In-core Restraint Means Patents (Class 376/303)
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Publication number: 20140321590Abstract: Nuclear reactor systems and methods are described having many unique features tailored to address the special conditions and needs of emerging markets. The fast neutron spectrum nuclear reactor system may include a reactor having a reactor tank. A reactor core may be located within the reactor tank. The reactor core may include a fuel column of metal or cermet fuel using liquid sodium as a heat transfer medium. A pump may circulate the liquid sodium through a heat exchanger. The system may include a balance of plant with no nuclear safety function. The reactor may be modular, and may produce approximately 100 MWe.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: Advanced Reactor Concepts LLCInventor: Leon C. Walters
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Patent number: 8767902Abstract: Nuclear reactor systems and methods are described having many unique features tailored to address the special conditions and needs of emerging markets. The fast neutron spectrum nuclear reactor system may include a reactor having a reactor tank. A reactor core may be located within the reactor tank. The reactor core may include a fuel column of metal or cermet fuel using liquid sodium as a heat transfer medium. A pump may circulate the liquid sodium through a heat exchanger. The system may include a balance of plant with no nuclear safety function. The reactor may be modular, and may produce approximately 100 MWe.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2011Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Advanced Reactor Concepts LLCInventor: Leon C. Walters
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Patent number: 8121243Abstract: Monitor-guide-tube fixing sections are fixed to portions on a core support plate side of a plurality of in-core monitor guide tubes disposed in a reactor vessel. The monitor-guide-tube fixing sections are fixed to the core support plate disposed in the reactor vessel to fix the in-core monitor guide tubes to the core support plate. This makes it possible to realize improvement of rigidity of the fixed sections of the in-core monitor guide tubes. A tie plate is fixed to the in-core monitor guide tubes. The in-core monitor guide tubes are coupled by the tie plate. This makes it possible to realize improvement of rigidity of the entire in-core monitor guide tubes. As a result, it is possible to realize vibration damping for the in-core monitor guide tubes.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2006Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Yonemoto, Shigeyuki Watanabe, Makoto Nakajima
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Patent number: 7596200Abstract: A clamp apparatus is provided which is designed to structurally replace a weld that attaches a riser brace assembly to a reactor pressure vessel wall, and a method for repairing the riser brace assembly. The riser brace assembly is designed to support a jet pump in the reactor pressure vessel. The riser brace assembly may include upper and lower riser brace leaves connected to a reactor pressure vessel pad on the wall. The clamp apparatus may include a first clamp component including a central extension portion, and a second clamp component including a slot portion. The central extension and slot portions may be engaged to provide alignment between the first and second clamp components between the upper and lower riser brace leaves of the riser brace assembly.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2005Date of Patent: September 29, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Grant Clark Jensen
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Patent number: 7515673Abstract: A clamp assembly connects a diffuser adapter or lower ring to a diffuser tail pipe of a jet pump diffuser in a boiling water nuclear reactor. The clamp assembly includes at least two clamp segments shaped generally corresponding to an exterior circumference of the diffuser, a swivel link affixed at each end of each of the clamp segments, and at least two connecting bands pivotably secured to the swivel links between the ends of the clamp segments. The clamp segments each includes a locking assembly engageable with the diffuser adapter or lower ring and the diffuser tail pipe. The clamp assembly structurally replaces/repairs the weld joining the diffuser adapter or lower ring and the diffuser tail pipe.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2006Date of Patent: April 7, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Grant C. Jensen, Siamak Bourbour
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Patent number: 6683931Abstract: An unirradiated nuclear fuel assembly transport canister that includes a clamshell type fuel assembly inner liner that has interior dimensions that closely conform to the outer envelope of the fuel assembly to be transported and exterior dimensions that conform to a generic overpack tubular container. The liner is inserted into the overpack tubular container which is in turn supported by a shock absorbing suspension system within a birdcage frame.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2001Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLCInventors: William E. Stilwell, III, Norman A. Kent, John F. Staples, Peter J. Vescovi, Brian E. Hempy
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Patent number: 6178219Abstract: A holder for fuel elements in a reactor, in particular in a boiling water reactor, is provided, as well as a method for repairing such a holder. A core grid is demounted from a core shroud and replaced by a new forged core grid for the purpose of repairing the holder. An adapter ring is to be inserted between the new core grid and the core shroud. There is provision for connecting the adapter ring to the core grid without a welding operation, for example by shrink fitting.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Benedikt Wintermann, Friedrich Leibold
