PACKET FUEL ASSEMBLY WITH BALL FUEL ELEMENTS Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC G21C3/32 

FIELD: power engineering.

SUBSTANCE: packet fuel assembly with ball fuel elements 1 comprises a header 2 to supply and a header 3 to drain coolant, a power rod 4 to install and withdraw a fuel assembly from the reactor vessel, arranged along the axis of symmetry of the assembly, channels 5 for control rods, a tail 6 and a head 7, heat-removal and fixing plates 8, which are fixed in the upper and lower parts by headers 2 and 3 to supply and drain coolant. Heat-removal and fixing plates 8 have spherical holes 9 on both sides of plates, and also through holes 10. Curve of spherical hole surfaces corresponds to curve of ball fuel elements, in opposite spherical holes 9 on adjacent heat-removal and fixing plates there are ball fuel elements 1 fixed. At the bottom via the header 2 to supply coolant into the assembly under pressure, coolant is supplied, and its flow is distributed by the header 3 along gaps between fixing and heat-removal plates 8. Water flowing around ball fuel elements 1 is heated.

EFFECT: improved heat emission of fuel elements, higher mechanical strength of an assembly, provides for fixation of fuel elements in an assembly, eliminating their mutual abrasion and coolant contamination.

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