Boiling water reactor fuel rod assembly with fuel rod spacer arrangement

Abstract: A boiling water reactor fuel rod assembly (10) is provided having a plurality of fuel rod spacers (12) which are slidably receivable within an outer channel (11). Each of the rod spacers (12) is formed of at least one lattice which defines a plurality of fuel rod retaining cells (38). The lattice is constructed of a plurality of pairs of oppositely facing springy support strips (20a-20f), with each support strip having a plurality of spring-loaded indentations (34). In an unloaded condition, oppositely facing indentations (34) of each pair of strips, which define each cell, are displaced closer to one another. In a loaded condition, the oppositely facing cell indentations (34) are forced away from each other by the fuel rods (13) so that the springloaded indentations support and retain the fuel rods (13).

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to nuclear fuel rod assemblies for water reactors, and more particularly to a fuel rod spacer arrangement for boiling water reactors wherein the fuel rods are supported within an outer channel in a spaced and aligned fashion relative to one another. During reactor operation the rods are exposed to a strong coolant water flow and suffer from virulent transversal vibrations. It is the function of the spacer assembly to hold the rods in their position and suppress these vibrations. In GB-A-969,131 a fuel rod spacer assembly is disclosed which comprises a plurality of parallel spacer strips which are arranged in pairs and have a plurality of concave corrugations. The corrugations of oppositely facing spacer strips are reversed to one another and face each other so as to create fuel rod supporting cells therebetween. These cells are in a stationary position during assembling of the fuel rods, i.e. they are not shifted from an unloaded position to a displaced loaded position when the fuel rods are loaded into the cells, since they are distributed in a close-to-close relationship, in which the front faces of opposite corrugations in each pair are fixed together while adjacent pairs are fixed back-to-back. The strips of said assembly are made from resilient material and the dimensions of the cells - in their unloaded state - are smaller than the diameter of the rods. In their loaded position, the corrugations are bent to meet the fuel rod diameter and act as spring holding means for the rods. Since normally used spacer material like zircaloy is not very resilient it is hard to establish the needed spring force. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a nuclear fuel rod assembly for a boiling water reactor wherein a spacer assembly is provided which is of simple construction, yet provides a secure retention, alignment, and spacing for the nuclear fuel rods. It is another object of the invention to provide a spacer system wherein the fuel rods can be easily loaded. It is another object of the invention to provide a spacer system wherein moderator can flow freely therethrough. It is a further object of the invention to create a turbulent flow so that coolant contact with the fuel rods is maximized and steam bubble contact with the fuel rods is minimized. It is a further object of the invention to provide a spacer system which can be easily assembled. It is another object of the invention to provide a spacer system which will not be substantially affected by irradiation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, a boiling water reactor fuel rod assembly is provided wherein a spacer system is formed of a plurality of spaced apart and parallel spacer strips. Each of the spacer strips has a plurality of corrugations. Corrugations of adjacent spacer strips are reversed relative to one another so as to create support cells for receiving fuel rods between the opposed corrugations. The spacer strips are (wholly or at least partially) constructed of a springaction or resilient material such that prior to loading of the fuel rods, there is an unloaded displaced position of at least some of the corrugations. When a fuel rod is loaded into a cell, the fuel rod forces the portions of the spacer strip which are in their unloaded displaced position into a loaded position. Preferably, pairs of spacer strips are provided having their corrugations abutting each other back-to-back, with every other corrugation along the spacer strips being welded to one another. The unwelded corrugations can then attain by spring action the unloaded displaced position, with the corrugations then being spaced apart from one another. Preferably the spacer strips are arranged to form a lattice or grid, with two of such lattices being positioned one above the other to form a rod spacer. A plurality of the rod spacers are provided at desired spaced intervals from top to bottom along the fuel rod assembly. In the following description the corrugations which are shifted from an unloaded position into a loaded position are called "displaceable corrugations" while other corrugations which alter only their shape and not their position, are called "stationary corrugations." The force which tends to move the displaceable corrugations back into their unloaded positions in caused by spring means (e.g. a springy material of the stationary corrugations) which press the displaceable corrugations - in their undisplaced, loaded state - against the fuel rods and hold them in their positions. According to the invention, the above mentioned subjects are achieved by a spacer assembly having the features of claim 1 or a fuel assembly having the features of claim 32, respectively. Advantageous