Patent ID: 8599994

Claim:
A spacer grid for a nuclear reactor fuel bundle, said grid comprising: a plurality of interstitial dividers that form an array of cells, each cell structured to retain a respective one of a plurality of fuel rods to form an array of equally spaced fuel rods; and a perimeter band peripherally surrounding the dividers, the perimeter band including a plurality of spring tabs formed along a bottom edge of the perimeter band, each of the spring tabs having a proximal portion having a substantially straight length extending from the bottom edge of the perimeter band at an angle away from the dividers and a distal portion configured to contact and apply a spring force to an interior surface of a respective one of a plurality of walls of a channel in which the arrayed fuel rods can be inserted to form the fuel bundle, the plurality of spring tabs being configured such that each of the distal portions contacts and applies the spring force to the interior surface below a bottom edge of the perimeter band, each of the springs tabs being further configured so that a length of the proximal portion is longer than a length of the distal portion.