Nuclear fuel storage arrangement

摘要

An arrangement for the storage of nuclear reactor fuel assemblies having a section wherein fuel is present and a section wherein fuel is not present. The fuel assemblies are placed in a plurality of elongated cells which are joined together to form a cellular structure. The fuel assemblies are placed within the cells at different elevations so that the fuel containing section of one fuel assembly is next to the non-fuel-containing sections of each fuel assembly surrounding the first fuel assembly. The vertical staggering of the fuel containing sections achieves space reductions while maintaining the stored fuel in a subcritical assemblage.