specific features are given in the dependent claims. The invention and some of its further developments will become clear from the following five figures and the description of a preferred embodiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view with a partial cut-away from beneath a boiling water reactor fuel rod assembly employing a rod spacer system having a pluraiity of rod spacers according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective fragmentary view looking from the side and down upon a portion of the rod spacer shown in Fig. 1 at the bottom of the fuel rod assembly; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of one region of a lattice of the bottom rod spacer shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the region of the lattice of the rod spacer shown in Fig. 3 prior to loading of the rods; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view of a portion of one of the rod spacers of the spacer system shown in Fig. 1. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A portion of a boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel rod assembly employing the spacer system of the invention for retaining fuel rods 13 is generally shown at 10 in Fig. 1. Although the present invention will be described in relation to such a fuel assembly, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be used with any type of nuclear fuel assembly, not just BWR fuel assemblies or the BWR fuel assembly shown in Fig. 1. The fuel assembly shown in Fig. 1 has a central water channel which extends along the length of the fuel assembly. A common problem in typical boiling water reactors is that the central region of the fuel assemblies may be undermoderated and over-enriched. In order to increase the flow of moderator, an elongated central water channel is provided which includes a centrally disposed path for the flow of moderator/coolant along the length of the fuel rods in order to improve neutron moderation and economy. The central water channel can be of any cross-sectional area and/or geometry, positioned centrally and symmetrically within the outer channel, or asymmetrically displaced from the central axis within the outer channel, and can be oriented around its central axis so that its walls which extend the length of the assembly are either parallel or non-parallel to the walls of the outer channel. In Fig. 1, central water channel 15 is centrally located within outer channel 11. Outer rectangular channel 11 has retained therein a plurality of rod spacers 12 arranged at different elevations along the length of fuel assembly 10. The bottom-most spacer 12 at the end of the assembly, is shown in Fig. 1. Rod spacers are located at selected spaced intervals, and in a preferred embodiment are typically positioned at 38,1 to 55,9 cm (15 to 22-inch) intervals along the length of the fuel rod bundle. Another rod spacer 12 positioned along the length of fuel assembly 10 is shown in phantom above the bottom spacer 12. Other spacers, although not shown, are similarly positioned along the length of fuel assembly 10. Fig. 2 is a perspective view looking from the side and down the fuel assembly 10 depicted in Fig. 1 and shows a lower portion of the assembly, including bottom spacer 12, with the outer channel 11 removed. Although most of the fuel rods 13 are not shown in Fig. 2 for clarity of illustration, each of the spacer strips 20 are all shown in their "loaded" position, as explained hereafter. Each of rod spacers 12 is formed of a lower lattice or grid 12a and a closely adjacent upper lattice or grid 12b. Fuel rods 13 are securely retained by each of the upper and lower lattices of each spacer. Spacers 12 each have four outer sidewalls 9a, b, c, d, which extend along the width and depth of outer channel 11 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Internal walls, acting as dividing or stiffening plates 18, 19 divide each spacer 12 into nine separate subregions. Eight of such regions (14a through 14h) shown in Fig. 1 contain fuel rods 13 and one region houses central channel member 15. Although any number of plates can be used and form subregions having equal or unequal cross-sectional areas, it will also be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be practiced with or without dividing plates which form subregions. Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views looking up from the bottom of the fuel assembly. The structure of spacers 12 is shown in the perspective view of Fig. 2 and the plan view of Figs. 3 and 4 showing a cross-sectional view of one subregion, and more particularly region 14a of lower lattice 12a illustrated in Fig. 1. Each of the upper and lower lattices 12b, 12a of spacers 12 is formed of spacer strips. Spacer strips 20a through 20f are provided for each of the upper and lower lattices 12b, 12a of each spacer 12 within each subregion 14a through 14h. The peripheral sidewalls 9a, 9b and internal walls are supporting means for supporting the strips in a spaced apart relationship. In many cases it is sufficient that they hold only the non-corrugated end parts of the strips in said spaced apart relationship. Spacer strips 20a and 20f of subregion 14a of lower lattice 12a shown in Fig. 3 are positioned along sidewall 9a and stiffening plate 18, respectively. Ends 22, 23 of each of spacer strips 20a through 20f are respectively received and secured in slots 24 and 25 in stiffening plate 19 and side wall 9b. In lieu of slots for supporting the ends of the spacer strips, welds may be provided. