Optimizing sensor selection for thermal hydraulic systems

Argonne researchers Richard Vilim, Tim Nguyen and Haoyu Wang of the Nuclear Science and Engineering division have been awarded a patent for an innovative method to optimize sensor placement in thermal hydraulic systems. The invention aims to determine the optimal set of sensors that meets prescribed monitoring needs at minimal cost. It involves constructing models that describe the fault-free behavior of system components, based on physical laws and evaluating various sensor configurations considering diagnostic objectives and costs. Each sensor set is scored based on its cost and effectiveness in meeting diagnostic goals. The process includes generating candidate sensor sets using an efficient algorithm, assessing their diagnostic capabilities and calculating scores to identify the configuration.

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