Optimized nuclear fuel bundle supports and methods of creating reactor cores with the same

摘要

Fuel supports (148) have specially configured flow paths useable in reactor cores (36) to achieve desired levels of flow at given positions. Any number of differently-configured inlet orifices (195), from three to hundreds, are useable in a given core (36). Inlet orifice (195) configuration may include diameter sizing or presence of flow blockages such as filters, venturis, choke plates, and/or obstructions. Fuel supports (148) may be positioned within a core plate (49) in the nuclear reactor, with openings for a control blade (20) and instrumentation tubes (50) to pass through or between the fuel supports (148). Different fuel support (148) configurations may be used at outer core periphery, inner core periphery, and central core portions. Example methods configure fuel support (148) characteristics by examining the effect of modifying flow loss coefficients at particular bundle locations and configuring associated inlet orifices (195) to achieve the modified flow loss coefficients, if the effect is a positive one.