Guide tube for a nuclear fuel assembly
AssigneesFramatome, Compagnie Generale des Matieres Nucleaires
InventorsAlain Brosset, Michel Verdier
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Abstract
A control rod guide tube for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly consists of several mutually portions of zirconium-based alloy. They define a passage that is narrow in a bottom portion of the tube. The guide includes a top length extending over at least 70% of its total length, and a bottom length of thickness greater than that of the top length. The top of the bottom length is engaged in the top length and is welded to the top length along the terminal edge of the top length.
Claims11
A control rod guide tube for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly, said guide tube comprising:
- a running portion including a top length extending over at least 70% of a total length of said guide tube and having a predetermined thickness;
- and
- a bottom length having a thickness greater than the thickness of the top length;
- said bottom length having an upper part engaged in a terminal lower fraction of said top length and being welded to said top length along a terminal edge of said top length;
- said bottom length defining an inner flow passage having a smaller diameter than an inner flow passage in said top length;
- and
- a bottom plug welded to said bottom length, projecting into said bottom length and formed with a passage for a connecting screw.
A control rod guide tube for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly, said guide tube comprising:
- a top length extending over at least 70% of a total length of said guide tube and having a predetermined thickness;
- and
- a bottom length having a thickness greater than the thickness of the top length;
- said bottom length having an upper part engaged in a terminal lower fraction of said top length and being welded to said top length along a terminal edge of said top length;
- said bottom length defining an inner flow passage having a smaller diameter than an inner flow passage in said top length, having a constant outside diameter equal to an outside diameter of the top length except in an uppermost portion thereof which presents a smaller outside diameter, equal to the diameter of the inner flow passage in the top length, and consisting of an upper section and a lower section, said upper section projecting into said top length and into the lower section, and said upper section being welded to the lower section along a shoulder of said upper section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.