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AssigneeCombustion Engineering, Inc.
InventorsPatrick A. Perrotti, Paul F. Joffre, Zeses E. Karoutas, Lawrence V. Corsetti, William J. Bryan, Stephen C. Hatfield
Estimating the term…
Integral vanes 4 with optimized size, shape and bend angles maximize coolant mixing and fuel rod 12 heat transfer downstream. Recessed weld nuggets 5 with no vane cutout are optimized for size, strength and corrosion resistance. Staggered arches 20',22' and springs 20,22 minimize turbulence and reduce grid pressure drop and promote coolant mixing. Crowned arches 20',22' and springs 20,22 decrease scoring of fuel rods 12 and are sized to minimize turbulence and pressure drop. Minimum cutouts in unslotted section of grid strip 46,46' give 15-20% strength increase. Intermediate weld and tapered end slots 48 give 15% strength increase. Ribbed and round dimple stiffeners 38,39 on outer strips increase buckling resistance, reduce handling damage and spreads accidental loading. Outer strips 32 are optimized for strength, handling, turbulence generation and pressure drop. They also divert enough flow to interior of fuel assembly to match thermal power distribution and eliminate fuel rod corrosion concerns.
In a fuel element grid including integral springs for supporting a plurality of nuclear fuel elements intermediate their ends in spaced relation for fluid flow therebetween, said grid including a polygonal perimeter strip and a first and second plurality of half-slotted interlocking divider strip members arranged in a transverse intersecting egg-crate fashion to define a plurality of fuel element cells, the improvement in which:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.