FABRICATION OF NUCLEAR FUEL ASSEMBLIES AND RESULTANT PRODUCT

摘要

A nuclear fuel assembly has an end plug and is sealed except for a small diameter axial bore in the plug. The plug provides a collar around the outer end of the bore which when fused provides sufficient material to seal the bore. Before the bore is sealed the assembly is filled with an inert-gas at high pressure. An electric arc is then established between an electrode and the collar to melt the collar sufficiently to seal the bore.