NUCLEAR FUEL ELEMENT INTENDED TO BE USED IN THE NUCLEAR FISSION REACTORS NUCLEUS.

摘要

A nuclear fuel element (14) for use in the core of a nuclear reactor is disclosed it has a roll-bonded fuel can (17) with a substrate (21), a non-alloyed zirconium barrier (22) metallurgically bonded to the inner surface of the substrate, and an inner layer (23) metallurgically bonded to the inner surface of the zirconium barrier. In this roll-bonded fuel can, the inner layer and the zirconium barrier screen the substrate from impurities or fission products from the nuclear fuel material within the roll-bonded fuel can. The zirconium barrier accounts for about 1 to about 30 % of the thickness of the fuel can. The inner layer and the zirconium barrier protect the substrate from stress corrosion cracking, and the zirconium barrier restricts the propagation of stress corrosion cracks. The substrate and the inner layer of the fuel can are selected from amongst conventional can materials and are preferably a zirconium alloy.