Nuclear reactor locking piston drive system and valve assembly
AssigneeGulf States Utilities Company
InventorsJoseph S. Miller, John J. Lynch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A locking piston drive system and valve assembly is provided for shutdown of a nuclear reactor. "Chatter" in a check valve assembly which occurs during charging and/or re-charging of control fluid within a control line is eliminated by providing a valve head and a resisting portion defined on the valve head to resist movement of the valve, head when it is urged from sealing engagement on its seat during the charging or re-charging procedure.
Claims6
In a check valve assembly including a housing, a fluid flow path through said housing, a plurality of fluid passages selectively communicating with another through said fluid flow path, and a valve seat defined on said housing, the improvement comprising:
- a spherical valve head disposed within said housing and moveable between a first position wherein said valve head is sealingly secured relative to said valve seat, and a second position wherein said valve is disposed away from said valve seat and a plurality of said fluid passages are in fluid communication through said fluid flow path, said spherical valve head including resisting means exteriorly defined thereon for resisting movement of said valve head between said first and second positions, said spherical valve head further defining at least one fluid flow path adjacent and resisting means and in selective fluid communication with each of said fluid passages, said spherical valve head further including extensions projecting outwardly away from the spherical valve head toward the valve housing.
In a check valve assembly including a housing, a fluid flow path through said housing, a plurality of fluid passages selectively communicating with another through said fluid flow path, and a valve seat defined on said housing, the improvement comprising:
- a spherical valve head disposed within said housing and moveable between a first position wherein said valve head is sealingly secured relative to said valve seat, and a second position wherein said valve head is disposed away from said valve seat and a plurality of said fluid passages are in fluid communication through said fluid flow path, said spherical valve head including resisting means exteriorly defined thereon for resisting movement of said valve head between said first and second positions, said spherical valve head further defining at least one fluid flow path adjacent said resisting means and in selective fluid communication with each of said fluid passages, said valve head being suspendable within said valve housing only by flow of fluid through the check valve housing when the valve head is in said second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.