Patent US3920514A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3920514A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Emergency core cooling spray head
Assignee: Combustion Engineering Inc
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Filing: 1973-10-18
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Granted: 1975-11-18
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Expires: 1993-10-18
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus is described for supplying emergency coolant fluid to the core region of a nuclear reactor in the event of a loss of coolant accident. A coolant plenum is integrally formed in each of the individual fuel assemblies that comprise the reactor core. The plenums are each connected to a pressurized source of emergency coolant fluid and means are provided to discharge the fluid from the plenums into the adjacent regions of the associated fuel assemblies.
Inventors
- 👤 John Norman Calvin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:01
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C15/00; G21C15/18; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
259 words
A NUCLEAR REACTOR COMPRISING: A. A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED UPSTANDING VESSEL, B. A PAIR OF VERTICALLY SPACED TUBE SHEETS DIVIDING THE INTERIOR OF SAID VESSEL INTO AXIALLY SPACED SECTIONS INCLUDING A CORE REGION, AN OUTLET PLENUM AND AN INACTIVE PLENUM, C. A REACTIVE CORE IN SAID CORE REGION INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF FUEL ASSEMBLIES EACH CONTAINING UPPER AND LOWER END FITTINGS, ELONGATED HOLLOW GUIDE TUBES ATTACHING SAID END FITTINGS IN AXIALLY SPACED RELATION AND PARALLEL FUEL ELEMENTS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID END FITTINGS, D. MEANS FOR CIRCULATING COOLANT FLUID THROUGH SAID CORE DURING PERIODS OF NORMAL REACTOR OPERATION, AND E. MEANS FOR SUPPLYING EMERGENCY COOLANT FLUID TO SAID CORE IN THE EVENT OF A PLANT ACCIDENT, SAID MEANS INCLUDING; I. A SOURCE OF EMERGENCY COOLANT FLUID DISPOSED EXTERNALLY OF SAID VESSEL, II. DUCT MEANS CONNECTING SAID SOURCE WITH SAID INACTIVE PLENUM, III. A PLURALITY OF TUBULAR CONNECTORS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OUTLET PLENUM WITH THEIR UPPER AND LOWER ENDS ATTACHING SAID TUBE SHEETS AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID INACTIVE PLENUM AND SAID CORE REGION RESPECTIVELY, IV. PLATE MEANS INTEGRAL WITH EACH OF SAID FUEL ASSEMBLIES FORMING ENCLOSED PLENUMS EACH HAVING A TRANSVERSE EXTENT AT LEAST AS GREAT AS THAT OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE ASSOCIATED FUEL ELEMENT BUNDLE, V. SAID HOLLOW GUIDE TUBES PENETRATING SAID PLENUMS AND HAVING THEIR UPPER ENDS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID TUBULAR CONNECTORS, VI. MEANS FORMING OPENINGS IN SAID GUIDE TUBES FOR CONNECTING SAID PLENUMS IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH TUBULAR CONNECTORS, AND VII. MEANS FORMING OPENING IN SAID PLATE MEANS FOR THE DISCHARGE OF EMERGENCY COOLANT FLUID FROM SAID PLENUMS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
259 words
A NUCLEAR REACTOR COMPRISING: A. A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED UPSTANDING VESSEL, B. A PAIR OF VERTICALLY SPACED TUBE SHEETS DIVIDING THE INTERIOR OF SAID VESSEL INTO AXIALLY SPACED SECTIONS INCLUDING A CORE REGION, AN OUTLET PLENUM AND AN INACTIVE PLENUM, C. A REACTIVE CORE IN SAID CORE REGION INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF FUEL ASSEMBLIES EACH CONTAINING UPPER AND LOWER END FITTINGS, ELONGATED HOLLOW GUIDE TUBES ATTACHING SAID END FITTINGS IN AXIALLY SPACED RELATION AND PARALLEL FUEL ELEMENTS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID END FITTINGS, D. MEANS FOR CIRCULATING COOLANT FLUID THROUGH SAID CORE DURING PERIODS OF NORMAL REACTOR OPERATION, AND E. MEANS FOR SUPPLYING EMERGENCY COOLANT FLUID TO SAID CORE IN THE EVENT OF A PLANT ACCIDENT, SAID MEANS INCLUDING; I. A SOURCE OF EMERGENCY COOLANT FLUID DISPOSED EXTERNALLY OF SAID VESSEL, II. DUCT MEANS CONNECTING SAID SOURCE WITH SAID INACTIVE PLENUM, III. A PLURALITY OF TUBULAR CONNECTORS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OUTLET PLENUM WITH THEIR UPPER AND LOWER ENDS ATTACHING SAID TUBE SHEETS AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID INACTIVE PLENUM AND SAID CORE REGION RESPECTIVELY, IV. PLATE MEANS INTEGRAL WITH EACH OF SAID FUEL ASSEMBLIES FORMING ENCLOSED PLENUMS EACH HAVING A TRANSVERSE EXTENT AT LEAST AS GREAT AS THAT OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE ASSOCIATED FUEL ELEMENT BUNDLE, V. SAID HOLLOW GUIDE TUBES PENETRATING SAID PLENUMS AND HAVING THEIR UPPER ENDS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID TUBULAR CONNECTORS, VI. MEANS FORMING OPENINGS IN SAID GUIDE TUBES FOR CONNECTING SAID PLENUMS IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH TUBULAR CONNECTORS, AND VII. MEANS FORMING OPENING IN SAID PLATE MEANS FOR THE DISCHARGE OF EMERGENCY COOLANT FLUID FROM SAID PLENUMS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said plate means include a pair of axially spaced transverse plates and side plates connecting the peripheral edges of said transverse plates to close said plenums.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which said transverse plates are disposed in overlying relationship to the upper ends of said fuel elements and the lowermost of said plates contains openings each disposed in substantial vertical alignment with the upper end of one of said fuel elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 3 in which one of said transverse plates is said upper end fitting.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which said transverse plates are disposed intermediate the ends of said fuel assemblies, said plates both containing aligned openings for the passage of fuel elements therethrough, the edges of said openings being concentrically spaced from the surface of said fuel rods.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 5 including another group of aligned openings disposed in said transverse plates and means forming tubular connectors connecting aligned pairs of said openings for flow of coolant fluid past said plenum.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US3290222A
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US3395076A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-17 | 1979-05-19 | 1979-11-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-17 | 1983-05-19 | 1983-11-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-17 | 1987-05-19 | 1987-11-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |