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:
May. 15, 2018
Filed:
Apr. 17, 2013
Bwxt Mpower, Inc., Chalotte, NC (US);
Lewis A Walton, Forest, VA (US);
George S Pabis, Lynchburg, VA (US);
Julius M Ullmann, Forest, VA (US);
Jean H Raas, Lynchburg, VA (US);
Martha A Gilliam, Lynchburg, VA (US);
Anne R Austin, Forest, VA (US);
Eric A Barringer, Rustburg, VA (US);
BWXT mPower, Inc., Charlotte, NC (US);
Abstract
A pressurized water reactor (PWR) comprises a pressure vessel containing primary coolant water. A nuclear reactor core is disposed in the pressure vessel and includes a plurality of fuel assemblies. Each fuel assembly includes a plurality of fuel rods containing a fissile material. A control system includes a plurality of control rod assemblies (CRA's). Each CRA is guided by a corresponding CRA guide structure. A support element is disposed above the CRA guide structures and supports the CRA guide structures. The pressure vessel may be cylindrical, and the support element may comprise a support plate having a circular periphery supported by the cylindrical pressure vessel. The CRA guide structures suitably hang downward from the support plate. The lower end of each CRA guide structure may include alignment features that engage corresponding alignment features of the upper end of the corresponding fuel assembly.