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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Individual source positioning mechanism for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6299581
A nuclear reactor is described including a fuel assembly, at lest one elongated neutron source rod and an upper core plate. The fuel assembly has top and bottom nozzles with a guide thimbles extending between and interconnecting the nozzles. The upper core plate is positioned adjacent to and above the top nozzle of the fuel assembly and having flow openings to allow passage of coolant from the fuel assembly. At least some of the openings is aligned over respective ones of the guide thimbles with seating means defined about the openings on a lower side of the core plate, a separate mechanism for positioning each individual neutron source rod in a respective guide thimble aligned with one of the openings defined through the upper core plate, comprising: (a) locating means registering against the core plate seating means; and (b) resilient holddown means extending partially into the guide thimble and coupling the source rod with the locating means in a manner which restrains the source rod in a lateral direction and positions the rod in a stationary axial relationship within the guide thimble.
Assignee:
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
Patent Number(s):
US 4678618
OSTI ID:
6299581
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English