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:
Oct. 07, 1986
Filed:
Dec. 21, 1983
Edgar A Huckestein, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A nuclear reactor in which the bottom nozzle of each fuel assembly is a casting having leg-like pins which are cast as part of the bottom nozzle. The pins extend from the corners of the bottom nozzle of each fuel assembly. The transverse cross section of each pin has the shape of a circular sector whose arc depends on the number of apeces of the bottom nozzle, typically 90.degree. for a square nozzle and 120.degree. for a hexagonal nozzle. The fuel assemblies are mutually nested side-by-side so that a group of contiguous pins extends from each region where corners of fuel elements converge. The sides of the pins of each group are in engagement so that the pins of the group form a continuous circularly cylindrical surface. The core support plate has a plurality of holes. The boundaries of the holes are circular cylinders. Each group of pins extend into a hole in the core support plate. The holes and the pins are so dimensioned that the cylindrical body formed by each group of pins is a snug sliding fit in the corresponding hole. The fuel assemblies are thus effectively positioned, supported and aligned.