Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

Michael J Hone

Radu O Pomirleanu

Mark P Goldenfield

Carroll J Long, Jr

Edward Jean Lahoda

Sumit Ray

Robert L Oelrich

Ho Q Lam

Frank A Boylan

Raymond E Schneider

Mitchell E Nissley

Zeses E Karoutas

David L Stucker

William R Carlson

Keith J Drudy

Michael E Conner

Michael C Misvel

Zeses Karoutas

Jerod Parkinson

C Joseph Long

Joseph C Long

Radu O Pomirleaunu

Michael E Connor

A control rod for a nuclear fuel assembly is described herein that includes a neutron absorbing material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. that does not form a eutectic with a melting point less than 1500° C., and may further include a cladding material having a melting point greater than 1500° C. The cladding material is selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, zirconium, a zirconium alloy, tungsten, and molybdenum. The absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of GdO, Ir, BC, Re, and Hf. The metal cladding or the absorbing material may be coated with an anti-oxidation coating of Cr with or without a Nb intermediate layer.

Control rods for light water reactors

A control rod for a nuclear fuel assembly is described herein that includes a neutron absorbing material having a melting point greater than 1500&#xb0; C. that does not form a eutectic with a melting point less than 1500&#xb0; C., and may further include a cladding material having a melting point greater than 1500&#xb0; C. The cladding material is selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, zirconium, a zirconium alloy, tungsten, and molybdenum. The absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of GdO, Ir, BC, Re, and Hf. The metal cladding or the absorbing material may be coated with an anti-oxidation coating of Cr with or without a Nb intermediate layer.

The present invention provides a gray rod control assembly for a nuclear reactor. The gray rod control assembly includes a spider assembly having a plurality of radial extending flukes and a plurality of gray rod assemblies coupled to the flukes of the spider assembly. Each of the gray rod assemblies includes an elongated tubular member, a first end plug, a second end plug, and a neutron absorber. The neutron absorber includes a matrix of refractory metal fabricated to be porous into which a metal or metal alloy is infused. The neutron absorber is distributed among a plurality of the gray rod assemblies.

Neutron absorber consisting of refractory metal infused with discrete neutron absorber

An advanced gray rod control assembly (GRCA) for a nuclear reactor. The GRCA provides controlled insertion of gray rod assemblies into the reactor, thereby controlling the rate of power produced by the reactor and providing reactivity control at full power. Each gray rod assembly includes an elongated tubular member, a primary neutron-absorber disposed within the tubular member said neutron-absorber comprising an absorber material, preferably tungsten, having a 2200 m/s neutron absorption microscopic capture cross-section of from 10 to 30 barns. An internal support tube can be positioned between the primary absorber and the tubular member as a secondary absorber to enhance neutron absorption, absorber depletion, assembly weight, and assembly heat transfer characteristics.

Advanced gray rod control assembly

A control rod having a lower tip absorber material which exhibits substantially lower irradiation induced swelling than a second absorber material which extends above the lower tip absorber material. The lower tip absorber material having a substantially lower reactivity worth than the second absorber material, extends from a lower end plug of the control rod to an elevation just above a dashpot in a thimble guide tube in a nuclear fuel assembly when the control rod is fully inserted within the thimble guide tube.

Nuclear reactor robust gray control rod

The present invention provides a gray rod control assembly (GRCA) containing an improved neutron absorber comprised of a porous matrix of refractory metal infused with a neutron absorbing metal or metal alloy for a nuclear reactor. The reactor has a plurality of fuel assemblies, each including numerous elongated fuel rods supported in an organized array by substantially transverse support grids, and a plurality of guide thimbles disposed through the support grids and along the fuel rods. The GRCA includes a spider assembly structured to provide controlled insertion of gray rod assemblies within the thimbles of the fuel assembly, thereby controlling the rate of power produced by the reactor. Each gray rod assembly includes an elongated tubular member, a first end plug, a second end plug and the improved neutron-absorber disposed within the tubular member. Delta-power of the reactor is improved by the relatively small percentage of neutron absorbing metal infused in the porous matrix of the refractory metal of the neutron absorber and by distributing the neutron absorber in segments among a plurality of rods of the GRCA.

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New Alexandria, PA, United States of America

Michael J Hone