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. 01, 2006
Filed:
Sep. 05, 2003
Mark P. Goldenfield, Columbia, SC (US);
Quang M. Nguyen, Irmo, SC (US);
Gregory E. Settle, Elgin, SC (US);
Radu O. Pomirleanu, West Columbia, SC (US);
Abdelaziz M. Elmahdi, Columbia, SC (US);
Lewis A. Walton, Forest, VA (US);
Raymond W. Brashier, Columbia, SC (US);
Mark P. Goldenfield, Columbia, SC (US);
Quang M. Nguyen, Irmo, SC (US);
Gregory E. Settle, Elgin, SC (US);
Radu O. Pomirleanu, West Columbia, SC (US);
Abdelaziz M. Elmahdi, Columbia, SC (US);
Lewis A. Walton, Forest, VA (US);
Raymond W. Brashier, Columbia, SC (US);
Westinghouse Electric Co, LLC, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A nuclear fuel assembly having a parallel array of elongated fuel elements supported between an upper and lower nozzle. Main support grids are substantially evenly spaced along the elongated dimension of the assembly to maintain the spacing between fuel elements. A plurality of auxiliary vibration-resistant grids respectively positioned between the main support grids in the middle third elongated dimension of the fuel elements, that are smaller in height and provide a larger fuel element contact area than the main support grids.