Noise data management using commercially available data base software

A data base has been created using commercially available software to manage the data collected by an automated noise data acquisition system operated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory at the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF). The data base was created to store, organize, and retrieve selected features of the nuclear and process signal noise data because the large volume of data collected by the automated system makes manual data handling and interpretation based on visual examination of noise signatures impractical. Information is extracted from files created by the data acquisition system and written in a data base input file. A data loading program reads the input file and automatically stores the data in the data base. The data base contains information extracted from approximately 8000 spectra collected over nine fuel cycles. The FFTF noise data base contains significant features extracted from the noise spectra as well as information describing both the reactor state and signal conditioning during each measurement. The features extracted are the amplitude and frequency of peaks and the square of the root-mean-square calculated for 24 frequency intervals. The dc values of the reactor signals measured at the beginning and end of each measurement give the reactor statemore » during each measurement. This work demonstrates how commercially available data base software can be applied to efficiently manage the large volume of data collected by an automated system. Automated data collection, information extraction, and data storage and manipulation eliminate the most tedious aspects of noise analysis and, compared to manual data handling, allow inferences and conclusions to be based on a much larger collection of data. The data base system for noise data management allows the automatically collected data to be effectively utilized, resulting in a more efficient and effective monitoring system. 5 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs.« less