Nuclear reactor fuel assembly with a removable top nozzle

Patent · Mon Dec 22 23:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6907550

Shallenberger, J M; Ferlan, S J

This patent describes a fuel assembly having at least one control rod guide thimble and a top nozzle, the top nozzle including a transversely extending adapter plate. An improved attaching structure is described for removably mounting the top nozzle on the guide thimble comprising: (a) means defining an outer socket in the top nozzle, the outer socket defining means including a passageway extending through the adapter plate and having a first mating element defined in the adapter plate within the passageway; (b) means on an upper end of the guide thimble defining an inner socket, the inner socket defining means including an elongated sleeve having an upper end portion. The upper end portion of the sleeve has a second mating element formed thereon and at least one elongated axial slot defined therein for permitting radial movement of the sleeve upper end portion between a compressed releasing position for removing and inserting the inner socket from and into the outer socket and an expanded locking position for locking the inner and outer sockets together.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4631168
• OSTI ID: 6907550
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
COMPRESSION
CONTROL ELEMENTS
DESIGN
ELASTICITY
ELONGATION
EXPANSION
FABRICATION
FASTENERS
FASTENING
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
JOINING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
NOZZLES
OPERATION
POSITIONING
REACTOR COMPONENTS
SLEEVES
TENSILE PROPERTIES