Reversible BWR fuel assembly and method of using same

摘要

A fuel assembly, particularly advantageous for use with a BWR, wherein the fuel bundle is adapted to be inserted into an envelope formed from a flow channel and a lower nozzle assembly. The fuel bundle is essentially axially symmetrical having identical top and bottom tie plates. Within the fuel bundle, alternate fission gas plenums are disposed at the top and bottom of the bundle respectively. During the refueling operation, the fuel bundle is removed from the reactor core, axially inverted and reinserted into the core for continued burn up. The invention takes advantage of the reactivity increase possible in a BWR when a partially burned fuel bundle is inverted.