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

Nuclear fuel assembly wear sleeve

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6459899
An improved control rod guide tube for use in a fuel assembly in a nuclear reactor. The guide tube extends the complete length of the fuel assembly and has its upper end fastened in a cylindrical housing by swaging the guide tube material into grooves formed in the housing walls. To eliminate wear on the guide tube inner walls caused by hydraulic induced vibratory forces on a control rod adapted to move therein, a thin-walled chrome plated sleeve is threaded into the top end of the guide thimble and extends downwardly a distance sufficient to be engaged by the control rod during reactor operation. The sleeve serves as a highly resistant wear surface between the control rod and walls on the guide tube in the fuel assembly.
Assignee:
Westinghouse Electric Corp
Patent Number(s):
US 4376092
OSTI ID:
6459899
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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