BWR fuel assembly with water flow mixing chamber at fuel bundle/water cross entrance

Patent · Tue Mar 10 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6662016

Taleyarkhan, R P

This patent describes a fuel assembly having a bundle of elongated fuel rods disposed in side-by-side relationship so as to form an array of spaced fuel rods. An outer tubular flow channel surrounds the fuel rods so as to direct flow of coolant/moderator fluid along the fuel rods. A hollow water cross extends centrally through and is interconnected with the outer flow channel so as to divide the channel into separate compartments and the bundle of fuel rods into mini-bundles thereof being disposed in the respective compartments. The improvement described here comprises: means defining a flow mixing chamber within and between lower end portions of the mini-bundles of fuel rods and below the water cross which allows free mixing cross flow within and between the lower end portions of the respective mini-bundles. The mixing chamber defines means including an upper limit constituted by a lower ends of the water cross and a lower limit constituted by lower end of the respective mini-bundles. The water cross lower end is spaced within the range of about six to twelve inches above the mini-bundle lower ends.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4649021
• OSTI ID: 6662016
• 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
COOLANTS
FLUID FLOW
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL ELEMENT CLUSTERS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL RODS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MIXERS
MIXING
MODERATORS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SPACE DEPENDENCE
WATER
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS