| 摘要 |
1,183,180. Fuel elements. UNITED STATES ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION. 10 Feb., 1969 [29 March, 1968; 21 Nov., 1968], No. 7145/69. Heading G6C. A fuel element comprises a multiplicity of cylindrical fuel pins 1 each deformed into a portion 2 having a rectangular cross-section defining larger and smaller flat lateral faces 3, 4 adjacent to but spaced apart from one end of the fuel pins 1. The fuel pins 1 are disposed in a plurality of adjacent rows with a connecting pin (not shown) transversely penetrating each of the abutting flat lateral faces 4 of the fuel pins 1 in each of the rows. The fuel pins 1 are metallurgically bonded, e.g. by brazing, to each other along the faces 4, the bonding operation also sealing around the connecting pins where they penetrate the faces 4. Where vented operation of the fuel pins 1 is desired, the connecting pins are tubular in form and provided with radial perforations communicating with the interior of each fuel pin. Two different header arrangements for joining a plurality of rows of fuel pins into an integral fuel element are shown in Fig. 5 for illustrative purposes. In practice, only one header arrangement is used in a single fuel element. In one arrangement, the end fuel pin 11 of each row is extended and provided with a second deformed portion 12 similar to the portion 2 but having its long dimension oriented at right angles, and these second deformed portions 12 are joined to one another in a similar manner to the portions 2. A connecting pin 13 passes through the portions 12 and, where vented operation is desired, acts as a gas collection manifold for the fission product gases from the rows of fuel pins. In a second arrangement, a tubular manifold 15 is provided with spaced tubular extensions 16 which mate with an end fuel pin 17 in each row of the fuel pins. The lower ends of the fuel pins are provided with spacer rings 18. |
