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.

Date of Patent:
Jan. 30, 2024

Filed:

Jan. 18, 2022
Applicant:

Global Nuclear Fuel—americas, Llc, Wilmington, NC (US);

Inventors:

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);

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G21C 3/322 (2006.01); G21C 3/324 (2006.01); G21C 3/06 (2006.01); G21C 3/04 (2006.01); G21C 1/08 (2006.01); G21C 21/02 (2006.01); G21C 15/02 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G21C 3/322 (2013.01); G21C 3/324 (2013.01); G21C 1/084 (2013.01); G21C 3/04 (2013.01); G21C 3/06 (2013.01); G21C 15/02 (2013.01); G21C 21/02 (2013.01); Y02E 30/30 (2013.01);
Abstract

The fuel assembly includes at least one fuel rod and an outer channel with four sidewalls surrounding the fuel rod, the outer channel having a configuration based on a position of the fuel assembly within a core of the nuclear reactor, wherein at least a first select sidewall, of the four sidewalls of the outer channel, is a reinforced sidewall, the remaining sidewalls of the outer channel, other than the at least a first select sidewall, are non-reinforced sidewalls, the at least a first select sidewall being in a controlled location that faces and is directly adjacent to a control blade that is to be utilized in the nuclear reactor, wherein an 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.


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