MODULAR NUCLEAR FUEL ASSEMBLY

摘要

A modular component nuclear fuel assembly design in which sub-assembly fuel modules are joined together to form an integral fuel assembly. The invention permits a defective or damaged fuel assembly to be reconstituted from new sub-assembly fuel modules thereby facilitating quick repair. By using sub-assembly fuel modules, the invention allows for modular enrichment and/or burnup variations within a fuel assembly and permits tailoring of reactivity and/or fuel burnup within the core thereby enhancing fuel management and utilization and enabling peaking factors to be reduced. The sub-assembly fuel module design permits easy access to interior fuel rods thereby affording an increased fuel rod surveillance capability and further permits advanced fuel design to be incorporated into a reactor core with a minimum of risk.