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公开(公告)号：US20220215973A1
公开(公告)日：2022-07-07
申请号：US17690793
申请日：2022-03-09
Applicant: BWXT mPower, Inc.
Inventor： Julius M. Ullmann , Lewis A. Walton , Mary W. Johnson
Abstract: An apparatus including a lower end fitting having a top planar surface, a bottom planar surface, a counterbore defined therebetween, an opening extending from the counterbore to the top planar surface, and a lock recess that extends both radially outwardly from the counterbore and extends inwardly into the lower end fitting from the bottom planar surface. The apparatus includes a guide tube having a lower end and an end plug configured to connect with the lower end of the guide tube. The end plug has a threaded shaft sized to pass through the opening of the lower end fitting, and a female lock nut has a deformable side wall configured to be swaged into the recess of the lower end fitting. The lock recess remains visible as viewed from the bottom planar surface of the lower end fitting when the female lock nut is fully disposed in the counterbore.
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公开(公告)号：US20180261341A1
公开(公告)日：2018-09-13
申请号：US15974888
申请日：2018-05-09
Applicant: BWXT mPower, Inc.
Inventor： Lewis A. Walton , George S. Pabis , Julius M. Ullmann , Jean H. Raas , Martha A. Gilliam , Anne R. Austin , Eric A. Barringer
IPC: G21C13/024 , G21C13/02 , G21C7/08 , G21C1/32 , G21C3/33
CPC classification number: G21C13/024 , G21C1/32 , G21C3/33 , G21C7/08 , G21C13/02 , Y02E30/32 , Y02E30/39
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.
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公开(公告)号：US12002593B2
公开(公告)日：2024-06-04
申请号：US17690793
申请日：2022-03-09
Applicant: BWXT mPower, Inc.
Inventor： Julius M. Ullmann , Lewis A. Walton , Mary W. Johnson
CPC classification number: G21C3/3305 , F16B39/025 , G21C3/331 , B25B23/0092 , F16B23/0015 , G21C3/3315 , Y02E30/30
Abstract: An apparatus including a lower end fitting having a top planar surface, a bottom planar surface, a counterbore defined therebetween, an opening extending from the counterbore to the top planar surface, and a lock recess that extends both radially outwardly from the counterbore and extends inwardly into the lower end fitting from the bottom planar surface. The apparatus includes a guide tube having a lower end and an end plug configured to connect with the lower end of the guide tube. The end plug has a threaded shaft sized to pass through the opening of the lower end fitting, and a female lock nut has a deformable side wall configured to be swaged into the recess of the lower end fitting. The lock recess remains visible as viewed from the bottom planar surface of the lower end fitting when the female lock nut is fully disposed in the counterbore.
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公开(公告)号：US20220199269A1
公开(公告)日：2022-06-23
申请号：US17690306
申请日：2022-03-09
Applicant: BWXT mPower, Inc.
Inventor： Julius M. Ullmann , Lewis A. Walton , Mary W. Johnson
Abstract: A nuclear reactor has a core installed on a lower core plate and formed from multiple fuel assemblies, each fuel assembly including a structural cage assembly. The structural cage assembly has an upper end fitting, mid grids, and a lower end fitting (LEF). The LEF positions the fuel assembly using four locating pins located at each corner of the LEF. The pins position the fuel assembly laterally by mating with receiving holes in the lower core plate. The locating pins have a chamfered tip with a flat end. The chamfered tip allows for a greater positioning margin when installing the fuel assembly in the core by guiding the pins into holes in the lower core plate, and the flat tip provides strength and stability in case the assembly is inadvertently rested on the tip of the pin instead of the LEF pads.
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公开(公告)号：US11120919B2
公开(公告)日：2021-09-14
申请号：US15974888
申请日：2018-05-09
Applicant: BWXT mPower, Inc.
Inventor： Lewis A. Walton , George S. Pabis , Julius M. Ullmann , Jean H. Raas , Martha A. Gilliam , Anne R. Austin , Eric A. Barringer
IPC: G21C1/32 , G21C3/33 , G21C7/08 , G21C13/02 , G21C13/024
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.
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Patent Agency Ranking
公开(公告)号：US11309093B2
公开(公告)日：2022-04-19
申请号：US16144648
申请日：2018-09-27
Applicant: BWXT mPower, Inc.
