Method and apparatus for locating defective fuel rods of a reactor fuel element

摘要

A method and apparatus for locating defective fuel rods of a liquid cooled reactor core wherein the rods have end caps and defective rods collect leakage liquid from the core in the end caps, includes heating the end caps of a plurality of rods to evaporate the leakage liquid, measuring the temperatures of the end caps of the plurality of rods, and simultaneously indicating the temperature differences between defective and non-defective rods. The rods are supported in a container filled with a liquid and the upper ends of the rods and end caps are enclosed within the container in a dry heated temperature. The apparatus includes means for heating the end caps, means for measuring the temperatures and means for simultaneously indicating the temperatures and temperature differences.