Spacing grid of a fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor and fuel assembly
AssigneeCogema
InventorBernard Petit
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The spacer grids consist of interlaced metal straps defining a regular lattice of cells. A spring for holding a fuel rod against bearing stops is fixed on at least one wall of each of the cells. In its part which constitutes the wall of the cell, the strap includes at least one stop produced by cutting and pushing the metal of the strap into the cell, so as to limit the displacement of a fuel rod housed in the cell. Stops for limiting the displacement of the fuel rod are placed preferably o the walls of the peripheral cells or corner cells of the spacer grid, opposite a peripheral belt of the spacer grid. The invention also relates to a fuel assembly which includes, in addition to structural spacer grids, end grids and additional mixing grids interposed between the structural spacer grids.
Claims30
A spacer grid of a fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor, consisting of interlaced metal straps defining a regular lattice of prismatically shaped cells, a part of which includes, in each cell, at least one spring for holding a fuel rod intended to be housed in the cell, the spring being added and arranged on a cell wall consisting of a part of a metal strap and having an active part projecting into the cell relative to the wall, wherein, for at least some of the cells of the spacer grid, at least one plane wall on which a spring is fixed includes at least one stop projecting into the cell so as to limit displacement of a fuel rod housed in the cell, the stop having a substantially plane part parallel to that wall of the cell on which the spring is fixed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.