Heat transfer channels
AssigneeUnited Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
InventorRobert Victor Macbeth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Nuclear fuel rods, or other heat emitting rod like bodies are arranged in a coolant channel in a cluster spaced apart from one another and from the channel wall. The channel contains a number of lattice positions uniformly distributed over the flow section there being an odd number of positions in an outer annular row adjacent the channel wall occupied by nuclear fuel rods for example. This discourages coolant flow patterns deleterious to high heat flux.
Claims9
A heat transfer channel comprising a channel wall, an inlet for a heat receiving liquid coolant at one end, an outlet for a two phase liquid/vapour mixture at the other, a plurality of elongated, heat emitting members supported in the channel by axially spaced grids in at least two annular concentric rows between the inlet and the outlet in spaced apart relation to one another and to the channel wall and extending parallel to one another and to the channel axis, the heat emitting members between the grids defining unobstructed passageways for coolant axially and radially, the members being held in position such that there is an odd number of members occupying the outermost row adjacent the channel wall.
A nuclear reactor coolant channel having an axially extending channel wall, an inlet at the lower end for liquids and an outlet at the upper end for a two phase mixture, a plurality of nuclear fuel rods supported in the channel in at least two annular concentric rows by axially spaced grids, the fuel rod portions between the grids defining unobstructed passageways axially and radially for coolant, the grids positioning an odd number of fuel rods in the annular row adjacent the channel wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.