US 12,094,618 B2
Nuclear reactor fuel assemblies and process for production
Scott J. Shargots, Forest, VA (US); Gary W. Neeley, Forest, VA (US); and Ryan Z. Ziegler, Forest, VA (US)
Assigned to BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC, Lynchburg, VA (US)
Filed by BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC, Lynchburg, VA (US)
Filed on Dec. 31, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/731,867.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/794,320, filed on Jan. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0234834 A1, Jul. 23, 2020
Int. Cl. G21C 1/32 (2006.01); G21C 3/328 (2006.01); G21C 5/06 (2006.01)
CPC G21C 3/328 (2013.01) [G21C 5/06 (2013.01); Y10S 376/903 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
20. A nuclear fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor core, comprising:
at least one fuel cartridge comprising:
a lattice structure including an outer wall defining an interior volume, the lattice structure defining a longitudinal center axis;
a plurality of elongated tubes extending through the interior volume of the lattice structure to define respective flow channels;
the lattice structure defining a plurality of lattice sites disposed in the interior of the lattice structure; and
a plurality of fuel compacts disposed within corresponding ones of the lattice sites,
wherein a horizontal cross-sectional shape of each of the fuel compacts is non-circular and is the same as a horizontal cross-sectional shape of the corresponding lattice site and wherein a portion of the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the corresponding lattice site is defined by a corresponding portion of an outer circumference of an adjacent elongated tube,
wherein each fuel compact includes:
a fuel compact cladding tube defining an interior volume, and
a plurality of fuel pins, each fuel pin including a pin cladding tube defining an interior volume, and fissionable fuel disposed within the interior volume of the pin cladding tube,
wherein the plurality of fuel pins is disposed within the interior volume of the fuel compact cladding tube, and the horizontal cross-sectional shape of the fuel compact is defined by the fuel compact cladding tube.