Abstract: Process and apparatus for the detection and prelocalization of a can fracture in a fuel assembly of a fast nuclear reactor.The device comprises at least one detector for the neutrons emitted by the fission products transported in the outflow of cooling agent as the result of the fracture of a can, said detector being immersed within the vessel in the outflow of cooling agent in an area protected from neutrons emitted by the core by the volume of cooling agent and by structures immersed in the annular space between the core and the vessel.

Abstract: A closed-loop emission control system for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust composition sensor includes an averaging circuit for generating a signal representative of the average value of the sensed exhaust composition, and a balanced differential amplifier receptive of the average and instantaneous values of the sensed composition to generate an output indicating the difference therebetween. A DC bias is applied to the differential amplifier to fluctuate the difference signal above and below the DC bias level.

Abstract: In a blow-off device for limiting excess pressure in nuclear power plants, a condensation tube disposed so that a lower outlet end thereof is immersed in a volume of water in a condensation chamber having a gas cushion located in a space above the volume of water, and an upper inlet end of the condensation tube extends out of the volume of water and is connectible to a source of steam that is to be condensed or a steam-air mixture, the outlet end of the condensation tube being further provided with a base member at the mouth of the outlet end for limiting steam flows discharging in axial direction of the tube, and being formed with lateral openings subdividing the steam flow and bubbles produced in the volume of water, the lateral outlet openings being formed of slots widening toward the end of the condensation tube, the slots being distributed over the periphery of the outlet end of the condensation tube.

Abstract: A nuclear reactor containment arrangement incorporating a permanent cavity to vessel seal in the form of a flexible quarter-circular annular steel gasket affixed to and extending between the reactor vessel seal plate and cavity wall. The seal functions to isolate the periphery of the vessel from a permanent water-tight compartment above the reactor vessel which is flooded during refueling operations to minimize the release of radiation upon exposure of the nuclear core. The seal is designed to accommodate both radial and axial expansion of the pressure vessel relative to the cavity wall occurring during reactor operation without breaking the water-tight integrity of the seal. The pressure vessel ventilation system is provided with an air exit duct at the reactor nozzle level to facilitate the circulation of air around the periphery of the vessel which would otherwise be restricted at the seal to vessel interface.

Abstract: In raising the power of a nuclear reactor, before the linear heat generating rate of nuclear fuel elements arranged in the core of the nuclear reactor reaches 240 W/cm, the power rise of the reactor is suspended at least once and the reactor power is held at the fixed level. The raise of the power of the nuclear reactor before the arrival of the linear heat generating rate at 240 W/cm is performed by pulling out control rods inserted into the core. When the linear heat generating rate exceeds 240 W/cm, the power of the nuclear reactor is gradually raised in such a way that the linear heat generating rate is increased in a proportion of below about 1.8 W/cm/hour by increasing the flow rate of a coolant supplied to the core.

Abstract: Apparatus for the in situ inspection of a nuclear reactor vessel to detect the location and character of flaws in the walls of the vessel, in the welds joining the various sections of the vessel, in the welds joining attachments such as nozzles, elbows and the like to the reactor vessel and in such attachments wherein an inspection head carrying one or more ultrasonic transducers follows predetermined paths in scanning the various reactor sections, welds and attachments.

Abstract: A pilot fuel injection system for a diesel engine. One embodiment of the system includes a high pressure fuel pump, an accumulator, a mechanical fuel distributor, a pair of fuel metering valves for each cylinder of the engine, a fuel injection nozzle for each cylinder, and an electronic logic for controlling actuation of the metering valves; in a second system embodiment a pair of the metering valves supply fuel to all of the engine cylinders. Several embodiments of the metering valve are disclosed, some of which allows exclusion of the mechanical fuel distributor from the system. All of the disclosed metering valves meter fuel from the pump to the nozzles by traversing a passage in a valving member across another passage. Motion is imparted to the valving member by electromagnetic means which are energized by the electronic logic. The logic is responsive to engine speed and throttle position.

Abstract: An ignition system for an internal combustion engine is described, including an ignition timing control apparatus which is useful for cleaning the exhaust gas and saving fuel, which ignition timing control apparatus is controlled by first, second and third control signals in which the first control signal represents the rotating speed of a crank shaft, the second control signal represents the value of the negative pressure in an intake manifold and the third control signal indicates that the internal combustion engine is idle.

Abstract: A missile guidance system is provided in which a sensor is pivotally mounted on the missile in a gimbal system having two degrees of freedom. The sensor is controlled during flight in such a manner that the axis of the sensor is aligned in a direction determined by the acceleration of the missile, and the sensor locates the target and determines the angle between the direction of the sensor axis and the direction of the target. Guidance information is derived from this angle for directing the missile toward the target. Compensation for gravity may be provided by means of a spring suitably arranged in the gimbal system. The sensor system may be either active or passive and may be responsive to any desired type of signal from the target.

Abstract: An electronic ignition timing system for an internal combustion engine which rotates a crankshaft is disclosed. The ignition system comprises a plurality of variable engine condition sensors which produce corresponding analog output signals and a crankshaft position sensor. A timing control logic circuit periodically multiplexes each of the variable engine condition sensors such that they are sequentially connected as inputs to an analog to digital (A/D) converter which produces an output signal comprising a pulse train for each of the multiplexed engine conditions. The total number of pulses in each pulse train is related to the magnitude of the variable engine condition currently being connected to the A/D converter. In addition, high resolution crankshaft position pulses are produced, preferably by an electronic angle divider which receives coarse crankshaft position pulses and produces high resolution crankshaft position pulses.

