Abstract:
A fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor comprising at least one rotary cell (13a-13d) which has fuel rods (4) arranged in a number of concentric rings with a substantially circular shape, and a steam conducting channel (17a-17d) arranged in the centre of the concentric rings through which steam flows upwards through the fuel assembly. At least certain of the fuel rods in the rings are arranged such that their upper ends are displaced in relation to their lower ends in the tangential direction such that water and steam are brought to rotate around the steam conducting channel.
Abstract:
A method of producing a neutron absorption means for a control rod in a nuclear plant, the neutron absorption means comprising a compound of at least one neutron absorbing agent and an additional component, characterized in that a powder, comprising said compound, and a powder, comprising the neutron absorbing agent in an essentially pure state, are mixed and subjected to a pressing at an elevated temperature, in such a way that a solid body is formed, the content of the neutron absorbing agent in relation to the additional component being higher in the solid body than in the original compound. Furthermore, the invention relates to a neutron absorbing means for a control rod in a nuclear plant, the means comprising a compound with the composition BxCy, where x/y is greater than 4. The invention relates also to the use of such a neutron absorbing means for a control rod in a nuclear plant.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a fuel assembly with a substantially square cross section for a light-water reactor. The light-water reactor comprises a plurality of fuel rods (4) extending between a top tie plate (5) and a bottom tie plate (6). A fuel rod (4) comprises a cladding tube (7a) with a first and a second end which surround a column with fissionable material (7b). According to one aspect of the invention, at least one fuel rod (4) is provided with an axial gap (19) in the fissionable material (7b), such that fissionable material (7b) is arranged on both sides of the axial gap (19) in the fuel rod (4).
Abstract:
A winding clamp (1) and a method for locking the tail end (5b) of a winding tape (5a) or a winding wire therein. The clamp is intended to be placed around a tubular component (3) and comprises a sleeve divided along axial sections, into at least two sleeve parts (4), which are arranged in spaced relationship and provided with first and second ends (4a, 4b), respectively. The sleeve is rotatably arranged around the tubular component and its outer surface is adapted to receive at least one winding (5) comprising a plurality of layers of the tape/wire. At least at the first ends (4a) of the sleeve parts, a locking ring (7) is arranged which is divided along axial sections and rotatable independently of the sleeve. The tail end (5b) of the tape/wire is fixed to the locking ring, which is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction of winding, such that the remaining part of the tape/wire is securely wound around the locking ring (7) and over the tail end of the tape/wire, whereupon the locking ring (7) is fixed to the sleeve.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a spacer (7) comprising a plurality of cells (9) to retain and mutually fix, at a plurality of spacer levels, parallel, elongated elements (3, 8), extending through the cells, into a bundle in a fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor. A coolant is adapted to flow from below and upwards through the fuel assembly. Between the cells (9) of the spacer (7), secondary channels (10) are formed. The invention is characterized in that at least the majority of the spacer levels in the secondary channels (10) comprise at least two deflection members (14) which are axially spaced-apart in the direction of flow for guiding at least part of the coolant flow towards the fuel rods which are aranged close to the secondary channels (10).
Abstract:
A method and a device for guiding a coolant flow in a light-water nuclear reactor. The guiding of the coolant flow is performed within a mixing cross section which comprises four orthogonally arranged sub-regions (1, 1a, 1c), in their turn comprising whole or parts of fuel assemblies (1). In each sub-region (1, 1a, 1c) there is arranged at least one level which comprises spacers (7) which are provided with flow control members (12) adapted such that the coolant is guided from one sub-region (1, 1a, 1c) to an adjacent sub-region (1, 1a, 1c), thus equalizing the enthalpy of the coolant in the mixing cross section.
Abstract:
A method for supervision of a neutron flux detector in a nuclear reactor comprising a plurality of neutron flux detectors. During a learning phase, connection weights of a neural network are determined, which network comprises at least one input layer (31) and one output layer (33). The input layer comprises a number of processing elements adapted to receive a number of input signals (S(t) - S(t-49 DELTA t)), and the output layer comprises a number of process elements adapted to deliver a number of state signals (N1, N2, N3, N4). The determination of the connection weights is done by supplying to the network a plurality of sets of input signals with known state signals, by comparing the state signals calculated by the network with the known state signals, and by successively correcting the connection weights to reduce the deviation between the known and the calculated state signals. During a supervision phase the neural network is supplied with input signals corresponding to measured values at different times from the supervised detector, and based on the connection weights determined during the learning phase, the state signals are calculated. In dependence of the calculated state signals and the state signals of a number of selected reference detectors, it is determined whether the detector is defective.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method and a device for introducing a medium, a primary flow (B), with a first temperature via an inlet pipe (9) into a container (2) which encloses the same medium with a second temperature, wherein the first and second temperatures differ considerably from each other. The invention comprises ensuring a thermal shield between the inlet pipe and that part of the container (10) which surrounds the inlet pipe, wherein the thermal shield consists of a secondary flow (C) which is adapted to flow in a secondary-flow gap (11) between the inlet pipe (9) and the container part (10). Te thermal shield is ensured by causing the primary flow (B) to pass through a throttle member (13) which is arranged in the inlet pipe (9) and has a limited extent in the longitudinal direction of the channel. The throttle member (13) comprises a chamber (14) which opens out downstream of the throttle member. Part of the primary flow (B) is supplied to the chamber (14) via a gap (16), and at least part of the secondary flow (C) is supplied to the chamber (14) via the secondary-flow gap (11), the primary flow (B) and the secondary flow (C) being mixed in the chamber (14). The flows are then caused, in mixed form, to join the main primary flow (B) flowing in the inlet pipe (9). To further ensure the thermal shield, a flow shield (19) is arranged around the inlet pipe (9) in the flow path of the medium (A) flowing in the container (2) for reduction of the velocity thereof at the inlet of the secondary-flow gap (11).
Abstract:
The invention relates to a sealing device (10) in a graphite-moderated light water-cooled nuclear reactor (1). The reactor (1) comprises a plurality of fuel channels (4) and each fuel channel (4) at its upper part encloses a plug (9). A gap (11) is provided between said fuel channel (4) and said plug (9) and sealing surfaces (12, 13) are arranged correspondingly on the inner part of the fuel channel (4) and the outer part of the plug (9), respectively. The sealing device (10) is arranged in the gap (11) between said sealing surfaces (12, 13) and is characterized in that it comprises one or more annular bodies arranged in the axial direction one after the other and making direct contact with each other. Each body is plastically deformable for transforming the force in the axial direction obtained via the plug (9) into a sealing pressure in the radial direction whereby it achieves a sealing effect of the sealing device (10). Further, the sealing device (10) is characterized in that at least that part of it, which faces the sealing surfaces (12, 13), is monolithic.
Abstract:
A zirconium alloy for nuclear fuel components such as cladding tubes, spacers, boxes, etc., with improved properties with respect to the absorption of hydrogen released during the corrosion, in combination with good strength and creep properties. The alloy contains zirconium and tin, iron, nickel, chromium, and silicon with a total content of at least 0.54 per cent by weight and at most 2.15 per cent by weight, of which the content of tin is at least 0.03 %, the content of iron at least 0.07 %, the content of nickel at least 0.03 %, the content of chromium at least 0.05 %, and the content of silicon at least 0.005 % and 0.15-0.30 % vanadium and 0.015-0.30 % niobium.