Nuclear reactor core stabilizing arrangement
AssigneeThe Babcock & Wilcox Company
InventorFelix S. Jabsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nuclear reactor core stabilizing arrangement wherein a plurality of actuators, disposed in a pattern laterally surrounding a group of elongated fuel assemblies, press against respective contiguous fuel assemblies on the periphery of the group to reduce the clearance between adjacent fuel assemblies thereby forming a more compacted, vibration resistant core structure.
Claims7
In a nuclear reactor having a core provided with a baffle plate enclosure, said core consisting of elongated fuel assemblies positioned in adjacent, parallel, laterally spaced apart relation to one another, said fuel assemblies each provided with a mid-point spacer grid having an outside band portion,
- the improvement of a device for use in stabilizing said core comprising:
- former plate means mounted on the exterior of said enclosure,
- a guide sleeve supported by said plate means, said guide sleeve having a longitudinal passageway of open-end construction,
- a cylindrical sleeve passing through said guide sleeve transverse the axis of said passageway,
- a cam rod having two end portions, one of said ends of said cam rod having two surfaces,
- one an inclined surface and also a keyed surface both of which are provided in opposite directions on the end portion of said cam rod which passes longitudinally through said passageway of said guide sleeve and transversely through said cylindrical sleeve,
- a key piece passing through said cylindrical sleeve and adapted to follow said keyway of said cam rod,
- a wedge piece passing through said cylindrical sleeve and having an end adapted to follow said inclined surface of said cam rod,
- said wedge piece having a second end passing through said enclosure and being provided with a platen for separable engagement to said outer band portion of said grid,
- spring actuating means provided on the free end of said cam rod whereby downward pressure on said actuating means induces longitudinal movement of said cam rod which is translated into transverse movement of said wedge piece and pressure against said outer band surface of said grid.
In a nuclear reactor having a core consisting of elongated fuel assemblies positioned in adjacent, parallel, laterally spaced apart relation to one another, a device for use in stabilizing said core comprising, former plate means mounted on the exterior of the core, a guide sleeve supported by said plate means, said guide sleeve having a longitudinal passageway of open-end construction, another sleeve passing through said guide sleeve transverse to said passageway, a cam rod having two end portions, said cam rod having an inclined surface and a keyed surface formed on the end portion of said cam rod which passes longtiduinally through said passageway of said guide sleeve and transversely through said transverse sleeve, a key piece passing through said transverse sleeve and adapted to said cam rod keyed surface, a wedge piece also passing through said transverse sleeve and having an end adapted to follow said inclined cam rod surface, said wedge piece having a second end provided with a platen for separable engagement with at least one said fuel assemblies, and spring actuating means provided on the other end of said cam rod, whereby force applied to said cam rod in the direction of said keyed surface induces a longitudinal movement of said cam rod which is translated into transverse movement of said wedge piece and pressure against said fuel assembly.
In a nuclear reactor having a core consisting of elongated fuel assemblies positioned in adjacent, parallel, laterally spaced apart relation to one another, a device for use in stabilizing the core comprising a cam rod spaced from the reactor core and generally coextensive with at least a portion of and parallel to the elongated fuel assemblies for lengthwise rod movement and transmitting force therealong, said cam rod having a cam surface and a keyed surface formed thereon adjacent to at least one of the fuel assemblies, a plunger having a key adapted to said cam rod keyed surface, and a wedge with an end adapted to follow said cam surface and limit said lengthwise cam rod movement, said wedge having an end provided with a platen for engagment with at least one of the fuel assemblies to apply said transmitted cam rod force inwardly toward the core and against at least one of the fuel assemblies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.