Boiling water nuclear reactor fuel assembly with cross-flow elimination at upper spacer locations

Patent · Tue Apr 19 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:7176671

Taleyarkhan, R P

This patent describes a fuel assembly having an array of spaced fuel rods, an outer tubular flow channel surrounding the fuel rods so as to direct flow of coolant/moderator fluid therealong, and a water cross extending through the channel and having radially extending members dividing the array of fuel rods into separate fuel rod mini-bundle subassemblies, each radial member being connected at multiple segments along its outer longitudinal edge to the channel so as to define a series of spaced apart openings between the member and channel which allow cross-flow of coolant/moderator between adjacent subassemblies for pressure equalization therebetween. Each subassembly has spacers being displaced from one another along the length of the subassembly between the bottom and top thereof and surrounding the fuel rods thereof so as to maintain them in side-by-side space relationship. The improvement comprises: means interconnecting the each water cross radial member and the channel for closing predetermined ones of the openings adjacent the locations of upper ones of the spacers for blocking portions of the coolant/moderator cross-flow between the separate mini-bundles via the predetermined ones of the openings so as to minimize degradation of CHF performance and resulting penalties and uncertainties associated therewith. The blocking means are in the form of a solid continuous structure impervious to cross-flow and interconnecting each radial member and the channel adjacent the locations of the upper ones of the spacers.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4738819
• OSTI ID: 7176671
• 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
CONTROL ELEMENTS
COOLANTS
COOLING
COOLING SYSTEMS
CROSSFLOW SYSTEMS
DUCTS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL RODS
HYDRAULICS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID FLOW
MECHANICS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTORS
WATER
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS