Patent Number: 040381323
Section: claims

1. A nuclear fuel element comprising a cluster of nuclear fuel rods supported axes parallel in spaced apart relationship by transverse grids so as to define interspaces for the axial flow of coolant and having at least one of the interspaces occupied by an axially extending auxiliary coolant conduit with lateral holes through which auxiliary coolant is sprayed into the cluster and including deflection means extending from a transverse grid and located in a position in front of the holes for deflecting coolant spray onto parts of the fuel rods inaccessible to auxiliary coolant, and the deflecting means are constituted by a target plate secured to a grid and with a face of the plate positioned in the trajectory of one or more jets of auxiliary coolant from the auxiliary coolant conduit, and the target plate depends vertically from a grid between two rows of nuclear fuel rods, the rods in each row being spaced at a uniform pitch, said face of the target plate being directed towards the auxiliary coolant conduit, said face being bounded by two parallel longitudinal edges which are separated by a width of plate substantially equivalent in distance to half the pitch of the nuclear fuel rods. 2. A nuclear fuel element as claimed in claim 1 in which the nuclear fuel rods are pitched on concentric circles about a central auxiliary coolant conduit and the target plate is so disposed that its vertical centre line lies in a plane passes through a mid-pitch position between fuel rods on to which auxiliary coolant is deflected. 3. A nuclear fuel element as claimed in claim 1 in which the planes containing the faces of the longitudinal edges of the target plate intersect the face of the target plate which is directed to the auxiliary coolant conduit at acute angles. 4. A nuclear fuel element as claimed in claim 3 in which each acute angle is about 60.degree..