The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 08, 2022
Filed:
Apr. 16, 2020
Global Nuclear Fuel—americas, Llc, Wilmington, NC (US);
Jason B. Ingraham, Wilmington, NC (US);
Gerald D. Kvaall, Jr., Wilmington, NC (US);
Paul E. Cantonwine, Wilmington, NC (US);
Michael W. Thomas, Wilmington, NC (US);
William C. Cline, Wilmington, NC (US);
Global Nuclear Fuel—Americas, LLC, Wilmington, NC (US);
Abstract
The method includes assessing operational characteristics of the fuel assembly, the assessing including determining if the fuel assembly is to be placed in a controlled location in the reactor core, a controlled location being positioned adjacent to a control blade that is to be utilized, and configuring the sidewalls of the outer channel by making at least a first select sidewall of the outer channel a reinforced sidewall, the remaining sidewalls of the outer channel, other than the at least a first select sidewall, being non-reinforced sidewalls. The entirety of the reinforced sidewall as a whole is at least one of thicker and made from a material that is more resistant to radiation-induced deformation as compared to an entirety of the non-reinforced sidewalls.