Patent ID: 8644446
Filing Date: 2014-02-04
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A nuclear fuel assembly for a light water reactor comprising: nuclear fuel rods extending in a longitudinal direction; and a skeleton assembly holding the nuclear fuel rods in place, the skeleton assembly including spacer grids, each spacer grid delimiting a substantially regular array of cells housing the nuclear fuel rods, each cell being surrounded by a peripheral belt of walls and having a central longitudinal axis which is substantially the same as the axis of the nuclear fuel rod housed in the cell, each spacer grid further comprising supporting members projecting into the cells from the peripheral belt of walls, the supporting members comprising contact parts having surfaces orientated towards the interior of the cells abutting against the nuclear fuel rods, the inner surface of at least one supporting member having, before irradiation, a concave shape in a plane transverse to the longitudinal direction, the supporting members further comprising a helical blade for stirring the nuclear reactor cooling fluid, the helical blade being substantially centered on the central axis of the corresponding cell and connecting the contact part to the peripheral belt of walls of the corresponding cell, the contact part constituting a terminal part of the supporting member and being folded with respect to the helical blade, the helical blade being folded with respect to the peripheral belt of walls, the contact part extending between a lower edge and an upper edge of the cell, wherein the inner surface of the contact part of the said supporting member also has, before irradiation, a convex shape curved in a longitudinal plane orientated radially with respect to the central axis of the corresponding cell between the lower edge and the upper edge thereof.