Patent US549529A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3607642A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3607642A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Nuclear reactor fuel assembly
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1968-11-26
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Granted: 1971-09-21
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Expires: 1988-11-26
Abstract
Abstract An assembly comprising a plurality of rods containing fissionable material is disclosed. Typically, the fuel rods are arranged in a hexagonal parallel array, with the rods spaced from each other by wires wound around and down each rod in a spiral manner. The rods are fastened only at the bottom, to a plurality of spaced support bars. The assembly is surrounded by a shroud terminating in inlet and outlet orifices or transitions at the ends. The lower orifice is adapted to fit in an opening in a plate, while allowing slight transverse movement of the shroud and fuel rods relative to the lower orifice. Also, improved flow and heat transfer characteristics are obtained where at least some of the wires in the row of fuel rods adjacent the assembly shrouds are formed from thin tubes, which are flattened slightly where they contact the shroud to decrease the size of the fluid flow gap between the fuel rods and the shroud.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas B Murdock
- 👤 Jack N Fox
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:19
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/30; G21C3/32; G21C3/336; G21C3/338; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
23 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 1 wherein the pattern of varying spacer wires starting positions consists of three different relative angular positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
45 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 1 wherein said shroud is hexagonal in cross section and includes nonfueled dummy fuel rods at the corners thereof; said spacers consisting of flattened tubes where they contact the inner wall of said shroud and the dummy fuel rods.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 1 wherein said tubular spacer wires in contact with nonfueled elements are flattened sufficiently to decrease the gap between fuel rods and nonfueled elements to from about one-third to about one-half of the gap between adjacent fuel rods.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said tubular spacer wires contains a neutron-moderating material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said tubular spacer wires contains a burnable neutron poison material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises a plurality of spaced parallel bars, to each of which is fastened a row of fuel rods in spaced relationship, with at least one of said bars fastened to said shroud adjacent said coolant inlet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 1 further including projecting means on said coolant inlet preventing a flat element from completely closing said inlet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 1 further including means connecting said coolant inlet to said shroud, said connecting means permitting slight relative transverse movement between said shroud and said coolant inlet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 1 further including a thermal insulation sleeve surrounding said coolant outlet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 1 further including a lifting rod within said coolant outlet secured to said coolant outlet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
133 words
In a fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor which includes an elongated hollow shroud housing a plurality of substantially parallel nuclear fuel rods which are spaced from each other by thin wires secured to one end of each fuel rod and wrapped down and around the fuel rod in the same spiral direction and secured to the other end of said fuel rod, the improvement wherein the relative angular starting position of each spacer wire with respect to the fuel rod axis are varied in a regular repeating pattern and the distance between all of the adjacent fuel rods is equal to the thickness of the spacer wires, whereby all of the spacer wires are never aligned at any position along the fuel assembly while mechanical interference between adjacent spacer wires is prevented.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 12 wherein the pattern of varying spacer wires starting positions consists of three different relative angular positions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor which includes an elongated hollow shroud housing a plurality of substantially parallel nuclear fuel rods which are spaced from each other by thin spacer wires secured to one end of each fuel rod and wrapped down and around the fuel rod in spiral fashion and secured to the other end of the fuel rod, the improvement wherein at least those spacer wires which contact nonfueled elements consist of thin tubes which are flattened where they contact nonfueled elements, whereby the gap therebetween and resultant coolant flow therebetween are decreased.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 14 wherein said shroud is hexagonal in cross section and includes nonfueled dummy fuel rods at the corners thereof; said spacers consisting of flattened wires where they contact the inner wall of said shroud and the dummy fuel rods.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 14 wherein said tubular spacer wires in contact with nonfueled elements are flattened sufficiently to decrease the gap between fuel rods and nonfueled elements to from about one-third to about one-half of the gap between adjacent fuel rods.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 14 wherein at least one of said tubular spacer wires contains a neutron-moderating material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The fuel assembly according to claim 14 wherein at least one of said tubular spacer wires contains a burnable neutron poison material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-20 | 1975-03-22 | 1975-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-20 | 1979-03-22 | 1979-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-20 | 1983-03-22 | 1983-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |