Integrated head package for top mounted nuclear instrumentation
Abstract
A nuclear reactor such as a pressurized water reactor has an integrated head package providing structural support and increasing shielding leading toward the vessel head. A reactor vessel head engages the reactor vessel, and a control rod guide mechanism over the vessel head raises and lowers control rods in certain of the thimble tubes, traversing penetrations in the reactor vessel head, and being coupled to the control rods. An instrumentation tube structure includes instrumentation tubes with sensors movable into certain thimble tubes disposed in the fuel assemblies. Couplings for the sensors also traverse penetrations in the reactor vessel head. A shroud is attached over the reactor vessel head and encloses the control rod guide mechanism and at least a portion of the instrumentation tubes when retracted. The shroud forms a structural element of sufficient strength to support the vessel head, the control rod guide mechanism and the instrumentation tube structure, and includes radiation shielding material for limiting passage of radiation from retracted instrumentation tubes. The shroud is thicker at the bottom adjacent the vessel head, where the more irradiated lower ends of retracted sensors reside. The vessel head, shroud and contents thus can be removed from the reactor as amore »
- Inventors:
-
- McKeesport, PA
- Forest Hills, PA
- Monroeville, PA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 868842
- Patent Number(s):
- 5225150
- Assignee:
- Westinghouse Electric Corp. (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-90SF18495
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- integrated; head; package; top; mounted; nuclear; instrumentation; reactor; pressurized; water; providing; structural; support; increasing; shielding; leading; vessel; engages; control; rod; guide; mechanism; raises; lowers; rods; thimble; tubes; traversing; penetrations; coupled; tube; structure; sensors; movable; disposed; fuel; assemblies; couplings; traverse; shroud; attached; encloses; portion; retracted; forms; element; sufficient; strength; radiation; material; limiting; passage; thicker; bottom; adjacent; irradiated; reside; contents; removed; unit; safely; securely; shielding material; head package; nuclear instrumentation; tube structure; vessel head; water reactor; structural support; radiation shielding; pressurized water; radiation shield; fuel assemblies; instrumentation tube; control rod; reactor vessel; nuclear reactor; sufficient strength; control rods; providing structural; rod guide; structural element; mounted nuclear; top mounted; integrated head; instrumentation tubes; nuclear instrument; /376/
Citation Formats
Malandra, Louis J, Hornak, Leonard P, and Meuschke, Robert E. Integrated head package for top mounted nuclear instrumentation. United States: N. p., 1993.
Web.
Malandra, Louis J, Hornak, Leonard P, & Meuschke, Robert E. Integrated head package for top mounted nuclear instrumentation. United States.
Malandra, Louis J, Hornak, Leonard P, and Meuschke, Robert E. Fri .
"Integrated head package for top mounted nuclear instrumentation". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868842.
@article{osti_868842,
title = {Integrated head package for top mounted nuclear instrumentation},
author = {Malandra, Louis J and Hornak, Leonard P and Meuschke, Robert E},
abstractNote = {A nuclear reactor such as a pressurized water reactor has an integrated head package providing structural support and increasing shielding leading toward the vessel head. A reactor vessel head engages the reactor vessel, and a control rod guide mechanism over the vessel head raises and lowers control rods in certain of the thimble tubes, traversing penetrations in the reactor vessel head, and being coupled to the control rods. An instrumentation tube structure includes instrumentation tubes with sensors movable into certain thimble tubes disposed in the fuel assemblies. Couplings for the sensors also traverse penetrations in the reactor vessel head. A shroud is attached over the reactor vessel head and encloses the control rod guide mechanism and at least a portion of the instrumentation tubes when retracted. The shroud forms a structural element of sufficient strength to support the vessel head, the control rod guide mechanism and the instrumentation tube structure, and includes radiation shielding material for limiting passage of radiation from retracted instrumentation tubes. The shroud is thicker at the bottom adjacent the vessel head, where the more irradiated lower ends of retracted sensors reside. The vessel head, shroud and contents thus can be removed from the reactor as a unit and rested safely and securely on a support.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993}
}