Nuclear reactor with improved grid

A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor, the fuel assembly comprising:

• at least a first fuel rod;
• and
• at least a first grid;
• the at least first grid including a plurality of first straps aligned with one another and a plurality of second straps aligned with one another, the first and second straps being connected with one another in a lattice to define a plurality of cells;
• the at least first fuel rod being disposed in one of the cells;
• at least one of the first and second straps including a strap member including a first plate, a second plate, and a spring apparatus;
• the first plate including a first dimple;
• the second plate including a second dimple;
• the spring apparatus including a spring member, a first leg, and a second leg;
• the first and second legs each extending nonlinearly between the first and second plates;
• the first and second legs being generally coplanar with the first and second plates when the spring apparatus is in a relaxed state;
• the spring member extending between the first and second legs;
• and
• the spring member including a spring plate and a pair of spring ligaments, the spring plate being interposed between the spring ligaments, one of the spring ligaments being connected with the first leg, the other of the spring ligaments being connected with the second leg.

A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor, the fuel assembly comprising:

• at least a first fuel rod;
• and
• at least a first grid;
• the at least first grid including a plurality of first straps aligned with one another and a plurality of second straps aligned with one another, the first and second straps being connected with one another in a lattice to define a plurality of cells;
• the at least first fuel rod being disposed in one of the cells;
• at least one of the first and second straps including a strap member including a first plate, a second plate, and a spring apparatus;
• the first plate including a first dimple;
• the second plate including a second dimple;
• the spring apparatus including a spring member, a first leg, and a second leg;
• the first and second legs each extending nonlinearly between the first and second plates;
• the spring member extending between the first and second legs;
• the spring member including a spring plate and a pair of spring ligaments, the spring plate being interposed between the spring ligaments, one of the spring ligaments being connected with the first leg, the other of the spring ligaments being connected with the second leg;
• the spring plate being shaped to include a spring contour that substantially complementarily engages the fuel rod;
• and
• in which the spring contour is generally of a spring radius when the spring apparatus is in a relaxed condition, and in which the at least first fuel rod is of a fuel rod radius, the spring radius being greater than the fuel rod radius.

A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor, the fuel assembly comprising:

• at least a first fuel rod;
• and
• at least a first grid;
• the at least first grid including a plurality of first straps aligned with one another and a plurality of second straps aligned with one another, the first and second straps being connected with one another in a lattice to define a plurality of cells;
• the at least first fuel rod being disposed in one of the cells;
• at least one of the first and second straps including a strap member including a first plate, a second plate, and a spring apparatus;
• the first plate including a first dimple;
• the second plate including a second dimple;
• the spring apparatus including a spring member, a first leg, and a second leg;
• the first and second legs each extending nonlinearly between the first and second plates;
• the spring member extending between the first and second legs;
• the spring member including a spring plate and a pair of spring ligaments, the spring plate being interposed between the spring ligaments, one of the spring ligaments being connected with the first leg, the other of the spring ligaments being connected with the second leg;
• the spring plate being shaped to include a spring contour that substantially complimentarily engages the fuel rod;
• the first and second dimples each including a dimple plate and a pair of dimple ligaments, the dimple plates each being shaped to include a dimple contour, the dimple contour substantially complementarily engaging the fuel rod;
• and
• in which the spring contour is generally of a spring radius and the dimple contour is generally of a dimple radius when the spring apparatus is in a relaxed condition, and in which the at least first fuel rod is of a fuel rod radius, the spring radius and the dimple radius each being greater than the fuel rod radius.