General Electric Company

Global Nuclear Fuel - Americas, LLC

Ge-hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas LLC

Robert Bryant James

William Earl Russell, Ii

David Grey Smith

Lukas Trosman

Russell Patrick Higgins

Russell M Fawcett

Carlton Wayne Clark

Russell Edward Stachowski

Michael T Kiernan

Steven Bruce Shelton

Randy Peter Gonzales

Birol Aktas

Russell Morgan Fawcett

William Earl Russell

Christopher J Monetta

John Dean Fuller

Michael Thomas Kiernan

John D Fuller

Ii William Earl Russell

William Earl Russell Ii

Ii Russell William Earl

In a method of producing isotopes in a light water power reactor, one or more targets within the reactor may be irradiated under a neutron flux to produce one or more isotopes. The targets may be assembled into one or more fuel bundles that are to be loaded in a core of the reactor at a given outage. Power operations in the reactor irradiate the fuel bundles so as to generate desired isotopes, such as one or more radioisotopes at a desired specific activity or stable isotopes at a desired concentration.

Method of producing isotopes in power nuclear reactors

A fuel bundle for a nuclear reactor core is provided. The fuel bundle may include a plurality of rods comprised of nuclear fuel rods and/or isotope production rods. Each rod includes a plurality of interconnected rod segments, wherein at least two of the rod segments of at least one rod have different outside diameters. The fuel bundle may additionally include a plurality of rod spacer grids securely retained between axially adjacent, interconnected rod segments. The rod spacer grids interconnected between axially adjacent rod segments form an array of substantially equally spaced rods. The fuel bundle may further include an elongate tubular channel in which the arrayed rods are housed.

Fail-free fuel bundle assembly

A rod assembly for a fuel bundle of a nuclear reactor may include an upper end piece, lower end piece and a plurality of rod segments attached between the upper and lower end pieces and to each other so as to form an axial length of the rod assembly. The rod assembly may include an adaptor subassembly provided at given connection points for connecting adjacent rod segments or a given rod segment with one of the upper and lower end pieces. The connection points along the axial length of the rod assembly may be located where the rod assembly contacts a spacer in the fuel bundle. One (or more) of the rod segments may include an irradiation target therein for producing a desired isotope when a fuel bundle containing one (or more) rod assemblies is irradiated in a core of the reactor.

Rod assembly for nuclear reactors

A fuel support for a nuclear reactor may include: a plurality of fuel support apertures, each fuel support aperture dimensioned for receiving a lower tie plate of a fuel assembly; and a plurality of lumens, each lumen being coupled to a different fuel support aperture. At least one lumen may be configured for attenuating a fluid flow differently than the fluid flow in at least one other of the lumen.

Fuel supports for nuclear reactors

Example embodiments and methods may provide segmented waste rods capable of containing and disposing of waste generated from spent nuclear fuel, including elements left over from fuel that has been harvested for desired isotopes produced in the fuel. Example methods may provide methods for forming and using example embodiment segmented waste rods.

Segmented waste rods for handling nuclear waste and methods of using and fabricating the same

Fuel supports for a nuclear reactor and methods of modifying fluid flow in a reactor using a fuel support. The fuel supports include a plurality of lumens and a plurality of fuel support apertures with each fuel support aperture being dimensioned for receiving a lower tie plate of a fuel assembly. Each lumen is fluidly coupled to a different fuel support aperture. At least one lumen is configured for attenuating a fluid flow differently than the fluid flow in at least one other of the lumen.

Fuel support and method for modifying coolant flow in a nuclear reactor

Assemblies and methods for mounting a fuel assembly in a nuclear reactor include a fuel assembly includes fuel rods within the fuel assembly and a lower tie plate with a fuel assembly mating fixture. A fuel support includes a fuel support mating fixture that is constructed to selectively engage the fuel assembly mating fixture during installation of the fuel assembly onto the fuel support. The fuel support mating fixture and the fuel assembly mating fixture provides for a predefined orientation of the fuel assembly to the fuel support upon mating.

Assembly and method for mounting a fuel assembly having a predefined orientation within a nuclear reactor

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Wilmington, NC, United States of America

Robert Bryant James