PROCESS LINE FOR MANUFACTURING FUEL ELEMENTS Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: nuclear industry; water-cooled power reactors. SUBSTANCE: process line has fuel-element cladding preparation unit, vibratory unit for charging pile of fuel pellets through open end of cladding, device for cleaning off open end of charged cladding, unit for press-fitting locks into open end of charged cladding, sealing unit for open end of charged cladding, check-up and rejecting mechanism responding to pressure within fuel element cladding; fuel-element surface treatment unit that also provides for oxidizing cladding surface. Trimming mechanisms for fitting tubes to fuel- element cladding size for nuclear reactor VVER-1000 are mounted for relative displacement towards each other through distance ensuring trimming of tube to size of cladding for reactor VVER-440. Axially movable stop of mechanism checking the length of tubular cladding for fuel element of reactor VVER-1000 is provided with removable extension piece that functions to check length of tubular cladding for fuel element of reactor VVER-440. Cladding end calibration mechanism for fuel element of reactor VVER-1000 is equipped with removable extension piece to provide for calibrating one end of cladding for fuel element of reactor VVER-440 that incorporates cladding ramrod. Mechanism for press-fitting plug into calibrated end of cladding for fuel element of VVER-1000 is fitted with removable hollow rod whose interior follows outlines of plug for fuel element of VVER-440 which is coaxial with center line of cladding for fuel element of VVER-440. EFFECT: enlarged functional capabilities and improved yield of fuel elements. 3 cl, 5 dwg