Patent Number: 053316797
Section: abstract

A fuel spacer for a fuel assembly comprises a plurality of tubular ferrules each forming a fuel rod insertion passage, a belt-like support member for supporting the tubular ferrules bundled in a lattice arrangement and a spring member for axially supporting the fuel rods disposed in the ferrules. The adjoining ferrules are joined together horizontally, each of the ferrules has at least one end to which a plurality of cutout portions are formed circumferentially of the end portion and at least one flat portion is formed between adjoining petal portions at which the adjoining ferrules are spot welded. Each of the cutout portions and petal portions of the tubular ferrule has various shapes such as trapezoidal, rectangular, triangular, V or M shape. The cutout portions and petal portions may be formed at both axial ends of the tubular ferrule. The adjoining ferrules are joined together such that an end portion of one ferrule to which the cutout portions are formed is spot welded to an end portion of another ferrule to which any cutout portion is not formed. The petal portions formed on a downstream side with respect to a coolant flow in a fuel assembly is twisted outward to provide revolutional flow and an opened end of the ferrule.