Boiling water reactor control rod

Patent · Tue Dec 23 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6978269

Wilson, J F; Doshi, P K

This patent describes a control rod for a boiling water type nuclear power reactor, the improvement comprising: (a) an elongated central stem defining a longitudinally extending internal central gas plenum; (b) blades connected to and extending along and radially outward from the stem, each blade including an elongated body portion extending along the stem and terminating in an end tip portion; (c) means defining a series of internal cavities in each of the blades, the cavities being arranged in columns and rows across the length and width of the body and tip portions of the blade; (d) pellets of neutron absorbing material, each disposed within one of the cavities with each of the cavities being oversized in relation to the size of the pellet disposed therein to allow extra space for swelling of the pellet. The cavities and the pellets disposed therein are arranged to define a longer, constant worth section generally coextensive with the body portion of the blade and a shorter, reduced worth section generally coextensive with the end tip portion of the blade; and (e) means defined within each blade communicating each of the cavities with the central gas plenum for allowing any gases generated by irradiation of the pellets to expand from the cavities into the plenum.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4631165
• OSTI ID: 6978269
• 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
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220400* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Control Systems
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CONTROL ELEMENTS
DESIGN
ELONGATION
IRRADIATION
NEUTRON ABSORBERS
PELLETS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
SIZE
SWELLING
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS