Patent Number: 050858270
Section: claims

1. In a fuel bundle having a surrounding channel, an upper tie plate, a lower tie plate, a plurality of fuel rods and a pair of water rods, wherein said fuel rods are arranged in a matrix and positioned in parallel upstanding relation to one another between said upper and lower tie plates, said pair of water rods are arranged side-by-side and positioned centrally of said fuel bundle such that said water rod pair occupies seven matrix positions centrally of said matrix, said pair including a first water rod occupying a first three positions in said matrix and part of a fourth position, the second water rod of said water rod pair occupying a second three positions in said matrix and part of said fourth position, a system for the securing of the paired water rods comprising in combination; first and second U-shaped spacers, each spacer having a portion that extends between said water rods, each portion bearing against each water rod to maintain the water rods in spaced relationship; and  means for biasing said water rods against said U-shaped spacers. 2. The fuel bundle of claim 1 and wherein said U-sectioned spacers include spring supporting members, said spring supporting members each supporting a spring formed of a continuous loop of material for biasing adjacent fuel rods away from one another. 3. The fuel bundle of claim 1 and wherein said fuel bundle includes a 9.times.9 matrix of fuel rods.