Flow tripper in combination with spacer deflector

Abstract

A combination of flow trippers with spacer deflectors in the two phase steam/water region of a fuel bundle in a boiling water reactor is disclosed. Spacers with deflectors are placed immediately above the flow trippers. The flow trippers are located on either an inside channel wall surrounding the fuel bundle or the outside of water chambers within the fuel bundle. Additional flow trippers may be located adjacent to the spacers, above the flow trippers that are below the spacers. The spacers are provided with deflector skirts overlying the flow trippers. In operation of the fuel bundle, excess water flows in the two phase region in a film on the unheated inside walls of the fuel channel or the outside walls of the water chambers. The film flow is perturbed by the flow trippers and is deflected toward the fuel rods. The overlying deflector skirts or tabs on the spacers further deflect the liquid toward the fuel rods to improve cooling and to increase the power generation capability of the fuel bundle. A preferred embodiment includes deflector tabs at the top of the spacer for further deflecting the stripped water layer towards the fuel rods. The synergistic combination of flow trippers and spacer deflector skirts and tabs provide better cooling than would be predicted by adding the separate effects of flow trippers, deflector skirts and flow tabs.