Patent Number: 043199607
Section: description

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Refer now to FIG. 1, wherein the end of an elemental nuclear fuel assembly cell 11 is shown. Cell 11 is constructed from four identical stainless steel plates 20, 30, 40 and 50. Each of plates 20, 30, 40, and 50 have an elongated rectangular wall 21, 31, 41, and 51 respectively and a left tab 22, 32, 42, and 52 and a right tab 24, 34, 44, and 54 respectively extending perpendicularly therefrom toward the rear thereof. Plates 20, 30, 40 and 50 are interattached as shown in FIG. 1 to form an elemental cell 11 having a storage compartment 12 for storing a nuclear fuel assembly (not shown). Note that the front of each plate 20, 30, 40 and 50 faces the interior of cell 11. To assemble cell 11, plate 30 is positioned longitudinally parallel to and transversely rotated ninety degrees clockwise with respect to plate 20. Right tab 34 is attached by riveting or spot welding or some other suitable means to the front surface of wall 21 at the left side of wall 21. Plate 40 is positioned longitudinally parallel to and rotated transversely ninety degrees clockwise with respect to plate 30. Right tab 44 is attached by riveting or spot welding or another suitable means to the front surface of wall 31 and at the left side of wall 31. Plate 50 is positioned longitudinally parallel to and rotated transversely ninety degrees clockwise with respect to plate 40. Right tab 54 is attached by riveting or spot welding or other suitable means to the front surface of wall 41 at the left side of wall 41. Right tab 24 is attached by riveting or spot welding or other suitable means to the front surface of wall 51 at the left side of wall 51. Plates 20, 30, 40 and 50 may be assembled on a mandrel (not shown) to achieve required dimensional control and square corners on the insides of cell 11. Refer now to FIG. 2, there being shown a nuclear fuel assembly storage rack 10 consisting of an array of identical cells 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d, andportions of other cells not numbered but also being identical therewith. The cells are arranged longitudinally parallel to each other and in a square array as shown in FIG. 2. Left tab 52 of cell 11b is attached to the rear surface and at the left side of wall 41 of cell 11a. Left tab 32 of cell 11a is attached to the rear surface of and at the left side of wall 21 of cell 11b. By joining the plates 20, 30, 40, and 50 as above described to form cells 11 and by joining adjacent cells 11a and 11b as described, a cavity 16 is formed between plate 40 of cell 11a and plate 20 of cell 11b. Neutron absorbing material 14, typically a boron compound, may be placed in cavity 16 thereby positioning it between nuclear fuel assemblies (not shown) stored in cells 11a and 11b to absorb neutrons and to preclude the occurrence of a sustained nuclear fission reaction. It is now readily apparent from the above description and the drawings how cells 11c and 11d are similarly attached to each other and to cells 11a and 11b and moreover how a storage rack 10 of any number of cells 11 may be constructed in any size or shape array. Upon assembly of rack 10, cavity 16 will be present between each pair of cells 11. Note that the size of the compartment 12 and cavity 16 depend upon the dimensions of identical plates 20, 30, 40 and 50, and the walls and tabs thereof. Appropriate lead-in guide structure (not shown) to preclude spacer grid hangup during loading of the fuel assemblies into the rack is provided. Additionally, appropriate fittings (not shown) are provided for bearing the weight of the fuel assemblies and to keep them off the storage pool floor. These features being within the capabilities of one ordinarily skilled in the art are incidental to the invention and therefor excluded from detailed description. Note that in the above description of the preferred embodiments stainless steel is used as the plate material, however, the invention is not limited thereto and any adequate material may be used. The above description and drawings are only illustrative of a preferred embodiment which achieves the objects, features and advantages of the present invention, and it is not intended that the present invention be limited thereto. Any modifications of the present invention which come within the spirit and scope of the following claims are considered part of the present invention.