INCREASED CRITICAL POWER NUCLEAR REACTOR, FUEL ELEMENT ASSEMBLY AND FUEL ROD BUNDLES FOR A SYSTEM INCREASING THE NUCLEAR REACTOR CRITICAL POWER

摘要

The invention relates to a nuclear reactor with pressurized fuel channel comprising a plurality of fuel rods (20) contained in the fuel channel and comprising a plurality of fuel elements (22) oriented horizontally in the fuel channel. The reactor contains at least a device (30) strategically placed lengthwise of each of the fuel elements and projecting outwards from the fuel element surface. The devices (30) generate turbulence within the cooling agent, in the positions along the fuel rods, wherein the critical heat flow is more likely to occur. The presence of the devices suppresses the occurrence of the critical heat flow in the fuel rods, thereby increasing the security level at the maximum power to be generated by the reactor.