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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Nuclear fuel rod with stress relieving device

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6494876
A nuclear fuel rod is made up of a stack of pellets of fuel material and a cladding or sheathing tube is provided. A metallic supporting structure is interposed between the pellet stack and an end plug of said cladding tube. The supporting structure can maintain the original shape under the normal operating reactor conditions, but when an excess stress is applied to the supporting structure, a mechanical break is produced in the supporting structure to reduce its supporting length, otherwise the excess stress would be exerted on said cladding tube in the vicinity of the end plug joints and might cause failure of the fuel rod.
Assignee:
Doryokuro Kakunenryo Kaihatsu Jigyodan
Patent Number(s):
US 4111748
OSTI ID:
6494876
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English