Reduced pressure drop debris filter bottom nozzle for a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor

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

• a plurality of fuel rods;
• a grid having a plurality of first straps aligned with one another and a plurality of second straps aligned with one another, the first and second straps together defining a plurality of cells in the grid, the fuel rods being carried in the cells;
• a debris filtering nozzle including a plate member having a substantially planar first surface and a substantially planar second surface opposite one another, the first surface being disposed adjacent the grid, the plate member being formed with a plurality of first flow holes and a plurality of second flow holes extending between the first and second surfaces, the plurality of first flow holes being oblong in cross section;
• and
• at least one of the first and second straps extending across at least one of the first flow holes.

A debris filtering nozzle for use in a fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor of the type having a grid and a plurality of fuel rods, the grid including a plurality of first straps aligned with one another and a plurality of second straps aligned with one another the nozzle comprising:

• a plate member having a substantially planar first surface and a substantially planar second surface opposite one another, the plate member being formed with a plurality of first flow holes and a plurality of second flow holes extending between the first and second surfaces, the plurality of first flow holes being oblong in cross section, the first surface being structured to be disposed adjacent the grid;
• the first flow holes each including in cross section a major axis and a minor axis, the major axis being longer than the minor axis;
• the plate member including a plurality of support ligaments, at least a portion of the support ligaments each being interposed between four of the first flow holes, each such support ligament being structured to be substantially axially aligned with one of the fuel rods;
• and
• in which each support ligament includes a central point defined on the first surface, and in which the major axes of the first flow holes between which the at least portion of the support ligaments are interposed are radially aligned with the central points of the support ligaments.