Core configuration for a nuclear reactor

摘要

The core of a nuclear reactor includes a plurality of fuel cells (88) and a plurality of large control rods (76). Each large control rod is about two times the width of a conventional control rod and includes four control rod blades (82) extending radially from a central portion (84) and arranged at right angles to each other. The blades define four fuel bundle receiving channels (86). The core is configured so that the control rods are arranged in a plurality of staggered rows (78) with four fuel bundles (80) in each receiving channel.