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the orientation of spacer strips 20a through 20f alternate by 90° from subregion to subregion in a lateral direction. Also, as can be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, for each spacer, spacer strips 20a through 20f in each of the subregions of lower lattice 12a are oriented at 90° relative to spacer strips 20a through 20f in adjacent upper lattice 12b. As shown in Fig. 4, each of spacer strips 20a-f has corrugations 30. Each corrugation is three-sided and extends vertically to form a three-sided groove or channel. Each corrugation has a face 31. With the fuel rods 13 loaded into spacer lattice 12a as shown in Fig. 3, faces 31 of corrugations 30 and 30' of spacer strip 20b abut with the oppositely positioned and reversed faces 31 of corrugations 30, 30' of spacer strip 20c. Where adjacent and reversed faces 31 of corrugations of spacer strips 20b and 20c abut one another; faces 31 are welded to one another in every other column, as indicated by the asterisk * at 33. Thus, in each row, the abutting corrugations alternate welded and unwelded. Similarly, the alternate abutting faces 31 of spacer strips 20d and 20e are welded together at 33. Since corrugations 30 are welded either to a wall (9a, 18) or to a reverse corrugation of another strip they are stationary when the fuel rods are removed (stationary corrugations 30), while the other corrugations 30' are displaceable. In addition, alternate faces 31 of spacer 20a are welded to side wall 9a, and alternate faces 31 of spacer strip 20f are similarly welded at 33 to stiffening plate 18 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Thus, weld points alternate in each row and column within the spacer. The significance of the alternating weld points, is apparent from the Fig. 4 which is of the same spacer shown in Fig. 3, but before loading fuel rods 13 in the spacer. As is shown in Fig. 4, faces 31 of corrugations 30' of adjacent spacer strips which are not welded together are spaced apart due to the resilience and shape of the individual spacer strips. The spaced apart relationship of unloaded spacers are shown as gaps 37b-37d in Fig. 4. The space or gap between face 31 of spacer strip 20a and wall 9a is shown as 37a and the spaces between faces 31 of strip 20f and stiffening plate 18 are shown as 37e and 37f in the unloaded spacer shown in Fig. 4. Thus, in the unloaded condition, corrugations 30' are not in line along a row, but rather are displaced and staggered or tilted by the integral spring force provided by the spacer strip material. The positioned fuel rods 13, once they are loaded in the unloaded spacer strips, are shown in phantom in Fig. 4. Accordingly, with the fuel rods loaded, corrugations 30 and 30' are in line such as shown in Fig. 3 and exert a retaining pressure on the fuel rods 13 which are positioned between the opposite facing concave corrugations which form rod supporting cells 38. Thus, supporting cells are created between oppositely facing concave portions of the corrugations. With the exception of the fuel rod in each outer corner of the fuel assembly, each fuel rod 13 in each cell 38 is supported by two spring edges 34 which belong to a displaceable corrugation 30' and force the rod 13 against two stationary supports 35 belonging to a stationary corrugation, i.e. each cell supporting a fuel rod is formed by a displaceable corrugation 30' of one spacer strip and a stationary corrugation of another spacer strip, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. As can best be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the spacer strips in each subregion of the upper lattice grid 12b are oriented 90° relative to those in lower lattice grid 12a. Thus, the direction of the forces applied by spring edges 34 against the fuel rods and the fuel rods against supports 35 in upper lattice grid 12b are similarly oriented 90° relative to the forces in lower lattice grid 12a. Furthermore, as is evident from Fig. 1, the alternating direction of the spacer strips from subregion to subregion provides improved uniformity for both flow resistance and lateral strength. The arrangement provides a very strong overall support arrangement which opposes a failure due to lateral loading. In the region between four loaded adjacent fuel rods 13, an open space 39 is formed by two adjacent spacer strips (Fig. 3). Open spaces 39 which are formed by spacer strips between any four adjacent fuel rods within a subregion allow steam bubbles to flow unobstructed up the center between the four adjacent fuel rods, while allowing primarily liquid moderator to flow around the fuel rods, thus enhancing heat transfer. Four such open areas 39 are provided in each subassembly in the embodiment shown in Fig. 3. In addition, several other partial open areas 40 are also provided. Spring relaxation as a result of irradiation of spacer strips 20, and more particularly spring edges 34 and stationary support 35 of the corrugations, is reduced by constructing the stiffening plates 18, 19 of annealed zircaloy and spacer strips 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, and 20f of cold worked stress relieved zircaloy. The greater irradiation induced growth rate of the cold worked material restrained by the lower growth rate of the annealed material tends to cause the resilient spacer strips to move toward the fuel rods and provide a spring force against the fuel rods, reducing irradiation induced spring relaxation. