초록 ▼

A nuclear fuel assembly grid includes a multiplicity of dimple and spring structures for engaging fuel rods extending through the cells of the grid. Each of the dimple and spring structures have a pair of outer portions and a middle portion with opposite lengthwise edges thereon. The edges of the mi

A nuclear fuel assembly grid includes a multiplicity of dimple and spring structures for engaging fuel rods extending through the cells of the grid. Each of the dimple and spring structures have a pair of outer portions and a middle portion with opposite lengthwise edges thereon. The edges of the middle portions of the dimple structures and the outer and middle portions of the spring structures have one-sided chamfers defined thereon, whereas the edges of the outer portions of the dimple structures have double-sided chamfers defined thereon. The one-sided chamfers are longer than the double-sided chamfers.

대표청구항 ▼

In a nuclear fuel rod grid including a plurality of inner and outer straps being interleaved with one another to form a matrix of hollow cells, each cell for receiving one fuel rod and being defined by pairs of opposing wall sections of said straps which wall sections are shared with adjacent cells,

In a nuclear fuel rod grid including a plurality of inner and outer straps being interleaved with one another to form a matrix of hollow cells, each cell for receiving one fuel rod and being defined by pairs of opposing wall sections of said straps which wall sections are shared with adjacent cells, each cell having a central longitudinal axis defining a coolant flow direction through said cell, at least fuel rod engaging dimple structure of resiliently yieldable material being integrally formed on each wall section of said inner straps, said dimple structure comprising: (a) a pair of spaced apart opposite outer portions being integrally attached at their outer ends to said respective wall section and extending in opposite inclined relation to said wall section toward and in alignment with one another and in generally transverse relation to the coolant flow direction through said one cell; and (b) a middle portion disposed between and integrally connected at its outer ends with respective inner ends of said outer portions, said middle portion extending in generally transverse relation to the coolant flow direction through said one cell; (c) each of said outer portions having a pair of opposite edges running lengthwise thereof, each outer portion edge having a chamber defined thereon; (d) said middle portion having a pair of opposite edges running lengthwise thereof, each middle portion edge having a chamfer defined thereon; (e) each of said chamfers on said respective lengthwise edges of said portions of said dimple structure being composed of at least one side extending in an inclined relation to and solely between and within extensions of spaced apart planes of opposite surfaces on said portions of said dimple structure having said chamfered edges thereon.