Nuclear fuel assembly

Herein disclosed is a nuclear fuel assembly with improved spacing means. The spacer, for insertion into a coolant flow channel, is provided with bent side walls for abutment and attachment thereto and with holes for each fuel element, said holes having a diameter greater than that of the element inserted therethrough and equipped with at least 3 inwardly extending resilient projections for contacting and supporting said element. The gap between the inserted fuel element and outer diameter of the hole thus defines a coolant flow-through passage offering low resistance to said coolant flow. The fuel assembly of the present invention is therefore an excellent alternative to nuclear fuel assemblies employing lattice plate spacers or wire wrappers with their attendant disadvantages. In addition, the spacer described in the present invention may be readily fabricated at low cost by a punch working process. (Owens, K. J.)