Fuel rod for a nuclear reactor having improved end plugs.

摘要

The invention relates to a nuclear fuel rod comprising a cladding tube which contains nuclear fuel and pressurized gas, and which has both ends thereof sealed with end plugs.
<??>Each of the end plugs (30, 32) has an inner cavity (52/72) which is in gas-flow communication with the interior of the cladding tube (28) and is defined partly by an inner end-plug portion (40/62) fitted into the cladding tube (28), and partly by an outer end-plug portion (38/60) which is exterior to the cladding tube and forms an undercut or enlarged cavity region. The lower end plug (32) has therein an insert (58) which keeps nuclear fuel chips out of the cavity but maintains said gas-flow communication between the latter and the cladding tube.