Fuel element for a pressurised water reactor and method for producing the cladding tubes thereof

摘要

Fuel element has a laterally open structure made of control rod guide tubes to which distance spacers, fuel element head and a fuel element foot are fixed. Gas-tight cladding tubes (20) filled with fuel tablets are inserted into the open structure. At least several cladding tubes have a multi-layered wall having a mechanically stable matrix (21) made of a first strongly alloyed zirconium alloy in the middle with a thinner protective layer (22) of a lightly alloyed zirconium alloy metallurgically bonded to it. The protective layer is arranged on the inner side of the matrix facing the fuel tablets. An independent claim is also included for a process for the production of a cladding tube for a fuel rod.