Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A fuel element, comprising: a fuel element body having a fuel element axis, a polygonal internal cross section perpendicular to said fuel-element axis, a first region, and a second region; and  fuel rods having outer surfaces disposed substantially parallel to said fuel-element axis and substantially perpendicular to said polygonal internal cross section in said fuel element body, in said first region a ratio of a free area of said polygonal internal cross section to an area through which said fuel rods pass in said first region is smaller than in said second region, said first region forming a first corner of said polygonal internal cross section and said second region forming second corners of said polygonal internal cross section, and a distance between said outer surfaces of each two adjacent fuel rods increasing monotonically in any one direction along said polygonal internal cross section starting from said first corner of said fuel element body. 2. The fuel element according to  claim 1 , wherein said distance between said outer surfaces is on average smaller in said first region than in said second region. claim 1 3. The fuel element according to  claim 1 , wherein said fuel rods have identical diameters. claim 1 4. The fuel element according to  claim 1 , wherein said distance between said outer surfaces starting from said first corner increases in said one direction in accordance with a linear, convex or concave function. claim 1 5. The fuel element according to  claim 1 , wherein said fuel rods form a configuration over said polygonal internal cross section that is substantially in mirror symmetry relative to a diagonal of said polygonal internal cross section starting from said first corner of said polygonal cross section. claim 1 6. The fuel element according to  claim 1 , wherein said polygonal internal cross section is square shaped. claim 1 7. The fuel element according to  claim 1 , wherein said fuel element body has a first side and a second side, said fuel rods include a first fuel rod adjacent said first side and a second fuel rod adjacent said second side, said first fuel rod starting from said first corner is at a first distance from said first side which is smaller than a second distance of said second fuel rod from said second side. claim 1 8. The fuel element according to  claim 1 , including a water-tube configuration disposed in said fuel element body and disposed substantially parallel to said fuel rods. claim 1 9. The fuel element according to  claim 8 , wherein said first region is square shaped and borders said water-tube configuration, said water-tube configuration having a corner lying opposite said first corner. claim 8 10. The fuel element according to  claim 1 , wherein said second region is polygonal, and has a section forming a corner of said second region, said corner of said second region being opposite said first corner, a ratio of a free area of said polygonal internal cross section in said section to an area through which said fuel rods pass through said section is greatest. claim 1 11. The fuel element according to  claim 1 , wherein: claim 1 said fuel element body is a grid divided up by spacer grids forming a plurality of rectangular meshes, each of said rectangular meshes having a mesh opening formed therein;  said fuel rods are disposed in lines substantially parallel to one another and in columns substantially perpendicular to said lines; and  at least one of said fuel rods being disposed in one of said rectangular meshes. 12. The fuel element according to  claim 11 , wherein an area of said mesh opening of said rectangular meshes in said first region is on average smaller than in said second region. claim 11 13. The fuel element according  claim 8 , wherein said water-tube configuration is laterally offset from said fuel-element axis. claim 8 14. The fuel element according to  claim 1 , wherein said fuel rods have outer surfaces disposed parallel to said fuel-element axis and perpendicular to said polygonal internal cross section in said fuel element body. claim 1 15. A fuel element, comprising: a fuel element body having a fuel element axis and an internal cross section perpendicular to said fuel-element axis, a first corner and second corners; and  fuel rods having outer surfaces disposed substantially parallel to said fuel-element axis and substantially perpendicular to said internal cross section of said fuel element body, said first corner having a ratio of a free area of said internal cross section to an area through which said fuel rods pass being smaller than said second corners and a distance between said outer surfaces of said fuel rods increasing monotonically in any one direction perpendicular to said fuel element axis starting from said first corner of said fuel element body. 16. The fuel element according to  claim 15 , wherein said distance between said outer surfaces of said fuel rods is on average smaller for fuel rods in said first corner than for fuel rods in said second corner. claim 15 17. The fuel element according to  claim 15 , wherein said fuel rods-have identical diameters. claim 15 18. The fuel element according to  claim 15  wherein said distance between said outer surfaces starting from said first corner increases in said one direction in accordance with a linear, convex or concave function. claim 15