Patent · US Expired

Boiling water reactor including split control rod drives

US5406597A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
9References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 2, 1992
Grant dateApr 11, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 2, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E30/30
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A boiling water reactor includes a pressure vessel containing a reactor core, chimney, steam separator assembly, and steam dryer assembly therein, with the vessel being filled with reactor water to a normal water level through the steam separator assembly. A plurality of control rod drives extend downwardly from the bottom of the pressure vessel and are operatively joined to control rods extending downwardly into the reactor core. The chimney includes a plurality of channels disposed above the core and laterally spaced apart to define guide slots for receiving the control rods as they are selectively translated upwardly out of the core by the control rod drives. The chimney has a vertical height for increasing the normal water level above the reactor core and for providing a space for the control rods withdrawn from the reactor core by the bottom-mounted control rod drives. The control rods are selectively withdrawn upwardly from the core and inserted downwardly into the core by the control rod drives, which also are effective for selectively releasing the control rods for allowing gravity to insert the control rods into the core.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.