Abstract: A hand grenade is provided with a fuze comprising: a firing means, means luding two centrifugally-operated elements movably carried by the grenade housing for arming the firing means, means including an inertia member rotatable relative to the housing and a torsion spring between the inertia member and the housing for spinning the housing to operate the arming elements, and manually-held safety means for preventing arming until the grenade is thrown. Two disclosed embodiments have different arming and firing means with substantially the same spinning means.

Abstract: A method for deriving seismic information through the simultaneous operation of a plurality of vibrational seismic energy source systems such that the information produced by each source system may be separated from the combined recorded information.

Abstract: The coolant gas of a gas-cooled high temperature nuclear reactor, structu components or the fuel elements of which are made predominantly of graphite, is circulated through a coolant circuit of the reactor and through a gas purification plant, and to further remove impurities from the coolant gas, carbon dust of colloidal particle size is fed into the coolant gas preferably on its passage back from the purification plant into the coolant circuit. The carbon dust may be monoatomic carbon or activated carbon, coke, carbon black or a mixture thereof. Preferably the coolant gas of the reactor is charged with the carbon dust before the reactor is initially started up and hot-run and the coolant gas charged with the carbon dust is circulated for a sufficiently long period to coat all metal surfaces in the coolant circuit with carbon dust before the initial starting up and hot-running takes place.

Abstract: A sensor which determines an operational variable of a system, for example an oxygen sensor of an internal combustion engine, generates a usable output voltage only at the proper elevated temperature. In order to uncouple the control loop from an improperly operating sensor, i.e., a cold sensor, the internal resistance of the sensor is monitored by passing through it a test current and by comparing the resulting voltage drop to a set-point value. Whenever the internal resistance is too high, indicating non-readiness, the control loop is opened and a substitute average output value is supplied to the fuel injection system or to the system driven by the control loop. During normal operation, the sensor is tested periodically with short test pulses to continuously monitor the operational readiness, but the main test current is normally shut off, thereby preventing falsification of the output signal.

Abstract: A sensor chamber having one cavity containing coolant separated by a diaphragm from another cavity containing a fixed mass of inert gas is located within a safety assembly of a liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor. The liquid cavity is in fluid communication with the coolant outside the chamber through a flow limiting orifice. An actuating bellows in fluid communication with the gas cavity is in contact with coolant outside the chamber and is connected to a push rod, which serves as a trigger for a poison bundle release mechanism. During slow changes in reactor coolant pressure experienced under normal operation, the diaphragm moves to equalize the gas cavity and liquid cavity pressures with the coolant pressure outside the chamber. The actuating bellows does not move because it is biased so that a threshold pressure difference is required before it will expand.

Abstract: A control loop for regulating the magnitude of a variable quantity of an apparatus to a reference value, for example the steam pressure in the output line from a boiling water reactor, wherein the instantaneous magnitude of the steam pressure is compared with a reference value and the difference therebetween is used to regulate a valve in the steam line in such manner as to eliminate the difference. The control loop also includes one resonance filter for the regulating medium whose resonant frequency coincides with the frequency at which the control loop, in the absence of such a filter, would become unstable.

Abstract: A pulley system for use in driving the manipulating arm of a nuclear reactor vessel inspection device is disclosed. Two drive pulleys and pulley take-up spools are disposed in driving engagement with a motor. The pulley cable is looped about a first set of idler pulleys fixed to the manipulator arm which is to be driven along the main or central column of the inspection device. Two additional idler pulleys, a second set, are used to define another portion of the pulley cable loop, which portion serves to equalize unbalanced forces in the cable.When the drive motor is actuated, only that portion of the pulley cable between the drive set and the first set of idler pulleys moves. Depending on the direction of movement, the manipulator arm is raised or lowered with equal force on each side thereof minimizing wear and potential hazards.

Abstract: A signaling device to be launched underwater having a fuze body and a protile containing pyrotechnic compositions. The pyrotechnic compositions are ignited by an electrical squib which is detonated by voltage from a sea water battery which is sealed from sea water until a valve opens to permit entry of water into the fuze. An open circuit is provided between the battery and leads of the squib and, in addition, the squib leads are shorted. The opening of a valve to permit entry of sea water into the fuze causes the short to be removed and closes the circuit between the battery and the squib.

Abstract: A spacer grid for a nuclear fuel assembly is comprised of a lattice of grid plates forming multiple cells that are penetrated by fuel elements. Resilient protrusions and rigid protrusions projecting into the cells from the plates bear against the fuel element to effect proper support and spacing. Pairs of intersecting grid plates, disposed in a longitudinally spaced relationship, cooperate with other plates to form a lattice wherein each cell contains adjacent panels having resilient protrusions arranged opposite adjacent panels having rigid protrusions. The peripheral band bounding the lattice is provided solely with rigid protrusions projecting into the peripheral cells.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for tracking and/or guidance of a vehicle or projectile using a correlation arrangement for comparing representations from a sensor mounted on the vehicle or projectile with a reference representation, the correlation being carried out by comparing portions of the representations and like portions of the reference representation to derive position coordinates for each of said portions and to evaluate from said position coordinates compensation signals for rotational misalignment and/or changes of scale as between the reference and subsequent representations.