Patent Number: 040452875
Section: claims

1. Fuel assembly with easily detachable components, which fuel assembly comprises a bundle of substantially vertical fuel rods (2, 3) which are provided with upper (4,6) and lower (5,7) end plugs, a bottom plate (9) and a grid-formed top plate (8) provided with attachment holes for said upper end plugs, compressible individual springs (11) surrounding some of said upper plugs, a plurality of fuel rods (3) having their lower end plugs (5) screwed in threaded holes (10) in said bottom plate, the upper end plugs (4) each having a portion located above said top plate and provided with a nut (12), means limiting the rotational movement of the nut (12) comprising at least one downwardly-directed nut projection (13), the end surface of which lies below the upper edge of a side (14) of the grid of the top plate (8), said grid side running between two attachment holes, and the length of said projection being, at the most, equal to the maximum elastic shortening of said compressible springs (11) obtainable by a reduction of the distance between the top and bottom plates by exerting a downwardly-directed force on the top plate.