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Title: Control rod damping system

Abstract

A damping area or “dash pot” on the upper ends of control rods absorb energy from dropped control rod assemblies without narrowing the diameter of guide tubes. As a result, coolant can freely flow through the guide tubes reducing boiling water issues. The dampening area reduces a separation distance between an outside surface of the control rod and an inside surface of the guide tubes decelerating the control rods when entering a top end of the guide tubes. In another example, the dampening area may be located on a drive shaft. The dampening area may have a larger diameter than an opening in a drive shaft support member that decelerates the drive shaft when dropped by a drive mechanism.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
NuScale Power, LLC, Corvallis, OR (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1824030
Patent Number(s):
11024433
Application Number:
15/858,073
Assignee:
NuScale Power, LLC (Corvallis, OR)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
DOE Contract Number:  
NE0000633
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 12/29/2017
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Snuggerud, Ross Douglas. Control rod damping system. United States: N. p., 2021. Web.
Snuggerud, Ross Douglas. Control rod damping system. United States.
Snuggerud, Ross Douglas. Tue . "Control rod damping system". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1824030.
@article{osti_1824030,
title = {Control rod damping system},
author = {Snuggerud, Ross Douglas},
abstractNote = {A damping area or “dash pot” on the upper ends of control rods absorb energy from dropped control rod assemblies without narrowing the diameter of guide tubes. As a result, coolant can freely flow through the guide tubes reducing boiling water issues. The dampening area reduces a separation distance between an outside surface of the control rod and an inside surface of the guide tubes decelerating the control rods when entering a top end of the guide tubes. In another example, the dampening area may be located on a drive shaft. The dampening area may have a larger diameter than an opening in a drive shaft support member that decelerates the drive shaft when dropped by a drive mechanism.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2021},
month = {6}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Control rod drive for reactor shutdown
patent, January 1976