Enhanced debris filter bottom nozzle for a nuclear fuel assembly

Patent · Tue Jun 18 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5667610

Cioffi, J V; Kerrey, J S

This patent describes a fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor. It comprises nuclear fuel rods, at least one grid supporting the fuel rods in an organized array, and at least one guide thimble supporting the grid, a debris filter bottom nozzle spaced below the grid and the fuel rods, supporting the guide thimble and adapted to allow flow of liquid coolant into the fuel assembly, the debris filter bottom nozzle comprising: (a) an enclosure defining a chamber having opposite open ends for coolant flow therethrough in an axial direction from one of the ends to the other of the ends; and (b) an array of elongated hollow tubes disposed across the chamber of the enclosure in a consolidated side- by-side relation to one another and in abutting contact with one another and rigidly interconnected to the enclosure and to one another to form a unitary structure; the array of elongated hollow tubes including first tubes of a substantially constant flow diameter size and second tubes of a substantially constant second diameter size which is smaller than the first diameter size of the first tubes.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
• Patent Number(s): A; US 5024806
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-410574
• OSTI ID: 5667610
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
DESIGN
ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL RODS
NOZZLES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORE RESTRAINTS
REACTOR PROTECTION SYSTEMS
RESTRAINTS