Lattice spacers for nuclear fuel assemblies and nuclear fuel assemblies

摘要

The invention relates to a grid-shaped spacer (5) with a square mesh grid formed by edgewise interlacing sheet-metal bars (11) and (12), whereby each corner of a mesh has leaf springs (14) and (15) which run parallel to the depth of the mesh and are arranged in pairs one next to another in such a way that they form a gap (17). The two leaf springs are rigidly interconnected with each other at their respective ends and are held by the end of one spring at the cross-over point of two sheet-metal bars (11) and (12) and at the two interlacing sheet-metal bars (11) and (12). A fuel element of a nuclear reactor has this type of grid-shaped spacer (5) with a fuel rod (6) guided through a mesh in such a way that the leaf springs (14) and (15), arranged in pairs in the four corners of the mesh, fit closely against it.