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. 17, 2013
Filed:
Feb. 14, 2011
Peter Ray Diller, Wilmington, NC (US);
David Grey Smith, Leland, NC (US);
Richard C. Longren, Wilmington, NC (US);
Gerald A. Luciano, Wilmington, NC (US);
Peter Ray Diller, Wilmington, NC (US);
David Grey Smith, Leland, NC (US);
Richard C. Longren, Wilmington, NC (US);
Gerald A. Luciano, Wilmington, NC (US);
Global Nuclear Fuel—Americas, LLC, Wilmington, NC (US);
Abstract
A debris exclusion and retention device traps and retains foreign material within the lower tie plate of the fuel assembly utilizing the existing flow paths within the lower tie plate, and without redirecting coolant flow. Flow through the inlet nozzle of the lower tie plate into an enlarged lower tie plate housing creates strong jet impingement against the center of the lower tie plate grid or debris filter, if present, which has a tendency to push debris to the periphery of the lower tie plate. Low flow zones around the periphery of the lower tie plate allow debris to fall back toward the inlet nozzle. The retention device traps and retains debris in these low flow zones without impacting existing flow patterns in the lower tie plate. Thus, the retention device has minimal or no impact on lower tie plate pressure drop.