Thimble guide extender for a nuclear power plant

Patent · Tue Apr 18 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5941981

Merkovsky, D; Rusnica, E J

An extender in combination with a thimble guide, and a lower core plate of a nuclear reactor is described. The extender has a longitudinal axis and being installed on and coaxially with the thimble guide mounted on the lower core plate of a nuclear reactor vessel and projecting toward and terminating at a distance from an underface of a bottom nozzle forming part of a fuel assembly and supported on a top face of the lower core plate, comprising: (a) a lower fitting surrounding the thimble guide at a bottom length portion thereof adjacent the top face of the lower core plate; (b) an upper fitting being axially displaceable relative to the lower fitting and surrounding the thimble guide at a top length portion thereof; (c) an axially compressible, generally cylindrical resilient bellows arranged between the lower and upper fittings generally in axial alignment therewith and being sealingly secured thereto; (d) circumferential sealing means provided at the lower fitting and sealingly surrounding the thimble guide.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4822558
• OSTI ID: 5941981
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
DESIGN
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
NOZZLES
PLATES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
SEALS
SUPPORTS