JOHN F PATTERSON
Engineers in Richland, WA

5375153, Dec 20, 1994

Dec 17, 1992

7/995633

John F. Patterson - Richland WA
George C. Cooke - Richland WA
Jack Yates - Richland WA

Siemens Power Corporation - Richland WA

G21C 3322

376435

An improved fuel rod is provided having a part-length fuel rod portion that improves performance with respect to typical part-length fuel rods without significant degradation of the benefits that are achieved by using such a system, e. g. , improved fuel utilization, stability, and shut down margin. The present invention provides a fuel rod for a light water nuclear reactors that comprises a part-length fuel rod and an extension tube having at least one wall member defining an enclosed flow path therethrough, the extension tube being coupled to a portion of the part-length fuel rod so as to be disposed axially above the part-length fuel rod, and including at least one inlet opening, for allowing fluid that surrounds the rod and initially comprises a two phase mixture of steam and liquid, to enter the enclosed fluid path and at least one outlet opening located above the inlet opening, the extension tube includes means for separating at least some of the steam located in the fluid from the liquid located therein. The improved fuel rod allows steam to bypass the upper active portions of the fuel assembly. A nuclear fuel rod for a light water reactor having a part length fuel rod and a reflex upper end fitting which functions to separate the liquid and vapor steam portions of two phase flow.

4077843, Mar 7, 1978

May 21, 1976

5/688924

John F. Patterson - Richland WA
Barney S. Flora - Richland WA

Exxon Nuclear Company, Inc. - Bellevue WA

G21C 330

176 76

A bimetallic grid spacer comprising a grid structure of zircaloy formed by intersecting striplike members which define fuel element openings for receiving fuel elements and spring strips made of Inconel positioned within the grid structure for cooperating with the fuel elements to maintain them in their desired position. A plurality of these spring strips extend longitudinally between sides of the grid structure, being locked in position by the grid retaining strips. The fuel rods, which are disposed in the fuel openings formed in the grid structure, are positioned by means of the springs associated with the spring strips and a plurality of dimples which extend from the zircaloy grid structure into the openings. In one embodiment the strips are disposed in a plurality of arrays with those spring strip arrays situated in opposing diagonal quadrants of the grid structure extending in the same direction and adjacent spring strip arrays in each half of the spacer extending in relatively perpendicular directions. Other variations of the spring strip arrangements for a particular fuel design are disclosed herein.

5259009, Nov 2, 1993

Aug 19, 1991

7/747088

John F. Patterson - Richland WA
Richard H. Ewing - W. Richland WA

Siemens Power Corporation - Richland WA

G21C 334

376439

A boiling water reactor fuel rod assembly is provided having a plurality of fuel rod spacers which are slidably receivable within an outer channel. Each of the rod spacers is formed of at least one lattice which defines a plurality of fuel rod retaining cells. The lattice is constructed of a plurality of pairs of oppositely facing springy support strips, with each support strip having a plurality of spring-loaded indentations. In an unloaded condition, oppositely facing indentations of each pair of strips, which define each cell, are displaced closer to one another. In a loaded condition, the oppositely facing cell indentations are forced away from each other by the fuel rods so that the springloaded indentations support and retain the fuel rods.

5345485, Sep 6, 1994

Mar 13, 1992

7/850532

John F. Patterson - Richland WA
George C. Cooke - Richland WA

Siemens Power Corporation - Richland WA

G21C 3322

376435

An improved fuel rod is provided having a part-length fuel rod portion that improves performance with respect to typical part-length fuel rods without significant degradation of the benefits that are achieved by using such a system, e. g. , improved fuel utilization, stability, and shut down margin. The present invention provides a fuel rod for a light water nuclear reactors that comprises a part-length fuel rod and an extension tube having at least one wall member defining an enclosed flow path therethrough, the extension tube being coupled to a portion of the part-length fuel rod so as to be disposed axially above the part-length fuel rod, and including at least one inlet opening, for allowing fluid that surrounds the rod and initially comprises a two phase mixture of steam and liquid, to enter the enclosed fluid path and at least one outlet opening located above the inlet opening, the extension tube includes means for separating at least some of the steam located in the fluid from the liquid located therein. The improved fuel rod allows steam to bypass the upper active portions of the fuel assembly.

