	US 12,106,864 B2
	Methods of forming debris filters for nuclear fuel assemblies
Brandon P. Smith, Wilmington, NC (US); Carlton W. Clark, Wilmington, NC (US); Richard C. Longren, Wilmington, NC (US); and Gerald M. Latter, Wilmington, NC (US)
Assigned to Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas, LLC, Wilmington, NC (US)
Filed by Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas, LLC, Wilmington, NC (US)
Filed on Jan. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/154,999.
Application 17/154,999 is a continuation of application No. 15/687,712, filed on Aug. 28, 2017, granted, now 10,923,237.
Prior Publication US 2021/0287812 A1, Sep. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. G21C 3/32 (2006.01); G21C 19/307 (2006.01); B01D 39/10 (2006.01); B01D 39/12 (2006.01); B01D 46/24 (2006.01); G21C 3/33 (2006.01)

CPC G21C 3/3206 (2013.01) [G21C 19/307 (2013.01); B01D 39/10 (2013.01); B01D 39/12 (2013.01); B01D 46/247 (2013.01); B01D 46/249 (2021.08); G21C 3/3305 (2013.01)]

17 Claims

17. A method of forming a debris filter for a nuclear fuel assembly, the method comprising:

creating a first plate and a second plate connected to the first plate by a first ligament by stamping;

shaping the first plate and the second plate each to have a plurality of peaks and valleys alternating in a direction of a longest dimension of the plates and the first ligament to include a twist; and

stamping cut-out features into the first plate, wherein the cut-out features include windows sized to match debris flowing through the first plate and a plurality of notches each cut out from a lowest terminal edge of the first plate, wherein the windows are diamond-shaped windows with two acute interior angles, wherein the notches are triangle notches, wherein all of the cut-out features are on a lower half of the first plate, and wherein the first plate is otherwise continuous.