Jason B Ingraham

Address:

330 Pemberton Dr, Wilmington, NC 28412

VIN:

1HGFA16539L002743

Make:

HONDA

Model:

CIVIC

Year:

2009

US Patent:

20120020447, Jan 26, 2012

Filed:

Jul 25, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/843037

Inventors:

Jason B. INGRAHAM - Wilmington NC, US
Paul E. Cantonwine - Wilmington NC, US
Michael W. Thomas - Wilmington NC, US
William C. Cline - Wilmington NC, US

International Classification:

G21C 3/07
G21C 3/00

US Classification:

376412, 376409

Abstract:

Fuel assemblies include an outer channel having a physical configuration optimized for a position of the fuel assembly within a core of a nuclear reactor. The position of the fuel assembly with respect to an employed control blade in the nuclear reactor determines if the outer channel may be thickened, reinforced, and/or fabricated of Zircaloy-4 or similar distortion-resistant material, so as to reduce or prevent distortion of the channel against the control blade, or thinned so as to increase water volume and enhance reactivity in the assembly. Reactor cores having configured fuel assemblies include fuel assemblies having different outer channels. Methods include determining operational characteristics of the fuel assembly, including likelihood of being placed directly adjacent to an employed control blade, and physically selecting or modifying the outer channel of the fuel assembly based thereon.

US Patent:

20160203879, Jul 14, 2016

Filed:

Mar 14, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/069302

Inventors:

Jason B. INGRAHAM - Wilmington NC, US
Paul E. CANTONWINE - Wilmington NC, US
Michael W. THOMAS - Wilmington NC, US
William C. CLINE - Wilmington NC, US

International Classification:

G21C 3/06
G21C 1/08
G21C 21/02
G21C 3/04

Abstract:

Fuel assemblies include an outer channel having a physical configuration optimized for a position of the fuel assembly within a core of a nuclear reactor. The position of the fuel assembly with respect to an employed control blade in the nuclear reactor determines if the outer channel may be thickened, reinforced, and/or fabricated of Zircaloy-4 or similar distortion-resistant material, so as to reduce or prevent distortion of the channel against the control blade, or thinned so as to increase water volume and enhance reactivity in the assembly. Reactor cores having configured fuel assemblies include fuel assemblies having different outer channels. Methods include determining operational characteristics of the fuel assembly, including likelihood of being placed directly adjacent to an employed control blade, and physically selecting or modifying the outer channel of the fuel assembly based thereon.