Patent GB-1227909-A (GB)
IPC: G21C3/322
Filed: 1969-12-22
Abstract: 1,227,909. Fuel elements. UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION. 22 Dec., 1969 [10 Feb., 1969], No. 62469/69. Heading G6C. A pressure-balanced fuel bundle inlet includes means for preventing lifting forces due to the hydrostatic pressure differential at the entrance to the fuel bundle, while allowing for radial misalignment, as well as means for measuring the rate of coolant flow to the fuel bundle. As shown in Fig. 1, the fuel bundle consists of a casing 10 containing fuel pins 11 in its upper end, and mounted in sealed relationship at its lower end on a support 12 attached to a reactor core support plate 13 via hold-down bolts 14. The support 12 has a central collar portion 15, the upper surface 16 of which supports the casing 10, and a lower end portion 19 of reduced diameter which extends into an aperture 20 in the support plate 13. The support 12 is closed at its upper end portion 25 while the remainder of the support defines an internal fluid passageway 26 including a Venturi tube 27. Adjacent the upper end portion 25 are a number of elongated slots 28. The casing 10 is hexagonal in section except for a circular lower end portion 32 within which is secured an end support ring 33 extending beyond the casing 10 and in abutment with the surface 16 of the support collar portion 15. The ring 33 has an annular groove 34 within which a seal assembly 35 is slidably positioned. A number of rods 38 extend from the support ring 33 to a yoke 40 double pivoted on pins 41 which extend through apertures 42 in fuel end strips 43, the fuel pins 11 terminating in and being secured by the end strips 43. Yoke 40 is secured by a bolt 45 to the top of an inverted cup-shaped member 47 having a protruding side portion 51 extending downwardly about the upper portion 25 of the support 12. The intermediate space 52 is vented through a tube 30 to the exterior of the fuel bundle. The tip of the side portion 51 of member 47 is provided with a seal assembly 53, secured in place by a retainer ring 54. The seal assemblies 35, 53 may be of similar construction. Coolant enters the internal passageway 26 from below the support plate 13 and flows through the Venturi tube 27. Apertures 22 connect the narrowest portion of the tube 27 via an annular groove 21 and a tube 23 with a coolant flow measuring apparatus (not shown). The coolant then flows outwardly through the slots 28 and upwardly around the fuel pins 11. The upward force caused by the hydraulic pressure of the coolant is exactly balanced by an equal downward force, provided the seal assemblies 35, 53 are equal in area. In practice a slight net upward force will occur since practical assembly will dictate that seal assembly 35 be slightly larger than seal assembly 53, and some leakage pressure drop through vent tube 30 is likely. As a safety precaution, a back-up hold-down assembly (not shown) may be provided about one inch above the top of the fuel bundles. Any leakage past the seal assembly 35 is drained through notches 36 in the lower end of the support ring 33 into the coolant surrounding the fuel bundles. The casing 10 is provided with allowance for radial misalignment with respect to the support 12 by the sliding motion of the seal assembly 35 in groove 34. Since such a provision at seal assembly 53 would seriously interfere with the flow space 56 between casing 10 and member 47, the misalignment is provided for by the rocking motion of yoke 40 via rods 38 connected to the support ring 33 within which seal assembly 35 is mounted.