The United States of America As Represented by the United States

The United States of America As Represented by the United States Energy

The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Energy

Ernest Hutter

John A Pardini

Leroy A Tuma

David E Walker

A temperature-actuated apparatus is disclosed for releasably supporting a safety rod in a nuclear reactor, comprising a safety rod upper adapter having a retention means, a drive shaft which houses the upper adapter, and a bimetallic means supported within the drive shaft and having at least one ledge which engages a retention means of the safety rod upper adapter. A pre-determined increase in temperature causes the bimetallic means to deform so that the ledge disengages from the retention means, whereby the bimetallic means releases the safety rod into the core of the reactor.

Temperature actuated automatic safety rod release

A device which controls coolant flow through a nuclear reactor assembly comprises a baffle means at the exit end of said assembly having a plurality of orifices, and a bimetallic member in operative relation to the baffle means such that at increased temperatures said bimetallic member deforms to unblock some of said orifices and allow increased coolant flow therethrough.

Automatic coolant flow control device for a nuclear reactor assembly

A safety device is disclosed for use in a nuclear reactor for axially repositioning a control rod with respect to the reactor core in the event of an upward thermal excursion. Such safety device comprises a laminated helical ribbon configured as a tube-like helical coil having contiguous helical turns with slidably abutting edges. The helical coil is disclosed as a portion of a drive member connected axially to the control rod. The laminated ribbon is formed of outer and inner laminae. The material of the outer lamina has a greater thermal coefficient of expansion than the material of the inner lamina. In the event of an upward thermal excursion, the laminated helical coil curls inwardly to a smaller diameter. Such inward curling causes the total length of the helical coil to increase by a substantial increment, so that the control rod is axially repositioned by a corresponding amount to reduce the power output of the reactor.

Nuclear reactor safety device

A perforated depressor plate extending across the bottom of the instrument ree of a fast breeder reactor cooperates with a circular cylindrical metal bellows forming a part of the upper adapter of each core assembly and bearing on the bottom of the depressor plate to restrict flow of coolant between core assemblies, thereby reducing significantly the pressure differential between the coolant inside the core assemblies and the coolant outside of the core assemblies. Openings in the depressor plate are slightly smaller than the top of the upper adapter so the depressor plate will serve as a backup mechanical holddown for the core. In addition coolant mixing devices and locating devices are provided attached to the depressor plate.

Liquid-metal-cooled reactor

Spring-loaded plungers are arranged about a housing for insertion into a polygonal tube, one plunger for each side of the tube. Each plunger has a locking cam and sliding wedge mechanism which can overcome the spring force associated with the plunger and lock it in any position. The wedges are operated by a rod moveable axially in the housing. Several housings with their associated plungers can be stacked. The stack is lowered into the polygonal tube with all of the plungers locked in a fully inward position. When the stack is in the tube, each wedge is moved to release its locking cam, allowing each of the plungers to spring outward against an inner side of the tube. Each housing will thus gage the internal dimensions of the tube at its elevation. The plungers are locked in position, the entire stack is rotated to bring the plungers into the corners described by the intersections of the flat sides, and the stack is removed from the tube whereupon the dimensions across opposite locked plungers may be read by a micrometer.

Tubular gage for a liquid-metal-cooled fast breeder reactor

A reusable multiple lead seal assembly provides leak-free passage of stainless-steel-clad instrument leads through the cover on the primary tank of a liquid-metal-cooled fast-breeder nuclear reactor. The seal isolates radioactive argon cover gas and sodium vapor within the primary tank from the exterior atmosphere and permits reuse of the assembly and the stainless-steel-clad instrument leads. Leads are placed in flutes in a seal body, and a seal shell is then placed around the seal body. Circumferential channels in the body and inner surface of the shell are contiguous and together form a conduit which intersects each of the flutes, placing them in communication with a port through the wall of the seal shell. Liquid silicone rubber sealant is injected into the flutes through the port and conduit; the sealant fills the space in the flutes not occupied by the leads themselves and dries to a rubbery hardness. A nut, threaded onto a portion of the seal body not covered by the seal shell, jacks the body out of the shell and shears the sealant without damage to the body, shell, or leads. The leads may then be removed from the body. The sheared sealant is cleaned from the body, leads, and shell and the assembly may then be reused with the same or different leads.

Growing community of inventors

Wilmette, IL, United States of America

Ernest Hutter