Top nozzle and pressurized water nuclear reactor including same
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a top nozzle for use with PWR nuclear reactors and power plants, and in particular, VVER nuclear reactors. The top nozzle includes a plate portion having a peripheral portion; a hub portion spaced from the plate portion; a plurality of support portions extending from the plate portion to the hub portion; and at least one deflector portion extending inwardly from the peripheral portion at an acute angle with respect to the plate portion.
1. A top nozzle for a pressurized water nuclear reactor, the top nozzle comprising:
a horizontal plate portion having a peripheral portion;
a hub portion spaced from the plate portion;
a plurality of support portions extending from the plate portion to the hub portion; and
at least one deflector portion extending continuously inwardly and upwardly from the peripheral portion at an acute angle with respect to the plate portion,
wherein the at least one deflector portion is spaced from each of the hub portion and the plurality of support portions, and is cantilevered from the peripheral portion,
wherein the top nozzle is made of a single piece of material, and
wherein, when the top nozzle is viewed from a top plan view, the at least one deflector portion is substantially triangular shaped.
2. The top nozzle of claim 1 wherein the peripheral portion comprises a plurality of edge portions; and wherein the at least one deflector portion comprises a plurality of deflector portions each extending from one of the plurality of edge portions.
3. The top nozzle of claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of edge portions has a midpoint; and wherein each of the plurality of deflector portions extends radially inwardly from a corresponding midpoint of a corresponding one of the plurality of edge portions.
4. The top nozzle of claim 2 wherein the peripheral portion further comprises a plurality of corner portions; wherein each of the plurality of support portions extends from a corresponding one of the plurality of corner portions; wherein each of the plurality of edge portions extends between a corresponding pair of the plurality of corner portions; and wherein each of the deflector portions is spaced from each of the plurality of corner portions.
5. The top nozzle of claim 2 wherein the plate portion is hexagonal-shaped; wherein the plurality of edge portions comprises six edge portions; and wherein the plurality of deflector portions comprises six deflector portions each extending from a corresponding one of the six edge portions.
6. The top nozzle of claim 1 wherein the at least one deflector portion has a distal portion disposed opposite and distal the peripheral portion; and wherein the at least one deflector portion continuously narrows from the peripheral portion to the distal portion.
7. The top nozzle of claim 1 wherein the plate portion further has a plurality of ribs disposed internal with respect to the peripheral portion; and wherein the top nozzle further comprises at least one deflector support portion extending from a corresponding one of the plurality of ribs to the at least one deflector portion.
8. The top nozzle of claim 7 wherein the at least one deflector support portion is disposed perpendicular to the corresponding one of the plurality of ribs.
9. The top nozzle of claim 7 wherein the at least one deflector portion has a center line coinciding with the at least one deflector support portion.
10. The top nozzle of claim 7 wherein the at least one deflector portion has a first half portion, a second half portion, and a center line separating the first half portion and the second half portion; wherein the at least one deflector support portion comprises a first deflector support portion and a second, separate deflector support portion; wherein the first deflector support portion extends from the first half portion; and wherein the second deflector support portion extends from the second half portion.
11. A top nozzle for a pressurized water nuclear reactor, the top nozzle comprising:
a plate portion having a peripheral portion;
a hub portion spaced from the plate portion;
a plurality of support portions extending from the plate portion to the hub portion; and
at least one deflector portion spaced from the hub portion and extending inwardly from the peripheral portion at an acute angle with respect to the plate portion,
wherein the plate portion further has a plurality of ribs disposed internal with respect to the peripheral portion; and wherein the top nozzle further comprises at least one deflector support portion extending from a corresponding one of the plurality of ribs to the at least one deflector portion.
12. The top nozzle of claim 1 wherein the at least one deflector portion comprises a distal portion; and wherein, when viewed from a top plan view, the distal portion is disposed between the peripheral portion and the hub portion.
