Fuel arrangements for use in nuclear reactors having vertical channels

Claim 1

A FUEL ARRANGEMENT FOR A NUCLEAR REACTOR HAVING VERTICAL CHANNELS WHICH COMPRISES, IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF STRUCTURES SUPERIMPOSED IN EACH OF SAID CHANNELS SO THAT EACH OF SAID STRUCTURES SUPPORTS THOSE LOCATED ABOVE IT AND IS SUPPORTED BY THOSE LOCATED UNDER IT, EACH OF SAID STRUCTURES INCLUDING A VERTICAL ROD AND A BRACKET MOUNTED AT ONE END OF SAID ROD, SAID RODS BEING MADE OF A MATERIAL HAVING A LOW NEUTRON ABSORPTION COEFFICIENT AND A HIGH RESISTANCE TO COMPRESSION AND BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF GRAPHITE AND BERYLLIA, SAID BRACKETS BEING MADE OF A MATERIAL HAVING A LOW NEUTRON ABSORPTION COEFFICIENT AND A HIGH RESISTANCE TO BENDING AND SHEARING AND BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ZIRCONIUM, SINTERED ALUMINUM, AND SINTERED ALUMINA, THE TOP END OF EACH OF SAID RODS AND THE BOTTOM OF THE CORRESPONDING BRACKET CONSTITUTING THE COOPERATING ELEMENTS OF A SWIVEL JOINT, AND FUEL CANS IN SAID CHANNELS RESTING ENDWISE ON SAID BRACKETS, THE TOP END OF EACH OF SAID FUEL CANS BEING SPACED FROM THE BRACKET LOCATED IMMEDIATELY ABOVE IT SO THAT NO LOAD IS TRANSMITTED FROM SAID BRACKETS TO SAID FUEL CANS.