I-Spring and associated ferrule assembly for a nuclear fuel bundle

A sub-assembly for a spacer useful in a nuclear fuel bundle for maintaining a matrix of a plurality of nuclear fuel rods passing through the spacer in spaced-apart relation, comprising at least first and second ferrules lying adjacent one another for receiving respective nuclear fuel rods, each ferrule having fuel rod contacting points along one side of the ferrule for abutting a fuel rod within the ferrule, and a substantially I-shaped opening along a side of the ferrule opposite said one side;

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• a substantially I-shaped spring including a spring body lying in a plane and having opposite horizontal end portions connected by a vertical stem portion, a central portion of each of said horizontal end portions projecting away from said substantially I-shaped opening to one side of said plane and a center portion of said vertical stem projecting into said substantially I-shaped opening to an opposite side of said plane, the spring being disposed between the adjacent ferrules with said vertical stem seated in said opening of said first ferrule with the center portion of the stem adapted to bear against the fuel rod within said first ferrule and maintaining the fuel rod against the fuel rod contacting points of said first ferrule, said horizontal end portions lying with the central portions of each end portion bearing directly against said second ferrule circumferentially between a pair of said fuel rod contacting points of said second ferrule.