Patent ID: 6144716
Filing Date: 2000-11-07
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
A nuclear fuel assembly having a support grid for maintaining a plurality of elongated nuclear fuel elements in a parallel, spaced array, the grid having a lattice structure which defines a plurality of cells through which the fuel elements are respectively supported, each of the cells having a plurality of walls which intersect at corners and surround the corresponding fuel element at the support location, at least one wall in the cells supporting the fuel elements includes a diagonal spring extending into the cell from a point near a lower portion of the grid proximate one corner of the wall to a point near an upper portion of the grid proximate the other corner of the wall, and wherein the spring is formed from a cut-out section of the cell wall formed from narrow, substantially parallel slits in the wall along the diagonal of the spring in a manner that minimizes the cross flow of coolant between cells at the spring location during reactor operation.