FUEL ELEMENT OF NUCLEAR POWER REACTOR AND ITS SEALING PROCESS Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: nuclear power engineering. SUBSTANCE: fuel element plug held in direct contact with fuel is joined to cladding by electron-beam welding and has flat at its seating point in cladding through its entire length which forms, together with inner surface of cladding, process channel partially sealed in vicinity of welded joint and connected to vertical process channel for next evacuation; vertical process channel is located in plane of joint fully sealed in welding; opposite end of cladding distant from fuel pile is joined to plug by butt welding; metal corrugation is provided between inner surface of cladding and welded joint. EFFECT: reduced fuel element metal input, facilitated manufacture, improved reliability under continuous operating conditions. 5 cl, 22 dwg