Nuclear reactor

Claim 2

An improvement in a nuclear reactor which comprises a vessel having an inlet for receiving a coolant, a plurality of outlets spaced around the walls of the vessel for discharging said coolant, a reactor core disposed in said vessel and including a plurality of fuel assemblies, and a plurality of absorbing pins for cooperating with said fuel assemblies for regulating the neutron flux within said core, the improvement comprising an apparatus for guiding and supporting said pins in said vessel, said apparatus including a rigid top plate located in the upper portion of said vessel, said top plate having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough of a size sufficient to accommodate an assembly of said pins, an intermediate plate located in said vessel below said outlets, a bottom plate disposed between said intermediate plate and the bottom of said vessel, the top, intermediate and bottom plates being disposed above said core and being sized at least large enough to cover the reactor core, a plurality of elongated hollow members each having a cross-sectional shape and area sufficient to accommodate an assembly of said pins, the upper end portions of said members being secured to said top plate in registry with the apertures formed through said top plate, the lower end portions of said hollow members being connected to said intermediate plate, the intermediate and bottom plates including a pattern of apertures therein aligned with each of said hollow members each of said apertures being adapted to receive one of said pins therethrough, the apertures in the intermediate and bottom plates being aligned with each other and connected by a plurality of support members with openings therein in register with said apertures, the support members being rigidly connected to each of said intermediate and bottom plates for supporting the bottom plate relative to the intermediate plate.

Claim 3

The improvement in claim 1, wherein the inlet is located below the bottom plate, and a plurality of additional apertures are formed through said bottom and intermediate plates to direct coolant through said vessel in a direction parallel to said tubes and out said outlets.

Claim 4

The improvement in claim 1, wherein the support members include a plurality of ribs with each including more than one opening therein.

Claim 5

The improvement in claim 1, wherein the support members include a plurality of rods with axial openings therethrough.

Claim 6

The improvement in claim 1, wherein the support members are solid when they are connected to the intermediate and bottom plates, the openings being formed therein after connection takes place.

Claim 7

An improvement in a nuclear reactor which comprises a vessel having an inlet for receiving a coolant, a plurality of outlets spaced around the walls of the vessel for discharging said coolant, a reactor core disposed in said vessel and including a plurality of fuel assemblies, and a plurality of absorbing pins for cooperating with said fuel assemblies for regulating the neutron flux within said core, the improvement comprising an apparatus for guiding and supporting said pins in said vessel, said apparatus including a rigid top plate located in the upper portion of said vessel above said outlets and secured to the inner wall of said vessel, said top plate having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough of a size sufficient to accommodate an assembly of said pins, an intermediate plate located in said vessel below said outlets, a bottom plate disposed between said intermediate plate and the bottom of said vessel, the top, intermediate and bottom plates being disposed above said core and being sized at least large enough to cover the reactor core, a plurality of elongated hollow members each having a cross-sectional shape and area sufficient to accommodate an assembly of said pins, the upper end portions of said members being secured to said top plate in registry with the apertures formed through said top plate, the lower end portions of said hollow members being connected to said intermediate plate, the intermediate and bottom plates including a pattern of apertures therein aligned with each of said hollow members each of said apertures being adapted to receive one of said pins therethrough, the apertures in the intermediate and bottom plates being aligned with each other and connected by a plurality of connecting tubes with openings therein in register with said apertures, the connecting hollow members being rigidly connected to the intermediate plate and freely slidable in the apertures of the bottom plate, a plurality of support members rigidly connected to the intermediate and bottom plates and extending therebetween for supporting the bottom plate relative to the intermediate plate.

Claim 8

An improvement in a nuclear reactor which comprises a vessel having an inlet for receiving a coolant, a plurality of outlets spaced around the walls of the vessel for discharging said coolant, a reactor core disposed in said vessel and including a plurality of fuel assemblies, and a plurality of absorbing pins for cooperating with said fuel assemblies for regulating the neutron flux within said core, the improvement comprising an apparatus for guiding and supporting said pins in said vessel, said apparatus including a rigid top plate located in the upper portion of said vessel above said outlets and secured to the inner wall of said vessel, said top plate having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough of a size sufficient to accommodate an assembly of said pins, an intermediate plate located in said vessel below said outlets, a bottom plate disposed between said intermediate plate and the bottom of said vessel, the top, intermediate and bottom plates being disposed above said core and being sized at least large enough to cover the reactor core, a plurality of elongated hollow members each having a cross-sectional shape and area sufficient to accommodate an assembly of said pins, the upper end portions of said members being secured to said top plate in registry with the apertures formed through said top plate, the lower end portions of said hollow members being connected to said intermediate plate, the intermediate and bottom plates including a pattern of apertures therein aligned with each of said hollow members each of said apertures being adapted to receive one of said pins therethrough, the apertures in the intermediate and bottom plates being aligned with each other and connected by a plurality of connecting tubes with openings therein in register with said apertures, the connecting hollow members being rigidly connected to the intermediate plate and freely slidable in the apertures of the bottom plate, a plurality of support members rigidly connected to the intermediate and bottom plates and extending therebetween for supporting the bottom plate relative to the intermediate plate.

Claim 9

The improvement in claim 6, wherein the inlet is located between the bottom plate, and a plurality of additional apertures are formed through said bottom and intermediate plates to direct coolant through said vessel in a direction parallel to said tubes and out said outlets.