Assemblies and methods for mitigating effects of reactor pressure vessel expansion

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872417

Challberg, Roy C ^[1]; Gou, Perng-Fei ^[2]; Chu, Cherk Lam ^[3]; Oliver, Robert P ^[4]

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1. Livermore, CA
2. Saratoga, CA
3. San Jose, CA
4. Topsham, ME

Support assemblies for allowing RPV radial expansion while simultaneously limiting horizontal, vertical, and azimuthal movement of the RPV within a nuclear reactor are described. In one embodiment, the support assembly includes a support block and a guide block. The support block includes a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion is rigidly coupled to the RPV adjacent the first portion. The guide block is rigidly coupled to a reactor pressure vessel support structure and includes a channel sized to receive the second portion of the support block. The second portion of the support block is positioned in the guide block channel to movably couple the guide block to the support block.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Boston, MA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-90SF18494
• Assignee: General Electric Company (Schenectady, NY)
• Patent Number(s): US 5930320
• OSTI ID: 872417
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

assemblies
methods
mitigating
effects
reactor
pressure
vessel
expansion
support
allowing
rpv
radial
simultaneously
limiting
horizontal
vertical
azimuthal
movement
nuclear
described
embodiment
assembly
block
guide
portion
rigidly
coupled
adjacent
structure
channel
sized
receive
positioned
movably
couple
reactor pressure
pressure vessel
nuclear reactor
support structure
support assembly
support block
radial expansion
vessel support
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