Patents by Inventor Denis L. Burman

Denis L. Burman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Fuel rod cluster interchange system and method for nuclear fuel assemblies
    Patent number: 4793963
    Abstract: The improved fuel assembly has a plurality of elongated corner posts extending longitudinally between and releasably and rigidly interconnecting top and bottom nozzles so as to form a rigid structural skeleton of the fuel assembly. Additionally, a plurality of transverse grids are supported at axially spaced locations along the corner posts and a plurality of fuel rods are supported by the grids. Certain groups of the fuel rods are spaced apart laterally from one another by a greater distance than the rest of the fuel rods so as to define a number of elongated channels extending between the top and bottom nozzles. A cluster assembly having a cluster plate with a plurality of elongated rods is adapted to be removably supported on the top nozzle with its rods extending through the channels. The rods can be a plurality of guide thimbles in the case of one cluster assembly, or a plurality of oversized fuel rods in the case of another cluster assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Edmund E. Demario, Denis L. Burman, Carl A. Olson, Jeffrey R. Secker
  • Universal fuel assembly construction for a nuclear reactor
    Patent number: 4716016
    Abstract: The universal fuel assembly has a plurality of elongated corner posts extending longitudinally between and releasably and rigidly interconnecting top and bottom nozzles so as to form a rigid structural skeleton of the fuel assembly. Additionally, a plurality of transverse grids are supported at axially spaced locations along the corner posts and a plurality of fuel rods are supported by the grids. Certain groups of the fuel rods are spaced apart laterally from one another by a greater distance than the rest of the fuel rods so as to define a number of elongated channels extending between the top and bottom nozzles. A cluster assembly having a cluster plate with a plurality of elongated rods is adapted to be removably supported on the top nozzle with its rods extending through the channels. The rods can be a plurality of guide thimbles in the case of one cluster assembly, or a plurality of oversized fuel rods in the case of another cluster assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1987
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Edmund E. Demario, Denis L. Burman, Carl A. Olson, Jeffrey R. Secker
  • Apparatus and method for loading fuel rods into grids of a fuel assembly
    Patent number: 4651403
    Abstract: The improved fuel assembly has a plurality of elongated corner posts extending longitudinally between and releasably and rigidly interconnecting top and bottom nozzles so as to form a rigid structural skeleton of the fuel assembly. Additionally, a plurality of transverse grids are supported at axially spaced locations along the corner posts and a plurality of fuel rods are supported by the grids. Certain groups of the fuel rods are spaced apart laterally from one another by a greater distance than the rest of the fuel rods so as to define a number of elongated channels extending between the top and bottom nozzles. A cluster assembly having a cluster plate with a plurality of elongated rods is adapted to be removably supported on the top nozzle with its rods extending through the channels. The rods can be a plurality of guide thimbles in the case of one cluster assembly, or a plurality of oversized fuel rods in the case of another cluster assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: Edmund E. DeMario, Denis L. Burman, Carl A. Olson, Jeffrey R. Secker