Method of providing a hold-down force upon a nuclear fuel assembly

• Main Authors: SUH JUNG MIN, HA DONG GEUN, JEON KYEONG LAK, PARK NAM GYU, LEE JIN SEOK, PARK JOON KYOO, GWON GI-JUN, EOM KYONG BO, KIM JIN SUN, KIM KYOUNG JOO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.07.2013
• Subjects: GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING; NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR REACTORS; PHYSICS; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

A hold-down spring unit for a top nozzle of a nuclear fuel assembly. The hold-down spring unit is coupled to the upper end of the top nozzle of the nuclear fuel assembly. The hold-down spring unit includes a first spring which provides a hold-down force upon the nuclear fuel assembly under start-up conditions or hot full power conditions of a nuclear reactor, and a second spring which provides an additional hold-down force upon the nuclear fuel assembly under start-up conditions of the nuclear reactor. The hold-down margin under start-up conditions or hot full power conditions is reduced, thus enhancing the mechanical and structural stability of the nuclear fuel assembly.