4849161, Jul 18, 1989

Nov 24, 1987

7/124698

Charles A. Brown - Kennewick WA
Rolf Holzer - Erlangen, DE
John F. Patterson - Richland WA

Advanced Nuclear Fuels Corp. - Richland WA

G21C 334

376439

A fuel assembly for nuclear reactors which comprises the usual upper and lower tie plates and fuel rods extending between them is made debris-resistant by providing a grid spacer in contact, or very nearly so, with the lower tie plate and so positioned as to subdivide the usual openings in the lower tie plate which are provided for the passage of cooling water. This causes debris to be trapped in the openings of the lower tie plate, and keeps it from contacting the fueled portion of the assembly.

5024426, Jun 18, 1991

Mar 17, 1989

7/324947

Raymond A. Busch - Benton WA
John F. Patterson - Richland WA

Advanced Nuclear Fuels Corporation - Richland WA

F16F 118

267158

A spring member is formed of at least two layers metallurgically bonded together uniformly and having significantly different rates of irradiation growth, so that the differential growth of the layers results in increased stress in a predetermined direction. The layers may be of different metals or of similar metals which have been treated to give them different growth rates, such as zircaloy with different tin and oxygen content. Examples of other properties which may be used to obtain differential growth rates for the two layers when they are of material with substantially the same constituents are alpha-beta phase transformation temperature, the annealing temperature, the work history, partial recrystallization, and precipitation hardening.

4039379, Aug 2, 1977

Feb 28, 1975

5/554000

John F. Patterson - Richland WA
Kirk P. Galbraith - Richland WA

Exxon Nuclear Company, Inc. - Bellevue WA

G21C 330

176 76

An improved mixing vane grid spacer having enhanced flow mixing capability by virtue of mixing vanes being positioned at welded intersecting joints of the spacer wherein each mixing vane has an opening or window formed therein substantially directly over the welded joint to provide improved flow mixing capability. Some of the vanes are slotted, depending on their particular location in the spacers. The intersecting joints are welded by initially providing consumable tabs at and within each window, which are consumed during the welding of the spacer joints.

5030412, Jul 9, 1991

May 4, 1990

7/518888

Jack Yates - Richland WA
Richard H. Ewing - W. Richland WA
John F. Patterson - Richland WA

Advanced Nuclear Fuels Corporation - Richland WA

G21C 104

376352

A debris screen for a fuel assembly for a reactor to which coolant fluid is supplied comprises a substantially planar plate member having an array of coollant openings extending through the plate member dimensioned to trap at least a portion of debris particles carried by the coolant; and a skirt member enclosing the periphery of the plate member; each of the coolant flow openings having a coolant entry region at a lower surface, a coolant exit region at an upper surface and a coolant flow path extending between the entry and exit regions, the flow path including an intermediate segment laterally offset from the entry and exit regions to cause coolant to change direction of flow in the intermediate segment and thereby prevent at least a portion of the debris particles from passing through the plate members.

4081324, Mar 28, 1978

Jun 17, 1976

5/696887

Barney S. Flora - Richland WA
John F. Patterson - Richland WA

Exxon Nuclear Company Inc. - Bellevue WA

G21C 330

176 78

A system for capturing a grid spacer in a nuclear fuel bundle which comprises a split sleeve fixed to a capture rod. The sleeve is used in conjunction with a grid spacer having openings formed by intersecting walls which include protrusions and coacting springs extending from the walls. The sleeve includes pairs of longitudinally spaced bosses and a standoff boss extending radially outward from the surface of the rod. The pairs of bosses are positioned astride the protrusions from the walls to prevent longitudinal movement of the grid spacer. The split serves as a guide slot to orient the capture rod so that it may pass through the grid spacer openings unencumbered by the protrusions from the grid space walls. The standoff boss is in surface contact with a wall of the grid spacer.

4803044, Feb 7, 1989

Nov 3, 1987

7/116606

John F. Patterson - Richland WA

Advanced Nuclear Fuels Corporation - Richland WA

G21C 332

376444

A fuel assembly for boiling water reactors includes, in addition to the usual outer flow channel which surrounds the fuel rods, an inner flow channel having rectilinear sides disposed within the fuel assembly, extending vertically therethrough, and arranged to receive cooling water at or below the bottom of the assembly. The channel is of such size as to span several cooling rods in each direction. A closure is provided in the channel within the critical heat flux zone of the assembly. At least one inner tube extends through the closure. The channel is closed at its upper end, and the inner tube is open at its upper end, which is located near the upper end of the channel. Egress openings are provided in the walls of the channel just above the closure. These openings are so positioned relative to the fuel tubes that jets of water emitted from them do not impinge directly on the fuel tubes, but rather enter the flow spaces between them. Other egress openings are provided in the walls of the channel below the closure.