Fuel assembly flow redistribution

Claim 1

A fuel assembly for a nuclear reactor comprising: a. a plurality of elongated, parallel members, some of which are fuel elements and others of which are non-fuel bearing members; b. at least one transversely extending support grid including a plurality of intersecting plates forming enclosures about the respective members and disposing the same in mutually laterally spaced relation to define interstitial flow channels for conducting a fluid coolant in heat exchange relation with said fuel elements; and c. means for laterally deflecting at least a portion of the coolant flowing through said flow channels, said means each comprising: i. a thin body of strip metal having a surface attached to the external surface of one of said members, ii. said body extending substantially parallel to the axis of said member and containing a plurality of longitudinally spaced tab projections struck out from said body, said tab projections being cantilever supported upon said body and extending obliquely outwardly into the adjacent flow channel with the free ends of said tab projections extending in the direction of coolant flow through said adjacent flow channel.