General Electric Company

Frank D Qurnell

Arthur V Peloquin

Bruce Matzner

Michael V Curulla

Kenneth Wood Brayman

John F Price

Nordahl H Skarshaug

James E Kasik

David K Dennison

A spacer for use in a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor having thin, full-height divider members, slender spring members and laterally oriented rigid stops and wherein the total amount of spacer material, the amount of high neutron cross section material, the projected area of the spacer structure and changes in cross section area of the spacer structure are minimized whereby neutron absorption by the spacer and coolant flow resistance through the spacer are minimized.

Nuclear fuel assembly spacer

An arrangement for crimping a malleable sleeve over a hole in a punctured nuclear fuel rod in order to prevent the escape of fission gases into the external environment. The arrangement operates underwater and includes jaws for crimping the sleeve onto the fuel rod, which are operated by a hydraulic cylinder. The jaws crimp circumferential sealing ridges onto the inner surface of the sleeve, which bear against the fuel rod.

Fuel rod fission gas crimping arrangement and method

An amphibious end plug gauging device and method for determining the axial location of nuclear fuel element end plugs within or without the upper tie plate of a fuel bundle. The gauging device is maneuvered toward an underwater fuel bundle in a reactor service pool and its tip inserted in a preselected tie plate shank hole to engage the end of a fuel element in the bundle. The position of the fuel element relative the upper surface of the tie plate is registered on a dial indicator.

End plug gauging device and method

A remotely operable device for cutting sample pieces from the walls of an irradiated component while the component is submerged in a pool of water to shield the operator from radiation.

Sample cutting device for irradiated components

An underwater suction device for collecting irradiated materials in a pool of water. The device includes injection and suction tubes and a removable, disposable filter for capturing irradiated materials. Pressurized water is injected into the suction tube through a jet pump nozzle to establish a suction flow through the tube. The suction device is manually positionable by an operator standing at a dry location and extending the device underwater by maneuvering a positioning pole. The pole is pivotally connected to the injection or suction tube by a variably positioning latching mechanism.

Underwater suction device for irradiated materials

Remotely manipulatable probe and apparatus for positioning a corrosion thickness sensing transducer over selected areas of the surface of a radioactive component submerged in a pool of water for radiation shielding.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Frank D Qurnell