Inventor： Julius M. Ullmann , Lewis A. Walton , Mary W. Johnson
Abstract: An apparatus including a lower end fitting having a top planar surface, a bottom planar surface, a counterbore defined therebetween, an opening extending from the counterbore to the top planar surface, and a lock recess that extends both radially outwardly from the counterbore and extends inwardly into the lower end fitting from the bottom planar surface. The apparatus includes a guide tube having a lower end and an end plug configured to connect with the lower end of the guide tube. The end plug has a threaded shaft sized to pass through the opening of the lower end fitting, and a female lock nut has a deformable side wall configured to be swaged into the recess of the lower end fitting. The lock recess remains visible as viewed from the bottom planar surface of the lower end fitting when the female lock nut is fully disposed in the counterbore.
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公开(公告)号：US20210118583A1
公开(公告)日：2021-04-22
申请号：US17134730
申请日：2020-12-28
Applicant: BWXT mPower, Inc.
Inventor： Lewis A. Walton , Matthew W. Ales
Abstract: Refueling of a nuclear reactor (40) includes removing a fuel assembly (10). The removal method includes lowering a lifting tool (80) of a crane (44) onto a top of the fuel assembly. The lowered lifting tool including a plurality of downwardly extending elements (82) that surround and vertically overlap a portion (74) of a control rod assembly (70) extending above the top of the fuel assembly. The downwardly extending elements are locked with corresponding mating features (26) at the top of the fuel assembly to connect the lifting tool with the fuel assembly. The connected fuel assembly is moved into a spent fuel pool (42) using the crane, and the lifting tool is disconnected from the top of the fuel assembly by unlocking the downwardly extending elements from the corresponding mating features at the top of the fuel assembly.
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公开(公告)号：US10388415B2
公开(公告)日：2019-08-20
申请号：US15483352
申请日：2017-04-10
Applicant: BWXT mPower, Inc.
Inventor： Lewis A. Walton , George S. Pabis , Andrew W. Doan , James G. Hatmaker
Abstract: A spacer grid includes interlocked straps comprising metal sheets or plates welded together to define a spacer grid having a top and bottom. The interlocked straps define a plurality of cells comprising vertical passages connecting the top and bottom of the spacer grid. The cells include: upper dimples proximate to the top of the spacer grid and distal from the mid-plane of the spacer grid; lower dimples proximate to the bottom of the spacer grid and distal from the mid-plane of the spacer grid; cantilevered upper springs having fuel rod engagement surfaces proximate to the top of the spacer grid and distal from the mid-plane of the spacer grid; and cantilevered lower springs having fuel rod engagement surfaces proximate to the bottom of the spacer grid and distal from the mid-plane of the spacer grid.
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公开(公告)号：US20190061121A1
公开(公告)日：2019-02-28
申请号：US16144648
申请日：2018-09-27
Applicant: BWXT mPower, Inc.
Inventor： Julius M. Ullmann , Lewis A. Walton , Mary W. Johnson
Abstract: A fuel assembly includes a plurality of fuel rods comprising fissile material, a plurality of guide tubes interspersed amongst the fuel rods, an upper end fitting connected with upper ends of guide tubes, and a lower end fitting. End plugs are connected with the lower ends of the guide tubes. The end plugs have threaded male shafts extending from the lower ends of the guide tubes which pass through openings of the lower end fitting. Female lock nuts are threaded onto the threaded male shafts of the end plugs and lock with the lower end fitting to secure the lower end fitting to the lower ends of the guide tubes. The female lock nuts suitably have locking portions that are outwardly deformed into recesses of the lower end fitting to lock the lock nuts in place after tightening. Dashpot tubes may be disposed in the lower ends of the guide tubes and connected to the end plugs.
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公开(公告)号：US20180277270A1
公开(公告)日：2018-09-27
申请号：US15970316
申请日：2018-05-03
Applicant: BWXT mPower, Inc.
Inventor： Lewis A. Walton , Matthew W. Ales
CPC classification number: G21C19/10 , G21C19/205
Abstract: Refueling of a nuclear reactor (40) includes removing a fuel assembly (10). The removal method includes lowering a lifting tool (80) of a crane (44) onto a top of the fuel assembly. The lowered lifting tool including a plurality of downwardly extending elements (82) that surround and vertically overlap a portion (74) of a control rod assembly (70) extending above the top of the fuel assembly. The downwardly extending elements are locked with corresponding mating features (26) at the top of the fuel assembly to connect the lifting tool with the fuel assembly. The connected fuel assembly is moved into a spent fuel pool (42) using the crane, and the lifting tool is disconnected from the top of the fuel assembly by unlocking the downwardly extending elements from the corresponding mating features at the top of the fuel assembly.
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