Fuel assembly

Abstract

A fuel assembly 100 for a nuclear fission reactor system comprises: a pressure tube 120 comprising aluminium or an aluminium alloy; a sleeve member 132 located inside the pressure tube 120; and a fuel compact unit 136 located within the sleeve member (132). A clearance gap 137 is maintained between the sleeve member 132 and the fuel compact unit 136 to define a sleeve member flow passage 140. The sleeve member and / or fuel compact unit may comprise silicon carbide. There may be an insulation gap between the pressure tube 120 and the sleeve member 132. The fuel compact unit may define at least one flow passage. The fuel assembly may form part of a nuclear fission reactor system in which a working fluid flows through the sleeve member flow passage and the fuel compact flow passage. The working fluid may comprise nitrogen and water vapour.

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