Thimble guide extender
In a nuclear reactor having a reactor lower core plate with a bore therein and having a thimble guide with a bottom end that is mounted on the reactor lower core plate, a top end that is spaced apart from an aperture in the bottom nozzle of a fuel assembly supported by the core plate, and sides defining an elongated guide channel between the top and bottom ends to accommodate an elongated hollow thimble which is longitudinally movable through the bore and into the aperture, the bottom nozzle having legs which rest on the core plate around the bore and having flow openings adjacent the aperture, and the guide channel having an axis which extends through the bore and the aperture, a thimble guide extender is described comprising: a hollow element having a thimble passage with an axis. The hollow element has an upper portion which contacts the bottom nozzle of the fuel assembly and a lower portion which extends around the sides of the thimble guide so that the upper end of the guide is disposed within the hollow element; and means for mounting the hollow element so that the thimble passage axis is coaxial with respect to the axis of the guide channel. The means for mounting include locking fingers on the upper portion of the hollow element to extend into the flow openings and secure the hollow element to the bottom nozzle.
- Assignee:
- Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4716004
- Application Number:
- TRN: 88-013035
- OSTI ID:
- 5388642
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 6 Feb 1986
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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