperature and pressure sensors in nuclear power plants

Response time measurement tests are performed on most safety-related temperature and pressure sensors in a majority of the nuclear power plants in the United States. These tests, performed once every fuel cycle, insure that safety-related instrument channels will respond in a timely manner during design basis accidents. This paper provides a review of modern methods that are used for response time measurement, and example results from testing of temperature and pressure sensors in nuclear on-line testing at process operating conditions and thereby provide information about the actual in-situ performance of the sensors. These methods are referred to as the Loop Current Step Response (LCSR) test, which is used for response time testing of temperature sensors, and noise analysis test, which is used for response time testing of pressure, level and flow transmitters. (Author)