Patent · US Active

Nuclear fuel assembly tie plate, upper nozzle and nuclear fuel assembly comprising such a tie plate

US9014325B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by

4References

13Claims

0Family size

Assignee

AREVA NP · FR

Inventors

Erhard Friedrich · Eckental, DE
Dieter Umlauft · Neunkirchen, DE
Dirk Blavius · Erlangen, DE
Klaus Kurzer · Igensdorf, DE

Key dates

Filing date	May 11, 2012
Grant date	Apr 21, 2015
Priority date	—
Expiry date	May 11, 2032

Classification

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

Abstract

A nuclear fuel assembly tie plate is provided. The nuclear fuel assembly tie plate is formed by intersecting strips delimiting between them tubular guide cells each for allowing a fuel rod to extend through the tie plate. The strips delimit between them tubular flow cells separate from the guide cells, each flow cell for allowing coolant flow through the tie plate. Guide cells and flow cells are arranged at nodes of a lattice defined by a repeating pattern comprising four corner nodes in a square lattice arrangement and a central node at the center of the four corner nodes, with one guide cell at each corner nodes, separated by a pair of parallel spaced strips intersecting a pair of parallel spaced strips, the two pairs of strips delimiting a four-walled central flow cell at the center node.

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