Patent · US Expired

Instrumented capsule for materials irradiation tests in research reactor

US6697446B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
10References
7Claims
0Family size

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Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 15, 2002
Grant dateFeb 24, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 15, 2022

Classification

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

Abstract

An instrumented capsule for material irradiation tests in research reactors. The instrumented capsule performs an optimum material irradiation test under a testing environment similar to the operational environment of a real reactor. The capsule minimizes the influence of flow-induced vibration caused by forced-circulation-type coolant flow in a research reactor, and overcomes the problems experienced in the conventional breakable parts of instrumented capsules which may be broken during the process of loading/unloading the capsules in vertical irradiation holes of reactor pools. The instrumented capsule includes a capsule main body installed in the vertical irradiation hole. The capsule main body consists of a shell and several instruments, such as thermocouples, dosimeters, a vacuum control pipe, and heaters housed in the shell. The capsule main body also includes heat media, specimens set in the heat media, insulators interposed between adjacent heat media, upper and lower end plugs to seal the ends of the shell, an upper guide spring unit to vertically place the capsule main body in the irradiation hole, and a reinforced lower fixing unit assembled with the lower end plug. The …

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