13. A pressurized water nuclear reactor comprising:
a pressure vessel;
a plurality of fuel assemblies housed by the pressure vessel, each fuel assembly comprising:
a bottom nozzle, and
a top nozzle comprising:
a horizontal plate portion having a peripheral portion,
a hub portion spaced from the plate portion,
a plurality of support portions extending from the plate portion to the hub portion, and
at least one deflector portion extending continuously inwardly and upwardly from the peripheral portion at an acute angle with respect to the plate portion; and
a plurality of fuel rods disposed intermediate the top nozzle and the bottom nozzle,
wherein the at least one deflector portion is spaced from each of the hub portion and the plurality of support portions, and is cantilevered from the peripheral portion,
wherein the top nozzle is made of a single piece of material, and
wherein, when the top nozzle is viewed from a top plan view, the at least one deflector portion is substantially triangular shaped.
14. The pressurized water nuclear reactor of claim 13 wherein the peripheral portion comprises a plurality of corner portions and a plurality of edge portions; wherein each of the plurality of edge portions extends between a corresponding pair of the plurality of corner portions; wherein each of the plurality of edge portions has a midpoint; wherein the at least one deflector portion comprises a plurality of deflector portions each extending radially inwardly from a corresponding midpoint of a corresponding one of the plurality of edge portions; wherein each of the plurality of support portions extends from a corresponding one of the plurality of corner portions; and wherein each of the plurality of deflector portions is spaced from each of the plurality of corner portions.
15. The pressurized water nuclear reactor of claim 13 wherein the plate portion is hexagonal-shaped; wherein the peripheral portion comprises six edge portions; and wherein the at least one deflector portion comprises six deflector portions each extending from a corresponding one of the six edge portions.
16. The pressurized water nuclear reactor of claim 13 wherein the at least one deflector portion comprises a base portion and an extension portion; wherein the base portion extends inwardly from the peripheral portion at the acute angle; and wherein the extension portion extends inwardly from the base portion at a second angle between 150 degrees and 170 degrees with respect to the base portion.
17. The pressurized water nuclear reactor of claim 13 wherein the at least one deflector portion has a distal portion disposed opposite and distal the peripheral portion; and wherein the at least one deflector portion narrows from the peripheral portion to the distal portion.
18. The top nozzle of claim 11 wherein the at least one deflector portion comprises a first deflector portion, a second deflector portion disposed opposite and distal the first deflector portion, a third deflector portion, a fourth deflector portion disposed opposite and distal the third deflector portion, a fifth deflector portion, and a sixth deflector portion disposed opposite and distal the fifth deflector portion; wherein the first deflector portion and the second deflector portion each have a center line; wherein the third deflector portion, the fourth deflector portion, the fifth deflector portion, and the sixth deflector portion each have a first half portion, a second half portion, and a center line separating the first half portion and the second half portion; wherein the at least one deflector support portion comprises ten additional support portions; wherein two of the ten deflector support portions each coincide with a corresponding center line of a corresponding one of the first deflector portion and the second deflector portion; wherein four of the deflector support portions each extend from a corresponding first half portion of a corresponding one of the third deflector portion, the fourth deflector portion, the fifth deflector portion, and the sixth deflector portion; and wherein another four of the deflector support portions each extend from a corresponding second half portion of a corresponding one of the third deflector portion, the fourth deflector portion, the fifth deflector portion, and the sixth deflector portion.
19. The top nozzle of claim 11 wherein the at least one deflector portion comprises a first deflector portion having a first half portion, a second half portion, and a center line separating the first half portion and the second half portion; and wherein the at least one deflector support portion comprises a first deflector support portion extending from the first half portion and a second deflector support portion extending from the second half portion.
20. The top nozzle of claim 11 wherein the at least one deflector portion comprises a first deflector portion having a center line; and wherein the at least one deflector support portion comprises a first deflector support portion coinciding with the center line.