Patent ID: 6728329
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
A fuel assembly comprising:a plurality of fuel rods arranged in a square lattice array, said fuel rods including a plurality of short-length fuel rods each having a fuel active length shorter than that of each of the remaining ones of said fuel rods; at least one water rod arranged in a region in which one or more of said fuel rods are arrangeable in said array; and a plurality of fuel spacers, provided at a plurality of positions in the axial direction, for holding said plurality of fuel rods and said at least one water rod with mutual radial intervals therebetween kept immovable; wherein said plurality of short-length fuel rods include at least one first short-length fuel rod arranged in the outermost peripheral region of said square lattice array; each of said plurality of fuel spacers including a plurality of cylindrical members which are connected to each other and in which said fuel rods are to be inserted respectively, and a band member for surrounding the outermost peripheries of said plurality of cylindrical members; and said plurality of fuel spacers including first-fuel spacers positioned above the upper end of said at least one first short-length fuel rod, and at least one of said first fuel spacers is configured such that one of said cylindrical members, located at a first lattice position associated with said at least one first short-length fuel rod, is omitted, and, instead, a first supporting member is provided at said first lattice position for directly connecting said band member to two first cylindrical members of said plurality of cylindrical members which are adjacently located on both sides of said first lattice position in the outermost peripheral region adjacent to said band member.