US 11,996,207 B2
Nuclear fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor with redundant load chain
Dirk Blavius, Erlangen (DE); Erhard Friedrich, Eckental (DE); Jens Schaefer, Erlangen (DE); Markus Singer, Ammerthal (DE); Sven Finzel, Forchheim (DE); and Szilard Kovacs, Erlangen (DE)
Assigned to FRAMATOME, Courbevoie (FR)
Filed by FRAMATOME, Courbevoie (FR)
Filed on Sep. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/471,290.
Claims priority of application No. 20306026 (EP), filed on Sep. 14, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0084695 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G21C 3/33 (2006.01); G21C 3/32 (2006.01); G21C 3/322 (2006.01); G21C 3/328 (2006.01)
CPC G21C 3/33 (2013.01) [G21C 3/3206 (2013.01); G21C 3/322 (2013.01); G21C 3/328 (2013.01); G21C 3/3315 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fuel assembly for a boiling water reactor, the fuel assembly extending along a fuel assembly axis and comprising:
a base including a lower tie plate;
a head including an upper tie plate and a lift handle;
a bundle of fuel rods extending axially between the lower tie plate and the upper tie plate; a water channel extending from the base to the head within the bundle of fuel rods and axially connecting the base to the head such that a load of the base is transferred to the head via the water channel; and
a tie rod extending between the base and the head, the tie rod being axially fixed to the base and connected to the head via a connection assembly comprising a stopping member configured to abut an abutting surface of the head in a manner that limits a downward movement of the base relative to the head during lifting of the fuel assembly, in case of a breakage of the water channel;
wherein the water channel forms a main load chain and the tie rod forms an auxiliary load chain that transfers load between the base and the head in case of breakage of the main load chain defined by the water channel.