BWR fuel assembly bottom nozzle with one-way coolant flow valve

Patent · Tue Dec 29 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5389414

Taleyarkhan, R P

In a nuclear reactor having a flow of coolant/moderator fluid therein, at least one fuel assembly installed in the fluid flow, the fuel assembly is described comprising in combination: a bundle of elongated fuel rods disposed in side-by-side relationship so as to form an array of spaced fuel rods; an outer tubular flow channel surrounding the fuel rods so as to direct the flow of coolant/moderator fluid along the fuel rods; bottom and top nozzles mounted at opposite ends of the flow channel and having an inlet and outlet respectively for allowing entry and exit of the flow of coolant/moderator fluid into and from the flow channel and along the fuel rods therein; and a coolant flow direction control device operatively disposed in the bottom nozzle so as to open the inlet thereof to the flow of coolant/moderator fluid in an inflow direction into the flow channel through the bottom nozzle inlet but close the inlet to the flow of coolant/moderator fluid from the flow channel through the bottom nozzle inlet upon reversal of coolant/moderator fluid flow from the inflow direction.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4716011
• OSTI ID: 5389414
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210100* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
COOLANTS
COOLING SYSTEMS
DESIGN
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
FLUID FLOW
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
NOZZLES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTORS
RELIEF VALVES
VALVES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS