An absorber rod (5), for insertion into a bed (3) of spherical fuel elements in a gas-cooled nuclear reactor, has absorber material located in the annular space (8) between inner and outer concentric tubular rod elements (6,7), the bed end of the rod having a tip (9) connected to a holder (29) which extends within the inner rod element (6) and the opposite end of the rod having a one-piece absorber rod extension (5a) into which the rod element ends extend. (a) The rod elements (6,7) and the holder (29) consist of carbon fibre-reinforced carbon (CFC) and the rod tip (9) consists of ceramic, the connection elements for connecting the CFC parts together and to the tip opt. consisting of CFC; or (b) all the components located below the absorber rod extension consist of CFC. ADVANTAGE - Unlike absorber rods made of steel, the new absorber rod does not require cooling.
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