Patent · US Expired

Terminal end-piece for a fuel assembly having a nose for orienting the flow of coolant fluid and corresponding assembly

US7856076B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
17References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 17, 2004
Grant dateDec 21, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 23, 2025

Classification

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

Abstract

A terminal end-piece for a fuel assembly of a pressurized water nuclear reactor, the assembly having fuel rods and a skeleton for supporting the fuel rods, the fuel rods extending in a longitudinal direction and being arranged at the nodes of a substantially regular network, the support skeleton comprising two terminal end-pieces and guide tubes that connect the terminal end-pieces, the fuel rods being arranged longitudinally between the terminal end-pieces, characterized in that the end-piece comprises noses for orientating the flow of a coolant fluid of the reactor along the adjacent longitudinal ends of the fuel rods, the noses being arranged in nodes of the substantially regular network in order to be positioned in a longitudinal continuation of at least some of the fuel rods and/or at least some of the guide tubes of the support skeleton.

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