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:
Dec. 16, 1986
Filed:
Nov. 18, 1985
Russell L Crowther, Saratoga, CA (US);
Dennis B Townsend, San Jose, CA (US);
General Electric Company, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A reactor fuel assembly (15) configuration which allows cold shutdown margins to be met with minimal penalty to operating efficiency. The assembly comprises a component of fissile material distributed over a substantial axial extent of the fuel assembly and a component of neutron absorbing material having an axial distribution characterized by an enhancement in a relatively short axial zone (65) (the 'cold shutdown control zone') corresponding to at least a portion of the axial region of cold shutdown maximum reactivity. The axial distribution of the component of neutron absorbing material typically is characterized by an additional enhancement in an axial zone (62) (the 'hot operating control zone'). The component of neutron absorbing material is conveniently incorporated into at least some of the fuel rods (57-G1, G2, G3, G4). The enhancement in the cold shutdown control zone may be provided at least in part by one or more fuel rods (G2, G3) having absorber only in the cold shutdown control zone. The enhancement of the neutron absorbing material in the cold shutdown control zone may be supplemented by reduced fuel enrichment in the cold shutdown control zone.