Nuclear reactor safety device

Patent · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:865840

Hutter, Ernest ^[1]

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1. Wilmette, IL

A safety device is disclosed for use in a nuclear reactor for axially repositioning a control rod with respect to the reactor core in the event of an upward thermal excursion. Such safety device comprises a laminated helical ribbon configured as a tube-like helical coil having contiguous helical turns with slidably abutting edges. The helical coil is disclosed as a portion of a drive member connected axially to the control rod. The laminated ribbon is formed of outer and inner laminae. The material of the outer lamina has a greater thermal coefficient of expansion than the material of the inner lamina. In the event of an upward thermal excursion, the laminated helical coil curls inwardly to a smaller diameter. Such inward curling causes the total length of the helical coil to increase by a substantial increment, so that the control rod is axially repositioned by a corresponding amount to reduce the power output of the reactor.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4587085
• OSTI ID: 865840
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/376/976/
abutting
amount
axially
causes
coefficient
coil
comprises
configured
connected
contiguous
control
control rod
core
corresponding
corresponding amount
curling
curls
device
device comprises
diameter
disclosed
drive
edges
event
excursion
expansion
formed
helical
helical coil
helical ribbon
increase
increment
inner
inward
inwardly
lamina
laminae
laminated
length
material
nuclear
nuclear reactor
outer
output
portion
power
power output
reactor
reactor core
reactor safety
reduce
repositioned
repositioning
respect
ribbon
rod
safety
safety device
slidably
substantial
thermal
thermal coefficient
total
tube-like
upward