Fuel element for a boiling water nuclear reactor

US6600800B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Framatome ANP · DE

Inventors

• Dieter Bender · Karlsruhe, DE
• Otmar Bender · Weisendorf, DE
• Hans-Joachim Lippert · Hochstädt, DE
• Walter Übelhack · Erlangen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 18, 2001
• Grant date: Jul 29, 2003
• Expiry date: Jun 18, 2021

Classification

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

Abstract

In a boiling water fuel assembly, some of the fuel rods are shortened. It is necessary to establish a sufficiently high maximum power for transition to boiling. To optimize this power, spacers are at a constant distance at a bottom and are at a shorter distance at a top. The spacers belonging to upper group have turbulence-generating vanes which, however, do not project above the shortened fuel rods.