Control rod displacement

Patent · Tue Dec 08 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5388210

Nakazato, S

This patent describes a nuclear reactor including a core, cylindrical control rods, a single support means supporting the control rods from their upper ends in spaced apart positions and movable for displacing the control rods in their longitudinal direction between a first end position in which the control rods are fully inserted into the core and a second end position in which the control rods are retracted from the core, and guide means contacting discrete regions of the outer surface of each control rod at least when the control rods are in the vicinity of the second end position. The control rods are supported by the support means for longitudinal movement without rotation into and out of the core relative to the guide means to thereby cause the outer surface of the control rods to experience wear as a result of sliding contact with the guide means. The support means are so arranged with respect to the core and the guide means that it is incapable of rotation relative to the guide means. The improvement comprises displacement means being operatively coupled to a respective one of the control rods for periodically rotating the control rod in a single angular direction through an angle selected to change the locations on the outer surfaces of the control rods at which the control rods are contacted by the guide means during subsequent longitudinal movement of the control rods.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4711756
• OSTI ID: 5388210
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220400* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Control Systems
CONTROL ELEMENTS
DESIGN
EQUIPMENT
MATERIALS HANDLING
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
OPERATION
POSITIONING
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SUPPORTS