US3922192A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Nuclear reactor instrumentation
Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
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Filing: 1973-10-09
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Granted: 1975-11-25
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Expires: 1993-10-09
Abstract
Abstract A liquid metal cooled nuclear reactor has an equal number of fuel sub-assemblies and sensing instruments. Each instrument senses temperature and rate of coolant flow of a sample of coolant derived from a group of three sub-assemblies so that an abnormal value for one sub-assembly will be indicated on three instruments thereby providing for redundancy of up to two of the three instruments. The abnormal value may be a precurser to unstable boiling of coolant.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward Duncombe
- 👤 Gerald Mcgonigal
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 06:11
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C17/00; G21C17/10; G21C17/102; G21C17/02; G21C17/032; G21C17/112; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A LIQUID METAL COOLED NUCLEAR REACTOR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF INSTRUMENTED FUEL ELEMENT SUB-ASSEMBLIES THROUGH WHICH COOLANT CAN FLOW UPWARDLY AND WHEREIN THERE IS AN EQUAL PLURALITY OF INSTRUMENTS FOR SENSING THE TEMPERATURE AND THE RATE OF LIQUID METAL FLOW OF A SAMPLE OF COOLANT DERIVED FROM A GROUP OF AT LEAST THREE ADJOINING SUB-ASSEMBLIES, EACH GROUP HAVING A SLEEVE WHICH DEFINES A COOLANT FLOW DUCT AND HOUSE A SENSING INSTRUMENT, THE SLEEVE HAVING AT LEAST THREE INLET DUCTS ARRANGED FOR RECEIVING COOLANT FLOW FROM THE CENTRAL REGIONS OF EACH OF THE SUB-ASSEMBLIES OF THE GROUP AND A COMMON OUTLET.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A LIQUID METAL COOLED NUCLEAR REACTOR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF INSTRUMENTED FUEL ELEMENT SUB-ASSEMBLIES THROUGH WHICH COOLANT CAN FLOW UPWARDLY AND WHEREIN THERE IS AN EQUAL PLURALITY OF INSTRUMENTS FOR SENSING THE TEMPERATURE AND THE RATE OF LIQUID METAL FLOW OF A SAMPLE OF COOLANT DERIVED FROM A GROUP OF AT LEAST THREE ADJOINING SUB-ASSEMBLIES, EACH GROUP HAVING A SLEEVE WHICH DEFINES A COOLANT FLOW DUCT AND HOUSE A SENSING INSTRUMENT, THE SLEEVE HAVING AT LEAST THREE INLET DUCTS ARRANGED FOR RECEIVING COOLANT FLOW FROM THE CENTRAL REGIONS OF EACH OF THE SUB-ASSEMBLIES OF THE GROUP AND A COMMON OUTLET.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A nuclear reactor according to claim 1 wherein coolant flow from the common outlet is directed into a dome member, the dome member having an upper outlet for directing a sub-sample of coolant flow to fission product sensing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
An instrument for sensing the temperature and rate of liquid metal flow of a sample of coolant derived from adjoining sub-assemblies of a nuclear reactor according to claim 1, the instrument having three thermo-couple hot junctions connected in series, each hot junction being disposed for exposure to a sample flow from a single fuel element sub-assembly, and electro-magnetic windings about an inductive core arranged to sense variation in flow of liquid metal by flux distortion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
An instrument according to claim 3, having a thermocouple disposed to sense the mean temperature of the sample flow of coolant derived from the adjoining sub-assemblies.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3724268A
Cited
US3764467A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-24 | 1979-05-26 | 1979-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-24 | 1983-05-26 | 1983-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-24 | 1987-05-26 | 1987-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |