Importance

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Abstract

A nuclear fuel assembly grid (12) having four substantially solid perimeter plates (28) forming a rigid quadrangle (20) surrounding the fuel elements (36) and having stop surfaces (32) formed on the internal surfaces thereof for contacting each adjacent fuel element. A plurality of interlaced strips (24) are attached to and extend from each plate to the oppositely facing plate, forming a lattice of regularly spaced openings (16) through which the fuel elements traverse the grid. These strips are of two types, the first consisting of two perpendicular center strips (44,44') that divide the grid into four symmetric quadrants, each center strip having a spring tab (48') projecting into each opening (16') contiguous to the center strip. The second type of interlaced strip consists of the remainder of the strips (52), half of which are oriented parallel to one center strip and the other half are oriented parallel to other center strip. The second type, or interior, strips have a generally undulating bent stop surface (50) such that one bend (56) projects into each adjacent contiguous opening on the side of the interior strip facing the respective parallel center strip. Each interior strip also has a spring tab (48') projecting into each adjacent contiguous opening on the side of the interior strip opposite the respective parallel center strip.

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First Claim