Micro-reactor core mechanical support
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsYuriy ALESHIN, Stuart KELLNER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A nuclear reactor core mechanical support bracket is disclosed. The support bracket includes a housing, a spring disposed internally within the housing, a shaft slidingly disposed within the housing and to engage the spring to compress and decompress the spring as the shaft travels in and out of the housing, a shaft travel pin to control the travel of the shaft, and a flange to mount the support bracket to a canister of a nuclear reactor. The shaft includes an inset configured to interface with a nuclear reactor core component.
Claims17
A nuclear reactor core mechanical support bracket, comprising:
- a housing;
- a spring disposed internally within the housing;
- a shaft slidingly disposed within the housing and to engage the spring to compress and decompress the spring as the shaft travels in and out of the housing, the shaft further comprising an inset configured to interface with a nuclear reactor core component;
- a shaft travel pin to control the travel of the shaft;
- and
- a flange to mount the support bracket to a canister of a nuclear reactor.
A nuclear reactor, comprising:
- a reactor core;
- a canister to contain and seal the reactor core within the canister;
- and
- a core mechanical support system configured to mount to the canister, wherein the core mechanical support system comprises:
- a radial core mechanical support system to support the reactor core in a radial direction;
- and
- an axial core mechanical support system to support the reactor core in an axial direction.
A nuclear reactor, comprising:
- a reactor core;
- a canister to contain and seal the reactor core within the canister;
- and
- a core mechanical support system configured to mount to the canister, wherein the core mechanical support system comprises:
- a radial core mechanical support system to support the reactor core in a radial direction;
- and
- an axial core mechanical support system to support the reactor core in an axial direction;
- a radial reflector disposed within the canister;
- a support beam disposed between an inner wall of the canister and the radial reflector, wherein the support beam is disposed axially along the length of the reactor core, wherein the radial core mechanical support system comprises a radial support bracket configured to interface with the support beam;
- a plate disposed on each end of the reactor core, wherein the axial core mechanical support system is configured to interface with the plate;
- wherein the radial support bracket and the axial support bracket each comprises:
- a housing;
- a spring disposed internally within the housing;
- a shaft slidingly disposed within the housing and to engage the spring to compress and decompress the spring as the shaft travels in and out of the housing, the shaft further comprising an inset configured to interface with the support beam or the plate;
- a shaft travel pin to control the travel of the shaft;
- and
- a flange to mount the support bracket to the canister.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.