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, each of the spacers 12 preferably has inwardly bent guiding tabs 16 extending from the top edge of side walls 9a, b, c and d at the upper spacer lattice 12b. Inwardly bent guiding tabs 16 allow ease of placement of the outer channel 11 over the spacers. Inwardly bent guiding tabs 16 and outwardly bent tabs 17 also serve the purpose of directing liquid water which has condensed on the outer and inner channels 11, 15 towards the fuel rods, enhancing local heat transfer. According to another feature of the invention, kick-outs 41 positioned on side walls 9a, 9b, 9c and 9b (Fig. 5) and tabs 42a, 42b (Fig. 2) positioned at the top of stiffening plates 18, 19 may be provided. Kick-outs 41 and tabs 42a, 42b are arranged to impart a circular motion to the two-phase coolant flow. This circular motion tends to coalesce small water droplets into larger water droplets aiding in their transfer to the fuel rod surfaces. Tests have shown that the net effect is an increase in water film thickness on the fuel rod, resulting in an improvement in local heat transfer. While the foregoing description and drawings represent the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims: A fuel rod spacer assembly for retaining fuel rods (13) of a fuel rod assembly (10) provided in a reactor, comprising: a plurality of parallel spacer strips (20a, 20b, 20c), and means (9a, 9b) for supporting the strips in a spaced apart relationship; each of the spacer strips having a plurality of concave corrugations (30, 30'), at least a plurality of said corrugations being displaceable from an unloaded to a spring loaded position; the concave corrugations (30, 30') of oppositely facing spacer strips (20a, 20b) being reversed relative to one other and facing each other so as to create fuel rod supporting cells (38) therebetween; at least one of each of said facing spacer strips having spring means to hold the displaceable corrugations in their unloaded positions when the fuel rods are not loaded, and in their loaded positions when the fuel rods are loaded; and in each supporting cell (38) which is created by said corrugations facing each other, at least one of said corrugations being a displaceable corrugation and exerting a spring force against a fuel rod (13) when said fuel rod is loaded into said cell. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the displaceable corrugations (30') in their unloaded positions are closer to the corrugations (30) facing said displaceable corrugations than in their loaded positions. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said spring means is springy material forming at least portions of said spacer strips and acting on displaceable corrugations, preferably springy material forming stationary corrugations (30). An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the material of said strips (20a, 20b) or at least said springy material of each spacer strip comprises a cold worked stress relieved zircaloy. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said supporting means hold at least the noncorrugated parts (22, 23) of said strips in a spaced apart relationship. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the strips are arranged in pairs (20a, 20b) and at least one (20a) of the strips of each pair has displaceable corrugations (30') and spring means (30). An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the strips are arranged in pairs (20a, 20b; 20c, 20d) and the one strip (20a) of each pair extends on one side of a corresponding row of fuel rods (13), the other strip (20b) of said pair extending on the other side of said row. An assembly according to claim 7 wherein all back faces (31)of the corrugations (30, 30') facing away from one side of the row are in line in the loaded position and back faces (31) of displaceable corrugations (30') are staggered in the unloaded position. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 8 wherein said means for supporting comprises peripheral side walls (9a, 9b) surrounding and supporting the spacer strips. An assembly according to one of claim 1 to 9 wherein pairs (20b, 20c) of spacer strips are provided back-to-back and having back faces (31) of their corrugations in direct abutment with one another, at each second pair (30) of abutting corrugations a connection (33) being provided fixing the abutting corrugation faces together, the remaining corrugations (30') of each pair of back-to-back strips not being connected together such that the adjacent corrugations are separated from one another at their back faces in said unloaded position of the displaceable corrugations (30'). An assembly according to claim 10 wherein the connections (33) between corrugations for one pair (20b, 20c) of back-to-back spacer strips are offset by one corrugation as compared to connections (33) between alternating corrugations for an adjacent pair (20d, 20e) of back-to-back spacer strips. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 11 wherein each of said opposite facing spacer strips comprises displaceable corrugations (30') and spring means (30) such that every second corrugation is displaceable and - in the unloaded state - assumes an unloaded position so that for each cell one of the corrugations is in its unloaded position and is more closely spaced to the opposite corrugation (30). An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the corrugations (30, 30') are three-sided. An assembly according to one of claim 1 to 13 wherein the corrugation for each of the supporting cells which assumes an loaded position provides first and second rod supporting spring edges (34), and the opposite facing corrugation provides first and second stationary support edges (35). An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 14 wherein portions of the strips between the corrugations define open areas (39) which are centrally located with respect to four surrounding fuel rod supporting cells, said open areas (39) being dimensioned to permit steam bubble flow in unobstructed fashion up a center between the four adjacent fuel rods while allowing primarily liquid moderator to flow around the fuel rods so as to enhance heat transfer. