Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Jay T Moore

Octavio J Machado

Barry F Cooney

John R Bayless

Stayrod arrangement for enhancing removal of sludge from nuclear heat exchangers. The stayrod arrangement includes a rod disposed adjacent a plurality of heat exchange tubes defining a tube lancing lane therebetween, the tube lane having sludge deposits therein. The rod has planer side portions oriented parallel to the direction of a fluid stream intended to flush the sludge deposits from the tube lane. An anti-rotation connector is connected to the rod for fixing the orientation of the rod with respect to the fluid stream.

Stayrod arrangement

An apparatus and method for plugging an access hole in a steam generator, having a shell, a wrapper, and an annulus positioned between the shell and the wrapper, includes attaching a plate, having a first mating connection and at least one aperture, to the wrapper of the steam generator. A plug, having a second mating connection and at least one aperture, is positioned within a bore of the plate. The plug is rotated approximately 90.degree. for engaging the first mating connection of the plate with a second mating connection of the plug and for aligning the aperture of the plug with the aperture of the plate. A sleeve, having a bore therethrough and at least one aperture, is positioned on the plug and the aperture of the sleeve is aligned with the apertures of the plate and the plug. A pin is installed in the aligned apertures of the plate, the plug, and the sleeve. A retaining nut is positioned on the plug after installation of the sleeve.

Nuclear steam generator wrapper closure assembly and method of

A method of making a rack for storing a maximum number of fuel assemblies in spent-fuel storage locations in a minimum space. The rack has locations each formed by bending a stainless-steel sheet into a hollow body of the generally rectangular cross section and with each side shaped so that the apices of the body project outwardly. Except for bodies along the outer periphery of the rack, the apex of each body is contiguous to the apex of an adjacent body. These contiguous apices are joined by spaced welds longitudinally along the bodies. The welds are spaced so as to maximize the resistance of the rack to seismic acceleration and spent-fuel storage locations are thus formed. Four storage locations extend radially from the apices of each location. A wrapper plate is secured to each side of each of these four locations providing a pocket for neutron-absorbing material. An additional storage location is formed having pockets in common with the locations which bound it.

Method of making a rack for the storage of spent nuclear fuel

A rack for storing a maximum number of fuel assemblies in spent-fuel storage locations in a minimum space. The rack has locations each formed by bending a stainless-steel sheet into a hollow body of the generally rectangular cross section and with each side shaped so that the apices of the body project outwardly. Except for bodies along the outer periphery of the rack, the apex of each body is contiguous to the apex of an adjacent body. These contiguous apices are joined by spaced welds longitudinally along the bodies. The welds are spaced so as to maximize the resistance of the rack to seismic acceleration and spent-fuel storage locations are thus formed. Four storage locations extend radially from the apices of each location. A wrapper plate is secured to each side of each of these five locations providing a pocket for neutron-absorbing material. An additional storage location is formed between each location, two locations extending radially from each location and a location of another group of five locations. The additional location has pockets in common with the locations which bound it. The fuel storage pool where the rack is installed is divided into two regions. Region 1 is in a checkerboard pattern with locations corresponding to one set of squares capped. In Region 2, all cells are uncapped. Initially spent assemblies are deposited in Region 1. After fuel burn-up is checked, the fuel in Region 1 which has undergone at least a predetermined minimum burn-up is transferred to Region 2. The capped cells are provided to prevent the fuel in Region 1 of the rack from going critical.

Growing community of inventors

Milton, FL, United States of America

Jay T Moore