Universal fuel assembly construction for a nuclear reactor.

摘要

The invention relates to a nuclear fuel assembly in which main structural support is provided by corner posts (28) which interconnect the top and bottom nozzles (22, 24) and support the transverse grids (32). The fuel rods (34) are arranged such as to leave longitudinal channels (including free grid cells) extending between the nozzles and interspersed among the fuel rods in a pattern corresponding to possible control-rod locations. A rod-cluster assembly (36), comprising a support plate (46) and a cluster of rods (50) connected thereto, is removably supported on the adapter plate (66) of the top nozzle, with the rods of the cluster extending into and longitundinally in the respective channels. Depending upon where in a reactor core the fuel assembly is to be used, the rods in the cluster may be control-rod guide thimbles and/for fuel rods or the like.