Patent ID: 9014325
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A nuclear fuel assembly tie plate comprising: intersecting strips delimiting therebetween tubular guide cells each for allowing a fuel rod to extend through the tie plate, the strips delimiting therebetween tubular flow cells separate from the guide cells, each flow cell for allowing coolant flow through the tie plate, the guide cells and flow cells being arranged at nodes of a lattice defined by a repeating pattern comprising four comer nodes in a square lattice arrangement and a central node at the center of the four comer nodes, with one of the guide cells at each comer node, the guide cells at the comer nodes separated by a first pair of parallel spaced strips of the intersecting strips intersecting a second pair of parallel spaced strips of the intersecting strips, the first and second pairs of parallel strips delimiting a four-walled central flow cell at the center node, the repeating pattern being a 3×3 array of nodes in a square or rectangular lattice arrangement with the four guide cells at the corner nodes, the central flow cell at the center node and four intermediate flow cells at four intermediate side nodes between the comer nodes; and wherein the guide cells and flow cells positioned at the nodes of the repeating pattern are delimited between a group of four parallel strips of the intersecting strips intersecting a group of four parallel strips of the intersecting strips, wherein in each group the spacing between the pairs of strips delimiting the central flow cell between them greater than the spacing between the pair of strips delimiting the guide cells between them.