Nuclear fuel rod support grid with improved multiple dimple arrangement

Patent · Tue Apr 21 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6542104

Rylatt, J A

This patent describes an improved fuel rod support grid including interleaved straps arranged so as to form a matrix of hollow cells, each cell for receiving one fuel rod and being defined by pairs of opposing elongated walls which are shared with adjacent cells, each wall of the pairs thereof, which define a single cell, having one side forming a part of the perimeter of the single cell and having an opposite side forming part of the perimeter of one of several cells disposed about and adjacent to the single cell, the improvement which comprises: (a) a first set of dimples formed at an upper end of each wall of the pairs thereof defining each cell of the grid; and (b) a second set of dimples formed at a lower end of each wall of the pairs thereof defining each cell of the grid; (c) each of the first and second sets of dimples being composed of a pair of upper and lower dimples which project outwardly from the same one side of the wall in which the dimples of the set are formed and a center dimple being located between and adjacent to the upper and lower dimples and which projects outwardly from the opposite side of the wall in which the dimples of the set are formed; (d) the dimples in the first and second sets thereof being adapted to resiliently and frictionally engage fuel rods when received through adjacent ones of the respective cells.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4659541
• OSTI ID: 6542104
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
ELECTRODES
ELONGATION
FRICTION
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL RODS
GRIDS
MATRICES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SUPPORTS
WALLS