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 15 wherein the strips are arranged to form a lattice employed as a rod spacer having sub-regions (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 14g, 14h) of rod supporting cells (38), each sub-region being segregated by internal walls and surrounded by parts of said internal walls (18, 19) or of a peripheral side wall (9a, 9b) surrounding the assembly. An assembly according to claim 16 wherein said internal walls (18, 19) are stiffening plates connecting opposite sides of said peripheral side walls (9a, 9b). An assembly according to claim 17 wherein the stiffening plates (18, 19) being formed of annealed zircaloy and the spacer strips being formed of cold worked stressed relieved zircaloy such that a greater radiation induced growth rate of the cold worked zircaloy restrained by a lower growth rate of the annealed zircaloy tends to cause the spacer strips to move toward the fuel rods and provide spring force against the fuel rods, thus reducing irradiation induced spring relaxation. An assembly according to one of claims 16 or 18 wherein said sub-regions (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 14g, 14h) comprise a plurality of said spacer strips, the spacer strips of adjacent sub-regions being oriented 90° relative to one another. An assembly according to one of claims 16 to 19 wherein the assembly has a central sub-region which is open and dimensioned for surrounding a central channel member (15) of the fuel rod assembly An assembly according to one of claims 16 to 20 wherein said internal walls (18, 19) are orthogonal to one another and are mounted at their ends to the peripheral side walls (9a, 9b). An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 21 wherein the assembly is formed of an upper lattice (12b) and an adjacent lower lattice (12a), said upper and lower lattice formed by different spacer strips. An assembly according to claim 22 wherein the upper and the lower lattice are partial assemblies each being constructed according to one of claims 16 to 21. An assembly according to claim 23 wherein the spacer strips in a sub-region of the upper lattice (12b) being oriented 90° relative to spacer strips in the lower lattice (12a) so that a direction of forces applied against the fuel rods are oriented 90° relative to forces in the lower lattice applied to the same fuel rods. An assembly according to one of claims 16 to 24 wherein tab means (42a, 42b) being positioned at a top of the internal walls to impart a circular motion to coolant flow to coalesce small water droplets into larger water droplets aiding in their transfer to fuel rod surfaces. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 25 wherein guiding means (16), preferably bent guiding tabs protruding from peripheral side walls (9a, 9b) of the assembly permit the assembly to be slidably received within an outer channel (11) of the fuel rod assembly. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 26 wherein at least some of the strips have flow deflecting projections (41). An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 27 wherein the ends (22, 23) of said spacer strips are mounted to peripheral side walls (9a, 9b) or internal walls (18, 19) of the assembly. An assembly according to claim 28 wherein ends (22, 23) of the strips are received in slots (24, 25) in the peripheral side walls or internal walls. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 29 wherein each cell (38) supporting a fuel rod (13) is formed by a displaceable corrugation (30') of one spacer strip and a stationary corrugation, preferably a springy corrugation (30), of another spacer strip. An assembly according to one of claims 1 to 30 wherein the spacer strips are supported in a spaced apart relationship which is dimensioned to permit the strips (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f) to be received in an outer channel (11) of the fuel rod assembly. A reactor fuel rod assembly (10), comprising: an outer channel (11); a plurality of spaced apart and parallel spacer strips (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f) within the outer channel; each of the spacer strips having a plurality of concave corrugations (30) and wherein the concave corrugations (30) of oppositely facing spacer strips face each other so as to create fuel rod supporting cells (38) therebetween; fuel rods (13) located in said cells and at least portions (30) of at least one of each of the facing spacer strips comprising a springy material which causes at least one of the corrugations (30') for each of the supporting cells to assume an unloaded position which is closer to the opposite facing corrugation (30) that when the fuel rod is loaded in the cell, thus forcing the corrugation (30') to assume a loaded position. A reactor fuel rod assembly according to claim 32 wherein said plurality of spacer strips belongs to a spacer assembly according to one of claims 1 to 31 and several of such spacer assemblies are positioned at spaced intervals from top to bottom along the outer channel.

Inventors: EWING RICHARD H, PATTERSON JOHN F, EWING, RICHARD H., PATTERSON, JOHN F.
Applicants: SIEMENS POWER CORP, SIEMENS POWER CORPORATION
Application year: 1992
Main classification: G21C3
IPC codes: G21C3