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:
Jul. 10, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 22, 2000
Anthony Paul Reese, Wilmington, NC (US);
Harold Hartney Yeager, Wilmington, NC (US);
General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US);
Abstract
In a nuclear reactor core, control blades form discrete control blade groups forming a core pattern including first and second main groups, respectively, symmetrically and asymmetrically arranged about the core. Each main group has first and second sub-groups, each sub-group at each control blade location within the core being located alternately in orthogonally-related X and Y directions in plan view of the core. The first sub-group of the first main group includes an operational sub-group. The blades of the first and second main groups are used simultaneously. The blades of the second main group are used only as shallow blades. The blades of the first main group are movable into deep or shallow positions from withdrawn positions. Each fuel bundle operates without an adjacent control blade for a time period twice as long as any previous period of operation with an adjacent control blade inserted into the core. Any one control blade is fully withdrawn for two consecutive periods after insertion. The pattern repeats after three or more periods.