Radiation Induced Electrical Transients in Strain Gage and Temperature Transducer Circuits in a Pulsed Reactor Environment

Radiation induced electrical transients in strain gage, nickel temperature sensor, silicon temperature sensor, and thermocouple circuits have been studied in the Kukla Prompt Critical Pulsed Reactor environment. Induced signals, which could obscure real data, were observed in many strain gage circuits. It was determined that the observed signals were the result of a voltage appearing between the strain gages and ground when the reactor was pulsed. Circuit arrangements were devised and tested which reduced the magnitude of the induced signals to less than 1 mV. Nickel temperature sensors and spot welded thermocouples operated satisfactorily in the reactor environment. No adverse effects due to transient signals and no changes in calibration were observed. The one type of silicon temperature sensor tested suffered large and permanent increases in resistance when exposed to a reactor pulse.