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Patent number: 5995575Abstract: A restraint assembly which is a bolted lattice structure for preventing the in-core guide tubes from experiencing excessive flow induced vibrations is described. In one embodiment, the restraint assembly includes upper and lower restraint brackets secured to an in-core housing and in-core guide tube assembly. The restraint brackets are located approximately equal distance from the end supports of the in-core guide tube and in-core housing assembly. The upper restraint bracket is welded between sections of the in-core guide tube, and the lower restraint bracket is welded between the in-core guide tube and the in-core housing. Each bracket includes four flanges, and each flange has tapped, or threaded, openings therein. Each bracket also includes cylindrical sections extending from the flanges, and in one embodiment, the cylindrical sections have inner and outer diameters which match the inner and outer diameters of the in-core housing and the in-core guide tube.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 1998Date of Patent: November 30, 1999Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jack T. Matsumoto, Alex B. Fife, Charles A. Dalke
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Patent number: 5550883Abstract: The vessel of the nuclear reactor includes at least three assemblies (22) distributed around the periphery of the core support plate (25), each comprising a key (26) fixed to the inner surface of the wall (21) of the vessel at the core support plate (25) and a cut-out (29) in the external edge of the core support plate (25) and open towards the outside in order to receive, with a clearance, an end part (30) of the key (26). The cut-out (29) includes an upper surface (29d) perpendicular to the axis of the wall (21) of the vessel and of the lower internals (23), which is machined in the core support plate (25) in order to retain the internals (23) in the event of a drop. A keyhole slot (28) is fixed inside the cut-out (29). In order to carry out the adjustment of the dimensions of the keyhole slot (28), a standard keyhole slot may be used, equipped with distance measurement sensors in order to obtain the desired clearances between the key (26) and the keyhole slot (28).Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 1995Date of Patent: August 27, 1996Assignee: FramatomeInventor: Jean-Claude Bougis
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Patent number: 5488643Abstract: In order to eliminate the need to weld, drill or otherwise machine a shroud structure which is used to surround a plurality of fuel assemblies in a nuclear reactor, a plurality of upper hanger rods interconnect a structure above the shroud to a support ring which is clamped about the upper periphery of the shroud. Lower hanger rods interconnect a lower edge or shoulder portion of the shroud with the support ring. Thus, through the upper and lower hanger rods and the support ring, the shroud can be supported within the RPV. The upper support ring is arranged to clamp the lower ends of the upper hanger rods against the upper outer peripheral portion of the shroud while the lower ends of the lower hanger rods are clamped against the lower peripheral wall portion of the shroud by a lower support ring.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 1994Date of Patent: January 30, 1996Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Bengt I. Baversten
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Patent number: 5339342Abstract: A fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor includes approximately mutually parallel fuel rods in a bundle having upper and lower ends. A skeleton holding the bundle has a handle, an upper tie plate retained on the handle at the upper end of the bundle, a lower tie plate at the lower end of the bundle, and at least one support element joining together the lower tie plate and the upper tie plate. The skeleton and the bundle are inserted in a fuel assembly case. A redundant support device holds the lower tie plate, the fuel assembly case and the upper tie plate together, when the handle is lifted.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 1993Date of Patent: August 16, 1994Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Werner Meier, Hans-Joachim Lippert, Peter Rau, Lothar Koerner
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Patent number: 4943409Abstract: To provide intrinsic reactor safety, the fuel sub-assemblies of a nuclear reactor core are provided with reactivity control mechanisms operable, in response to temperature rises above desired limits, to interact with adjacent fuel sub-assemblies and effect radial dilation of the core in order to reduce reactivity. Various embodiments are disclosed in which differential thermal expansion of an operating device or devices (34; 40; 42, 44, 46; 50) is translated into radially outward displacement of a lever or levers (28) for contact with neighbouring sub-assemblies.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 1988Date of Patent: July 24, 1990Assignee: National Nuclear Corporation LimitedInventor: Donald Broadley
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Patent number: 4448745Abstract: Nuclear fuel assemblies having square cross-sections mount tubes at each corner, the tubes containing springs which are extended through apertures in the tube walls when actuated by solid rods extended down into the tubes by the weight of the upper guide structure of the nuclear vessel in which the fuel assemblies are mounted. The springs, extended from strategically located positions along the length of the tubes, engage the surface of adjacent fuel assemblies to dimensionally stabilize the fuel assemblies relative to each other and the vessel in which they are mounted.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 1982Date of Patent: May 15, 1984Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Andrew J. Anthony
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Patent number: 4409179Abstract: A core shroud including flexible panels sealingly attached to the inner surface of the shroud at an elevation opposite the fuel assembly grids nearest the core midplane. Each panel forms the outer wall of a deformable chamber which is pressurized through a conduit carried by the shroud. One end of the conduit is in fluid communication with the reactor coolant at a high pressure location remote from the panels, producing a pressure differential across the panel which urges the panel against the adjacent grid to prevent core bowing.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 1980Date of Patent: October 11, 1983Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.Inventor: Joseph M. Burger