초록 ▼

A nuclear fuel bundle has full-length and part-length fuel rods, the latter defining vent volumes interspersed among the full-length fuel rods. The vent volumes afford critical power enhancement by efficiently transferring liquid to adjacent full-length fuel rods. Except for full-length fuel rods ad

A nuclear fuel bundle has full-length and part-length fuel rods, the latter defining vent volumes interspersed among the full-length fuel rods. The vent volumes afford critical power enhancement by efficiently transferring liquid to adjacent full-length fuel rods. Except for full-length fuel rods adjacent unheated surfaces, for example, the channel and water rods, each fuel rod lies face adjacent a steam vent volume and full-length fuel rods diagonally adjacent a steam vent volume lie face adjacent at least one other steam vent volume whereby, except for full-length fuel rods adjacent non-heat generating surfaces, enhanced critical power performance is applicable to all full-length fuel rods notwithstanding diagonal location of full-length fuel rods relative to a steam vent volume.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A nuclear fuel bundle comprising:non-heat generating surfaces including a fuel channel;a plurality of full-length fuel rods disposed in said channel;a plurality of part-length fuel rods disposed in said channel and defining vent volumes above said part-length rods;said fu

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A nuclear fuel bundle comprising:non-heat generating surfaces including a fuel channel;a plurality of full-length fuel rods disposed in said channel;a plurality of part-length fuel rods disposed in said channel and defining vent volumes above said part-length rods;said fuel rods being located in a lattice configuration in mutually perpendicular rows with the fuel rods of each row in one direction aligned with the fuel rods of adjacent rows in a perpendicular direction, said vent volumes being disposed in the lattice configuration above the part-length fuel rods with full-length fuel rods face adjacent said vent volumes and full-length fuel rods diagonally adjacent said vent volumes;said vent volumes being interspersed within said fuel channel and among said full-length fuel rods such that, except for full-length fuel rods lying adjacent said non-heat generating surfaces, each said full-length fuel rod lies face adjacent at least one vent volume and each full-length fuel rod diagonally adjacent the one vent volume, and not adjacent said non-heat generating surfaces, lies face adjacent another vent volume.