Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Walter J Dollard

Harry M Ferrari

Raymond A George

Stephen N Tower

George R Folser

Subhash C Singhal

Philip Reichner

Pratap K Doshi

Howard E Braun

Uday B Pal

A method to form an electrochemical cell (12) is characterized by the steps of thermal spraying stabilized zirconia over a doped lanthanum manganite air electrode tube (14) to provide an electrolyte layer (15), coating conductive particles over the electrolyte, pressurizing the outside of the electrolyte layer, feeding halide vapors of yttrium and zirconium to the outside of the electrolyte layer and feeding a source of oxygen to the inside of the electrolyte layer, heating to cause oxygen reaction with the halide vapors to close electrolyte pores if there are any and to form a metal oxide coating on and between the particles and provide a fuel electrode (16).

Solid oxide electrochemical cell fabrication process

An electrochemical apparatus (10) is made having a generator section (22) containing axially elongated electrochemical cells (16), a fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet (28), a gaseous feed oxidant inlet (30), and at least one gaseous spent fuel exit channel (46), where the spent fuel exit channel (46) passes from the generator chamber (22) to combine with the fresh feed fuel inlet (28) at a mixing apparatus (50), reformable fuel mixture channel (52) passes through the length of the generator chamber (22) and connects with the mixing apparatus (50), that channel containing entry ports (54) within the generator chamber (22), where the axis of the ports is transverse to the fuel electrode surfaces (18), where a catalytic reforming material is distributed near the reformable fuel mixture entry ports (54).

Electrochemical cell apparatus having axially distributed entry of a

The mechanical spectral shift reactor provides a method and apparatus for controlling a nuclear reactor comprising inserting a plurality of reactor coolant displacer members into the reactor at the beginning of the core life. The displacer members reduce the volume of reactor coolant-moderator in the core at the start-up. As the reactivity of the core declines with fuel depletion, a selected number of displacer members are withdrawn from the core at selected time intervals. The withdrawal of the displacer member allows reactor coolant water to enter the core which increases core moderation at a time when fuel reactivity is declining. Thus for a given amount of nuclear fuel the life of the core can be extended or for a given life of a core the uranium fuel requirements can be reduced.

Mechanical spectral shift reactor

An open lattice elongated nuclear fuel assembly including small diameter fuel rods disposed in an array spaced a selected distance above an array of larger diameter fuel rods for use in a nuclear reactor having liquid coolant flowing in an upward direction. Plenums are preferably provided in the upper portion of the upper smaller diameter fuel rods and in the lower portion of the lower larger diameter fuel rods. Lattice grid structures provide lateral support for the fuel rods and preferably the lowest grid about the upper rods is directly and rigidly affixed to the highest grid about the lower rods.

Composite nuclear fuel assembly

A recirculation system for use in pressurized water nuclear reactors to increase the output temperature of the reactor coolant, thereby achieving a significant improvement in plant efficiency without exceeding current core design limits. A portion of the hot outlet coolant is recirculated to the inlets of the peripheral fuel assemblies which operate at relatively low power levels. The outlet temperature from these peripheral fuel assemblies is increased to a temperature above that of the average core outlet. The recirculation system uses external pumps and introduces the hot recirculation coolant to the free space between the core barrel and the core baffle, where it flows downward and inward to the inlets of the peripheral fuel assemblies. In the unlikely event of a loss of coolant accident, the recirculation system flow path through the free space and to the inlets of the fuel assemblies is utilized for the injection of emergency coolant to the lower vessel and core. During emergency coolant injection, the emergency coolant is prevented from bypassing the core through the recirculation system by check valves inserted into the recirculation system piping.

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Churchill Borough, PA, United States of America

Walter J Dollard