Probabilistic Creep Model for Recalibration of Microwave Cavity Flow Meter

This paper assesses the long-term creep effect on a recently designed Microwave Cavity Flow Meter. This sensor, designed for precise flow rate measurement in nuclear reactor coolant cycles, relies on membrane deformation in the cavity for flow sensing. Operating in challenging conditions with high temperatures of ~650°C and a constant fluid load of ~100 MPa, its long-term performance is impacted by the unpredictable creep effect. Long-term creep deformation and damage exhibit significant variance across multiple parameters. Therefore, a probabilistic creep model would be beneficial for addressing this variability. We propose a probabilistic creep model for recalibration of the microwave cavity flow sensor based on the Monte Carlo method and the Wilshire–Cano–Stewart (WCS) creep model.