EP0036142B1
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EP
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Bundle of fuel elements
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Sweden AB
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Filing: 1981-03-06
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Granted: 1985-09-04
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Expires: 2001-03-06
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Ingemar Ing. Andersson
- 👤 Bo E. Ing. Borrman
- 👤 Bo Dipl.-Ing. Fredin
- 👤 Olov Dipl.-Ing. Nylund
- 👤 Bengt Ing. Ode
- 👤 Art Ing. Van Santen
- 👤 Erik Ing. Hellman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:51
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/30; G21C3/32; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
Fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor the fuel channel (1; 20; 30; 41; 51; 70) of which is formed with a substantially square cross-section and surrounds a plurality of vertical fuel rods (2; 22; 31; 52; 74), which are positioned in the fuel channel with the help of several spacers (29; 38), whereby the fuel channel comprises an elongated stiffening device (4; 26; 37) extending along a predominant portion of the length of the fuel rods, the vertical center line of said stiffening device lying in or near the vertical center line of the fuel channel, said stiffening device having four wings (6; 43; 73) arranged in four vertical planes spaced against each other at 90° and each being mechanically connected to a corresponding wall of said fuel channel, thus serving as dividing walls between four partial channels, whereby each wing is formed with at least one vertical water passageway (6'; 24; 35; 43'; 54; 74) the lower end of which is provided with an inlet opening, characterized in that said four wings (6; 43; 73) are mechanically connected to each other near the vertical center line of the fuel channel in such a way, that the fuel channel is uncapable of being deformed outwardly under operation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
Fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor the fuel channel (1; 20; 30; 41; 51; 70) of which is formed with a substantially square cross-section and surrounds a plurality of vertical fuel rods (2; 22; 31; 52; 74), which are positioned in the fuel channel with the help of several spacers (29; 38), whereby the fuel channel comprises an elongated stiffening device (4; 26; 37) extending along a predominant portion of the length of the fuel rods, the vertical center line of said stiffening device lying in or near the vertical center line of the fuel channel, said stiffening device having four wings (6; 43; 73) arranged in four vertical planes spaced against each other at 90° and each being mechanically connected to a corresponding wall of said fuel channel, thus serving as dividing walls between four partial channels, whereby each wing is formed with at least one vertical water passageway (6'; 24; 35; 43'; 54; 74) the lower end of which is provided with an inlet opening, characterized in that said four wings (6; 43; 73) are mechanically connected to each other near the vertical center line of the fuel channel in such a way, that the fuel channel is uncapable of being deformed outwardly under operation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
Fuel assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said water passageways is hydraulically connected with the surroundings of the fuel assembly via a plurality of openings (79, 80, 81) arranged vertically one after the other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
Fuel assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the total average cross-section of the vertical water passageways of said stiffening device constitutes a dominant portion of the total average cross section of said stiffening device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
Fuel-assembly according to any of the preced- irig claims, characterized in that each wing comprises two elongated, vertical, mutually parallel and mutually spaced-apart sheet-metall portions forming between themselves said water passageway.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
Fuel assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stiffening device is provided with a plurality of hydraulic connections (10, 71) between said partial fuel channels at a plurality of different levels (at different altitudes).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
Fuel assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said stiffening device with its four wings is formed by four elongated sheet-metal bodies of L-shaped cross-section the edges of which lie in the vicinity of the vertical center line of said fuel channel (Figure 16).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
75 words
Fuel assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one of said wings is formed by a pair of parallel sheet-metal portions each belonging to one of said L-shaped sheet-metal bodies, said sheet-metal portions being mechanically connected with one another with the help of a plurality of pairs of connection pieces (71) projecting into the passageway formed by the wing, being pressed into the L-shaped body, and being connected in pairs by welding.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
Fuel assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that said weld connection of pairs of connection pieces (71) is of such type that it forms a hydraulic connection between the two partial channels (72) separated by the wing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
Fuel assembly according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the water passageways of each wing are connected with the surroundings of the fuel assembly via a plurality of openings (79, 80) arranged vertically one after the other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
Fuel assembly according to any of claim 7 through 9, characterized in that each wing is penetrated horizontally by a plurality of short horizontal channels (82), and that these channels are positioned vertically one after the other near the side wall of the fuel channel, whereby each of said short channels (82) is partially defined by said side wall of the fuel channel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
Fuel assembly according to any of claim 1 through 5, characterized in that each of the walls of the fuel channel has an inwardly-folded midportion, which forms a U-shaped projection (supporting wing) (43) directed towards the vertical center line of the fuel channel and being mechanically connected to a vertically extending central water tube (44).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
Fuel assembly according to any of claim 1 through 3, characterized in that a plurality of water tubes (24; 35; 54) are arranged in a cruciform configuration and are provided at each of several separate level sections with a plurality of horizontally extending mechanical connecting elements (25; 36; 55), whereby said water tubes together with said connecting elements constitute said stiffening device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
124 words
Fuel assembly characterized in that the fuel rods placed in said fuel channel are divided into four equal bundles separated from each other by said wings, whereby each bundle is surrounded by a plurality of spacers (29; 38; S 1' S z ) arranged vertically one after the other each of said spacers positioning only a minor portion of the total number of fuel rod in said fuel assembly, and that a plurality of groups of such spacers are arranged axially one after the other in the fuel channel, whereby each of said groups contains a plurality of spacers arranged on at least two different levels, and whereby the spacers of the entire group together position all fuel rods surrounded by the fuel channel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
124 words
Fuel assembly characterized in that the fuel rods placed in said fuel channel are divided into four equal bundles separated from each other by said wings, whereby each bundle is surrounded by a plurality of spacers (29; 38; S 1' S z ) arranged vertically one after the other each of said spacers positioning only a minor portion of the total number of fuel rod in said fuel assembly, and that a plurality of groups of such spacers are arranged axially one after the other in the fuel channel, whereby each of said groups contains a plurality of spacers arranged on at least two different levels, and whereby the spacers of the entire group together position all fuel rods surrounded by the fuel channel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
Fuel assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that a plurality of said mechanical connecting elements (36) are obliquely arranged in relation to the vertical direction in such a way that upwardly flowing water aquires a horizontal speed component (Figures 5 and 6).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
144 words
Fuel assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that each of said horizontally extending connecting elements consists of a substantially horizontally arranged bar, that two of said bars (55), forming a first pair, are arranged on a first level, each bar of said pair being positioned on one side of a first group of water pipes located in a first vertical plane, that a second pair of said bars (55') is arranged on a second level each bar of this pair being positioned on one side of a second group of water pipes arranged in a second vertical plane, that said two vertical planes form an angle of 90° between each other, and that said water pipes are provided with flattened portions in those areas where they are positioned between the pair of bars said flattened portions constituting plane contact surfaces for the rails.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
Fuel assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the walls of the fuel channel is provided with an inwardly-directed, vertically extending stiffening ridge (3; 21) which is mechanically connected to one of said wings.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
Fuel assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that said ridge consists of an inwardly bent wall portion (3).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
Fuel assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that said ridge comprises a vertical strip (3'; 21).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
54 words
Fuel assembly according to claim 18, characterized in that said vertical strip has an outwardly-facing plane surface the distance of which from the vertical center line of the fuel channel is slightly greater than the corresponding distance of the plane in which the other outwardly-facing plane surfaces of the corresponding channel wall are positioned.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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