Anti-vibration flux thimble

Patent · Tue Jun 13 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5618118

Merkovsky, D

This patent describes a method of fabricating a thimble used to accomodate a movable in-core detector for monitoring power distribution in a nuclear reactor having a vessel including a wall, a sleeve penetrating the wall, a core plate supporting a fuel assembly, bore formed in the core plate, and a bottom-mounted instrumentation column communicating with the bore. The bottom mounted instrumentation column is coupled to the core plate and extends therefrom to the vessel penetration sleeve. The method consists the steps of: forming first tubular means for slidably guiding the detector within the nuclear reactor, the first tubular means being linearly movable through the bore in the core plate and into the fuel assembly; sheathing the first tubular means with a second tubular means along as predetermined length thereof; and fixedly attaching the second tubular means to the first tubular means at an attachment region having a length that is substantially less than the length of the second tubular means, so that the second tubular means is not immobilized with respect to the first tubular means except at the attachment region, the attaching step further comprising the step of forming a bullet-shaped member having a greatest diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the second tubular means, and having a first shoulder portion adapted to seal the second tubular means, and having a second shoulder portion adapted to seal the first tubular means.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4839135
• OSTI ID: 5618118
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
DESIGN
FABRICATION
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
POWER DISTRIBUTION
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
REACTOR INSTRUMENTATION
REACTOR MONITORING SYSTEMS
REACTOR SAFETY
SAFETY
SUPPORTS