Patent ID: 6327324
Filing Date: 2001-12-04
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
A fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor, comprising:a top tie plate;a bottom tie plate;a plurality of fuel rods arranged in a lattice and extending between the top tie plate and the bottom tie plate;a fuel channel surrounding the plurality of fuel rods and having a substantially square cross section;a plurality of fuel units stacked on top of each other in an axial distribution, each fuel unit comprising a top tie plate, a bottom tie plate, and a plurality of fuel rods arranged between the top tie plate and the bottom tie plate, at least one of the fuel units comprising a plurality of fuel rods having at least two different diameters and different quantities of fuel arranged in a lateral distribution, wherein said axial and lateral distribution optimize a quantity of fuel and a lattice spacing both axially and laterally in the fuel assembly.