US 11,948,699 B2
Nuclear reactor, methods for assembling and replacing thermocouple ducts, assembly for implementing these methods
Laurent Cahouet, Chaudenay (FR); Bruno Magain, Montret (FR); and Alain Scalvini, Ouroux sur Saone (FR)
Assigned to FRAMATOME, Courbevoie (FR)
Appl. No. 16/313,868
Filed by FRAMATOME, Courbevoie (FR)
PCT Filed Jun. 26, 2017, PCT No. PCT/EP2017/065687
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 27, 2018,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/001950, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 4, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 16 56122 (FR), filed on Jun. 29, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2019/0326027 A1, Oct. 24, 2019
Int. Cl. G21C 17/112 (2006.01); G21C 5/02 (2006.01); G21C 19/20 (2006.01)
CPC G21C 17/112 (2013.01) [G21C 5/02 (2013.01); G21C 19/207 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nuclear reactor, comprising:
a vessel;
a plurality of nuclear fuel assemblies forming a reactor core arranged in the vessel;
a support plate arranged in the vessel above the reactor core;
a plurality of thermocouple ducts arranged in the vessel and passing through the support plate through dedicated orifices;
support members provided to keep the thermocouple ducts in position, each support member being rigidly attached to the support plate, each of the thermocouple ducts being attached to at least one of the support members, each thermocouple duct inwardly receiving and guiding a thermocouple;
each support member including a foot rigidly attached to the support plate, a head to which each thermocouple duct is attached, the head being detachably connected to the foot, the foot of each support member being arranged laterally offset with respect to the dedicated orifices; and
thermocouple columns extending above the support plate, a plurality of the thermocouple ducts being positioned in each thermocouple column and leaving the column through peripheral openings,
at least one of the thermocouple ducts being attached to at least two of the support members simultaneously, said at least two support members being distinct and being spaced apart from each other.