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:
Apr. 14, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 26, 1996
Christian D Frederickson, Wilmington, NC (US);
Robert B Elkins, Wilmington, NC (US);
Edward A Croteau, Wilmington, NC (US);
Harold B King, Wilmington, NC (US);
David G Smith, Leland, NC (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
The spacer for a nuclear fuel bundle includes unit cells having upper and lower, generally octagonally shaped walls connected one to the other by spring leg portions along sides thereof 90.degree. apart. The walls also carry stops in opposition to the sides of the walls to which the spring leg portions are connected. By orienting the cells in the spacer such that the majority of the cells have their stops lying toward one side of the spacer, the fuel bundle can be disposed in a horizontal position on the one side of the spacers. In that manner, the dead load of the fuel rods and spacers is borne by the stops along the underside of each spacer without substantially loading the springs of the spacer cells.