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Title: Control rods for light water reactors

Abstract

A control rod for a nuclear fuel assembly is described herein that includes a neutron absorbing material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. that does not form a eutectic with a melting point less than 1500° C., and may further include a cladding material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. The cladding material is selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, zirconium, a zirconium alloy, tungsten, and molybdenum. The absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of Gd2O3, Ir, B4C, Re, and Hf. The metal cladding or the absorbing material may be coated with an anti-oxidation coating of Cr with or without a Nb intermediate layer.

Inventors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Westinghouse Electric Co., Cranberry Township, PA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1892770
Patent Number(s):
11289213
Application Number:
16/051,712
Assignee:
Westinghouse Electric Corp. (Oil City, PA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C23 - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL C23C - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21C - NUCLEAR REACTORS
DOE Contract Number:  
NE0008222
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 08/01/2018
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Lahoda, Edward J., Boylan, Frank A., Lam, Ho Q., Nissley, Mitchell E., Schneider, Raymond E., Oelrich, Robert L., Ray, Sumit, Pomirleanu, Radu, Karoutas, Zeses, and Hone, Michael J. Control rods for light water reactors. United States: N. p., 2022. Web.
Lahoda, Edward J., Boylan, Frank A., Lam, Ho Q., Nissley, Mitchell E., Schneider, Raymond E., Oelrich, Robert L., Ray, Sumit, Pomirleanu, Radu, Karoutas, Zeses, & Hone, Michael J. Control rods for light water reactors. United States.
Lahoda, Edward J., Boylan, Frank A., Lam, Ho Q., Nissley, Mitchell E., Schneider, Raymond E., Oelrich, Robert L., Ray, Sumit, Pomirleanu, Radu, Karoutas, Zeses, and Hone, Michael J. Tue . "Control rods for light water reactors". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1892770.
@article{osti_1892770,
title = {Control rods for light water reactors},
author = {Lahoda, Edward J. and Boylan, Frank A. and Lam, Ho Q. and Nissley, Mitchell E. and Schneider, Raymond E. and Oelrich, Robert L. and Ray, Sumit and Pomirleanu, Radu and Karoutas, Zeses and Hone, Michael J.},
abstractNote = {A control rod for a nuclear fuel assembly is described herein that includes a neutron absorbing material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. that does not form a eutectic with a melting point less than 1500° C., and may further include a cladding material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. The cladding material is selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, zirconium, a zirconium alloy, tungsten, and molybdenum. The absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of Gd2O3, Ir, B4C, Re, and Hf. The metal cladding or the absorbing material may be coated with an anti-oxidation coating of Cr with or without a Nb intermediate layer.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Mar 29 00:00:00 EDT 2022},
month = {Tue Mar 29 00:00:00 EDT 2022}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Advanced gray rod control assembly
patent, September 2013


Evaluation of Neutron Nuclear Data on Hafnium Isotopes for JENDL-4
journal, February 2010


The zirconium-hafnium system
journal, July 1966


High neutron-absorbing refractory compositions of matter and methods for their manufacture
patent, October 1992


Hybrid nuclear reactor grey rod to obtain required reactivity worth
patent, November 1991