Variable flow control for a nuclear reactor control rod

Patent · 01 January 1978

OSTI ID:863199

Carleton, Richard D ^[1]; Bhattacharyya, Ajay ^[2]

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1. Pittsburgh, PA
2. Vasteras, SE

A variable flow control for a control rod assembly of a nuclear reactor that depends on turbulent friction though an annulus. The annulus is formed by a piston attached to the control rod drive shaft and a housing or sleeve fitted to the enclosure housing the control rod. As the nuclear fuel is burned up and the need exists for increased reactivity, the control rods are withdrawn, which increases the length of the annulus and decreases the rate of coolant flow through the control rod assembly.

• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4118275
• OSTI ID: 863199
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/976/
annulus
assembly
attached
burned
control
control rod
control rods
coolant
coolant flow
decreases
depends
drive
drive shaft
enclosure
exists
fitted
flow
flow control
formed
friction
fuel
housing
increased
increases
length
nuclear
nuclear fuel
nuclear reactor
piston
piston attached
rate
reactivity
reactor
reactor control
rod
rod assembly
rod drive
rods
shaft
sleeve
turbulent
variable
variable flow
withdrawn