Composite spacer with Inconel grid and Zircaloy band
US5089221A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 25, 1990 |
| Grant date | Feb 18, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 25, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/30
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An improved spacer is disclosed which contains an Inconel grid and a Zircaloy surrounding band. The Inconel grid can be fabricated from the extremely thin and highly elastic spring metal utilizing a modification of a prior art cell construction that includes paired inwardly bent vertical spring legs with cantilevered and rod encircling upper and lower arm pairs. The spring legs extend at spaced apart locations between the upper and lower arm pairs and have a medial spring rod contacting portion for biasing the rods into stops on the rod encircling arm pairs. The springs at the upper and lower ends are provided with spring dimple stops to prevent over stressing of the spring during assembly or handling of the fuel bundle into which the spacer is incorporated. The rod encircling arm pairs have an offset from center where the two arms meet at their distal ends to complete encirclement of the rods. This offset from center enables the cells to be fastened in cell pairs at their respective embracing arms. The cell pairs can in turn be manipulated as a unit to define the necessary types of spacer grids required for any particular grid construction. A preferred grid construction for a ten …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.