Fuel assembly and spacer for a nuclear reactor
AssigneeABB Atom AB
InventorDietmar Wolfram
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spacer including a plurality of cells to retain and mutually fix parallel, elongated elements, extending through the cells, in a bundle in a fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor where a coolant is adapted to flow from below and upwards. Between the cells, secondary channels are formed. At least one of the spacers includes at least two deflection members being substantially arranged so as to be surrounded by the cells. The deflection members are axially spaced-apart in the direction of flow of the coolant and relative to each other at a pitch angle for stepwise axial and radial deflection and guiding of at least part of the coolant flow towards fuel rods included in the bundle. The fuel rods are arranged close to the secondary channels.
Claims16
A spacer, comprising:
- a plurality of cells to retain and mutually fix parallel, elongated elements, extending through the cells, in a bundle in a fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor where a coolant is adapted to flow from below and upwards and where, between the cells, secondary channels are formed, at least two deflection members being substantially arranged in at least one of said secondary channels so as to be surrounded by the cells, characterized in that the deflection members are axially spaced-apart in the direction of flow of the coolant and relative to each other at a pitch angle for stepwise axial and radial deflection and guiding of at least part of the coolant flow towards fuel rods included in the bundle, the fuel rods being arranged close to the secondary channels.
A spacer for a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor, said spacer comprising:
- a plurality of cells for receiving and retaining a plurality of parallel elongated elements, said elongated elements including fuel rods of the nuclear reactor;
- a plurality of secondary channels between selected ones of said cells, said secondary channels permitting a coolant to flow therethrough;
- at least two deflection members provided in at least one of said secondary channels, said deflection members being arranged so as to be substantially surrounded by said cells, said deflection members being axially spaced-apart in a direction of flow of the coolant and spaced apart relative to each other at a pitch angle for stepwise axial and radial deflection and guiding of at least a portion of the coolant flowing through said secondary cells toward the fuel rods.
A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor, said fuel assembly comprising:
- a plurality of elongated fuel rods;
- a plurality of elongated control rods;
- a plurality of spacers arranged at a plurality of levels along said fuel rods and said control rods, each spacer including a plurality of spacer cells for receiving and retaining said fuel rods and said control rods, each spacer also including a plurality of secondary channels between selected ones of said cells, said secondary channels permitting a coolant to flow therethrough;
- and
- at least two deflection members provided in at least one of said secondary channels, said deflection members being arranged so as to be substantially surrounded by said cells, said deflection members being axially spaced-apart in a direction of flow of the coolant and spaced apart relative to each other at a pitch angle for stepwise axial and radial deflection and guiding of at least a portion of the coolant flowing through said secondary channels toward the fuel rods.
A spacer, comprising:
- a plurality of cells for retaining and mutually fixing parallel elongated elements extending through the cells in a bundle in a fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor, the elongated elements including fuel rods, wherein a coolant is adapted to flow from below and upwards through the spacer;
- secondary channels between the cells, such that the fuel rods are arranged in the cells in the vicinity of the secondary channels;
- and
- at least two deflection members extending downstream of an edge of the spacer and arranged in a path of the secondary channels, the deflection members being axially spaced apart in a direction of flow of the coolant and relative to each other at a pitch angle relative to each other for stepwise axially and radially deflecting and guiding of at least part of the coolant flow towards the fuel rods.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.