Two compartment water rod for boiling water reactors

Patent · Tue Jul 27 04:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:6153034

Matzner, B; Wolters, B A

In a fuel bundle for boiling water nuclear reactor, said fuel bundle is described including a matrix of upstanding fuel rods for undergoing nuclear reaction and generating steam, a lower tie plate for supporting the matrix of fuel rods and admitting liquid water moderator to the fuel bundle from the lower portion of said fuel bundle, an upper tie plate for fastening to at least some of the fuel rods and permitting the outflow of liquid and vapor water moderator from the upper portion of said fuel bundle, a channel surrounding said upper and lower tie plates and said fuel rods therebetween for confining moderator flow between said tie plates and around said fuel rods, and a plurality of vertically spaced apart fuel rod spacers, each said spacer surrounding each said fuel rod at the particular elevation of said spacer for maintaining said fuel rods in side-by-side relation, and a water rod for installation to said fuel bundle for supplying liquid moderator to the upper two phase region of said fuel bundle, the improvement to said water rod comprising: said water rod having a first upper compartment, and a second lower compartment, said upper compartment isolated from said lower compartment; said first upper compartment defining an open, upwardly exposed end for receiving and maintaining water in said upper water rod compartment during the power generating operation of said fuel bundle will fill with liquid by gravity flow from above; means communicated to the bottom portion of said lower compartment for receiving water from said lower portion of said fuel bundle; and, means communicated to the upper portion of said lower compartment for discharging water to the interior of said fuel bundle below the upper most spacer of said fuel bundle whereby discharge to said fuel bundle occurs in said upper two phase region of said bundle.

• Assignee: General Electric Co., San Jose, CA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5230858; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-836479
• OSTI ID: 6153034
• 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
DESIGN
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FLUID FLOW
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL CHANNELS
FUEL ELEMENT CLUSTERS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL RODS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MODERATORS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR CHANNELS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SPACERS
SUPPORTS
THERMAL REACTORS
WATER
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS