Kernbrennstoffelement

1,113,425. Nuclear fuel elements. UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY 6 Sept., 1965 [17 Sept., 1964], No. 38020/64. Heading G6C. A nuclear fuel element comprises uranium carbide in a stainless steel can with a continuous interlayer between the fuel and the can of a solid material unreactive with uranium carbide and stainless steel at the reactor operating temperature. When the fuel element surface operating temperature is up to 1000‹ C., tungsten, tantalum, or niobium may be used as the interlayer, but if the temperature is only up to 800‹ C., molybdenum is also suitable. The thickness of the interlayer is for example 0À001 to 0À002 inch. The interlayer material may be deposited on the surface of the fuel or the can by reduction of a volatile fluoride or electrolytically, or a sheet of the material may be inserted; the final bonding is effected by hot isostatic bonding, hot rolling, hot planet. ary swaging, or hot extrusion. The fuel element is suitable for use in AGR, fast, or water or steam cooled reactors.