Michael W Boone

US Patent:

20100246748, Sep 30, 2010

Filed:

Mar 27, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/412411

Inventors:

Michael L. Lewis - Lexington SC, US
Michael L. Boone - West Columbia SC, US

Assignee:

Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC - Monroeville PA

International Classification:

G21C 3/34

US Classification:

376442, 376438

Abstract:

A soft pivot dimple nuclear fuel assembly grid that utilizes a “dog bone” shaped window cutout and radius coining of edges perpendicular to coolant flow, to reduce the susceptibility of fuel rod leaking during the reactor operation. Radius coining allows the fuel rod to smoothly transition over the radiused edge to the flat rod contact section of the dimple. The symmetric “dog bone” shape enables the dimple to pivot during rod loading resulting in improved alignment between the dimple and the fuel rod, thereby minimizing scratching. The “dog bone” shape also allows for a large contact area dimple to be softer than a typical dimple which reduces contact stresses and fretting wear during reactor operations.