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:
Aug. 24, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 03, 1998
Stefan Drecker, Herzogenaurach, DE;
Dieter Menges, Eggolsheim, DE;
Werner Meier, Kunreuth, DE;
Dietrich Alter, Erlangen, DE;
David Barkhurst, Pasco, DE;
Knut Emmert, Frankfurt, DE;
Siemens Aktiengsellschaft, Munich, DE;
Abstract
In order to reduce the flow resistance of a coolant flowing through a passage in a support plate of a boiling water reactor and entering a transition piece at a lower end of a fuel assembly resting on the support plate, a lower rim of the transition piece forms a conically tapered surface which fits into a corresponding conical counter-surface at an upper edge of the passage. The lower rim of the transition piece forms a circular inlet which is concentric with the passage and has a size equal to or slightly larger than the passage. Fingers protruding laterally into the passage and extending down into the passage are used to center the lower rim within the passage. Additionally, end caps of the fuel rods may be stream-lined and the lower tie plate of the fuel assembly may be spaced apart from an inner surface of a fuel channel by a plurality of ribs which form a plurality of peripheral through holes on each of the four inner surfaces of the rectangular-shaped fuel channel.