Patent ID: 7570728
Filing Date: 2009-08-04
Classification: G21C,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A nuclear fuel rod for a boiling water nuclear reactor, comprising: a cladding tube, defining a closed inner space and which is manufactured from at least one of the materials in the group zirconium and a zirconium-based alloy, the material of the cladding tube comprising a plurality of sites in which hydrogen is capable of being adsorbed; a plurality of nuclear fuel pellets, arranged in the inner space in the cladding tube so that the nuclear fuel pellets fill pan of the inner space; an initial fill gas arranged in the closed inner space in order to fill the rest of the inner space; wherein the initial fill gas contains a proportion of inert gas and a proportion of carbon monoxide, the carbon monoxide being located in the sites in which hydrogen is capable of being adsorbed, thereby blocking the sites; and wherein the internal pressure (P wherein the cladding tube has an inner surface that faces the inner space and the material in the cladding tube nearest the inner surface is pre-oxidized to provide a surface layer that comprises zirconium oxide.