Spacer grid for fuel elements and method of production

US4306937A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Theodor Hensolt · Nuremberg, DE
• Manfred Hunner
• Anthony R. Veca · San Diego, US
• Peter Rau · Leutenbach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 28, 1979
• Grant date: Dec 22, 1981
• Expiry date: Nov 28, 1999

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E30/30
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Fuel-element spacer grid with a uniform grid field having polygonal grid-field units and grid crosspieces associated therewith, the grid crosspieces being formed with burls, fuel rods receivable in the respective grid field being centerable at the outer periphery of the fuel rods respectively, at centering surfaces of the burls of the grid crosspieces and retainable axially parallel to one another, the grid crosspieces having a transition region extending therefrom to the centering surfaces of the burls and formed with inclined surfaces for facilitating introduction and withdrawal of the fuel rods, the burls extending over only part of the axial length of the grid, and the inclined surfaces having an inclination angle .alpha. with respect to the grid plane and to a normal to the axis of the grid crosspiece such that the inclined surfaces, in turn, extend over only part of the axial length of the burls; and method of producing the spacer grids.