Nuclear fuel assembly
AssigneeABB Atom AB
InventorsOlov Nylund, Bo Fredin, Sture Helmersson
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a fuel assembly with a substantially square cross section for a light-water reactor. The light-water reactor comprises a plurality of fuel rods (4) extending between a top tie plate (5) and a bottom tie plate (6). A fuel rod (4) comprises a cladding tube (7a) with a first and a second end which surround a column with fissionable material (7b). According to one aspect of the invention, at least one fuel rod (4) is provided with an axial gap (19) in the fissionable material (7b), such that fissionable material (7b) is arranged on both sides of the axial gap (19) in the fuel rod (4).
Claims11
A fuel assembly for a light water reactor, thee fuel assembly comprising:
- more than two fuel units stacked one above the other, each unit comprising a top tie plate, a bottom tie plate, and a plurality of fuel rods extending between the top tie plate and the bottom tie plate, each fuel rod comprising a column of fissionable material and a cladding tube having a first end and a second end, the cladding tube surrounding the fissionable material, wherein at least two fuel rods are provided with at least two respective axial gaps in the fissionable material, wherein fissionable material is arranged on both sides of at least one of the axial gaps in said two fuel rods, and wherein said axial gaps are arranged at different axial levels in said two fuel rods.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.