FAST NEUTRON REACTOR FUEL ELEMENT, ELEMENT FOR SPACING FUEL ELEMENT AND METHOD (VERSIONS) OF MAKING ELEMENT Russian patent published in 2016 - IPC G21C3/338 G21C3/12 

FIELD: nuclear engineering.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to nuclear engineering and can be used in making fuel elements and fuel assemblies of fast neutron reactors with liquid metal heat carrier. Fuel element includes nuclear fuel arranged in a sealed container in the form of a thin-wall tubular shell from steel and end parts, a spacing element coiled along a spiral with wide pitch on a shell outer surface and fixed at the ends of the fuel element to the shell or to end parts. Spacing element is made in the form of a thin-wall tube with a through longitudinal slot along its length. Manufacturing method of the spacing element, in accordance with which it is produced of the thin-walled tube or a thin strip with the middle part in the form of a tube with a through longitudinal slot of the specified width and end sections in the form of fragments of cylindrical shell for welding with a shell or plugs of the fuel element.

EFFECT: reducing metal consumption of fuel element and reduced contact stresses occurring in the shell of the fuel element in the reactor core during burning of nuclear fuel.

34 cl, 6 dwg