CANNED SLUG
Fuel elements of the type comprised of a core of fissionable material enclosed in a jacket of nonfissionable, corrosion resistant material are presented. In this invention the fissionable core is shorter than the jacket member, to provide a void chamber in one end of the assembled element. The fissionable material is separated from the chamber by an inwardly extending portion of the jacket member containing a gas permeable wafer centrally disposed therein. The outer end of the chamber is closed bv the end of the jacket which has a rupture disk centrally disposed therein. Gases formed by the irradiation of the fissionable material pass through the porous wafer into the chanmber thereby causing a gradual increase in the pressure in the chamber. The rupture disk is designed to fail at a lower pressure than that which would rupture the jacket. Upon rupture of the disk, the gases in the chamber escape into the coolant channel and coolant enters the chamber but is prevented from coming into contact with the fissionable material by the action of the gases under pressure passing outwardly through the wafer. The ruptured fuel element may be readily detected by monitoring the reactor coolant system.
- Research Organization:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-015429
- Assignee:
- U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
- Patent Number(s):
- US 2873853
- OSTI ID:
- 4239061
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-59
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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