Fuel element for a light-water nuclear reactor

A fuel assembly for a light-water nuclear reactor which can be mounted on a bottom part through which coolant flows, said fuel assembly comprising

• a bottom tie plate which has holes therethrough for the passage of coolant,
• a top tie plate which has holes therethrough for the passage of coolant,
• a plurality of vertical fuel rods mounted in spaced fashion between said bottom tie plate and said top tie plate, and
• a debris catcher means located beneath said bottom tie plate and positioned within said bottom part, said debris catcher comprising two substantially vertical end plates having facing flat sides, a plurality of horizontally-extending pins which extend between said end plates in at least two vertically spaced rows, and a plurality of horizontally-extending helical springs which extend in parallel with one another and between said end plates, wherein a spacing between adjacent pins in both a vertical and a horizontal direction is less than a diameter of a helical spring therebetween so as to maintain said helical springs in position.