Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

Raymond W Brashier

Edward D Pfau

Edmund E DeMario

Lewis A Walton

Radu O Pomirleanu

Mark P Goldenfield

Quang M Nguyen

Gregory E Settle

Abdelaziz M Elmahdi

A nuclear fuel assembly having a parallel array of elongated fuel elements supported between an upper and lower nozzle. Main support grids are substantially evenly spaced along the elongated dimension of the assembly to maintain the spacing between fuel elements. A plurality of auxiliary vibration-resistant grids respectively positioned between the main support grids in the middle third elongated dimension of the fuel elements, that are smaller in height and provide a larger fuel element contact area than the main support grids.

Nuclear reactor fuel assemblies

Disclosed is a quick release removable top nozzle assembly for use with a nuclear fuel element assembly. The top nozzle assembly disclosed herein is comprised of a top plate member, an enclosure frame and an adaptor plate having a plurality of spaced openings therein. A plurality of tubular insert support members each adapted to fit within a selected opening in the adaptor plate has an enlarged collar section adapted to contact and support the underside of the adaptor plate. The assembly also includes a plurality of quick release joints each adapted to fit within another selected opening in the adaptor plate. Each quick release joint has a tubular lock insert which fits within the selected opening of the adaptor plate. The upper portion of the tubular lock insert is provided with a circumferential groove below a plurality of lobes. A locking ring is retained in a recess in the top of the adaptor plate by a retainer ring. The locking ring is adapted to rotatably engage the circumferential groove and the lobes whereby rotation of the locking ring locks or releases the tubular lock insert from the opening in the adaptor plate and allows an easy locking or release of the entire top nozzle assembly from the rest of the nuclear fuel element assembly for easy replacement of a fuel rod.

Quick release top nozzle assembly

A method of inspecting the quality of both ends of nuclear fuel rods and which includes a housing with longitudinally separated slots for receiving X-rays downwardly therethrough to define first and second operating positions so that the forward ends of nuclear fuel rods can be aligned below the first operating position and the rear ends of nuclear fuel rods can be aligned below the second operating position. An endless conveyor belt system, having at least three longitudinally spaced apart cleats mounted thereon to define first and second film cartridge receptacles, is adapted to advance X-ray film cartridges longitudinally through the housing. A table is included for selectively lifting the film cartridges from the belt system to maintain the film cartridges stationary while the conveyor belt system is advanced. As film cartridges are advanced through the housing, they are exposed to X-rays at the first and second operating positions to image each end of a given fuel rod by initially positioning each film cartridge in the first receptacle and moving the conveyor belt to align the first receptacle with the first operating position and then transferring the film cartridge to the second receptacle by lifting the cartridge from the belt by the table and advancing the conveyor belt rearwardly to align the second receptacle and cartridge into alignment with the second operating position.

Method of inspecting the quality of nuclear fuel rod ends

An apparatus for inspecting the quality of both ends of nuclear fuel rods includes a housing with longitudinally separated slots for receiving X-rays downwardly therethrough to define first and second operating positions so that the forward ends of nuclear fuel rods can be aligned below the first operating position and the rear ends of nuclear fuel rods can be aligned below the second operating position. An endless conveyor belt system, having at least three longitudinally spaced apart cleats mounted thereon to define first and second film cartridge receptacles, is adapted to advance X-ray film cartridges longitudinally through the housing. A table is included for selectively lifting the film cartridges from the belt system to maintain the film cartridges stationary while the conveyor belt system is advanced. As film cartridges are advanced through the housing, they are exposed to X-rays at the first and second operating positions to image each end of a given fuel rod by initially positioning each film cartridge in the first receptacle and moving the conveyor belt to align the first receptacle with the first operating position and then transferring the film cartridge to the second receptacle by lifting the cartridge from the belt by the table and advancing the conveyor belt rearwardly to align the second receptacle and cartridge into alignment with the second operating position.

Growing community of inventors

Columbia, SC, United States of America

Raymond W Brashier