Internal core tightener

Patent · 22 June 1976

OSTI ID:862581

Brynsvold, Glen V ^[1]

---

1. San Jose, CA

An internal core tightener which is a linear actuated (vertical actuation motion) expanding device utilizing a minimum of moving parts to perform the lateral tightening function. The key features are: (1) large contact areas to transmit loads during reactor operation; (2) actuation cam surfaces loaded only during clamping and unclamping operation; (3) separation of the parts and internal operation involved in the holding function from those involved in the actuation function; and (4) preloaded pads with compliant travel at each face of the hexagonal assembly at the two clamping planes to accommodate thermal expansion and irradiation induced swelling. The latter feature enables use of a "fixed" outer core boundary, and thus eliminates the uncertainty in gross core dimensions, and potential for rapid core reactivity changes as a result of core dimensional change.

• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 3964969
• OSTI ID: 862581
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/976/
accommodate
accommodate thermal
actuated
actuation
assembly
boundary
change
changes
clamping
compliant
contact
core
core reactivity
core tightener
device
device utilizing
dimensional
dimensional change
dimensions
eliminates
enables
expanding
expansion
feature
feature enables
features
fixed
function
gross
hexagonal
holding
induced
induced swelling
internal
internal core
involved
irradiation
irradiation induced
key
key feature
lateral
latter
linear
loaded
loads
minimum
motion
moving
operation
outer
pads
perform
planes
potential
preloaded
radiation induced
rapid
reactivity
reactor
reactor operation
result
separation
surfaces
swelling
thermal
thermal expansion
tightener
tightening
transmit
travel
uncertainty
unclamping
utilizing
vertical
vertical actuation