Nuclear reactor fuel assembly duct-tube-to-inlet-nozzle attachment system

Patent · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:864328

Christiansen, David W.; Smith, Bob G.

A reusable system for removably attaching the lower end 21 of a nuclear reactor fuel assembly duct tube to an upper end 11 of a nuclear reactor fuel assembly inlet nozzle. The duct tube's lower end 21 has sides terminating in locking tabs 22 which end in inwardly-extending flanges 23. The flanges 23 engage recesses 13 in the top section 12 of the inlet nozzle's upper end 11. A retaining collar 30 slides over the inlet nozzle's upper end 11 to restrain the flanges 23 in the recesses 13. A locking nut 40 has an inside threaded portion 41 which engages an outside threaded portion 15 of the inlet nozzle's upper end 11 to secure the retaining collar 30 against protrusions 24 on the duct tube's sides.

• Research Organization: Hanford Engineering Development Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-14-2170
• Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): 4,348,353
• Application Number: 06/206231
• OSTI ID: 864328
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/976/
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12
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15
21
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30
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41
assembly
attaching
attachment
collar
duct
duct tube
duct-tube-to-inlet-nozzle
engage
engages
extending flange
flanges
fuel
fuel assembly
inlet
inlet nozzle
inside
inwardly-extending
locking
nozzle
nozzle attachment
nuclear
nuclear reactor
nut
outside
portion
protrusions
reactor
reactor fuel
recesses
removably
removably attaching
restrain
retaining
reusable
section
secure
slides
tabs
terminating
threaded
threaded portion
top
top section
tube
upper