Patent Number: 061047732
Section: claims

1. A fuel rod for a nuclear reactor, comprising: a metal cladding tube filled with nuclear fuel and having ends, an outer surface, and a longitudinal axis;  a metal seal plug welded to one of the ends of said cladding tube at a transition point, and an annular bead disposed on the outer surface of said cladding tube at the transition point;  said annular bead having a cylindrical outer jacket surface extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cladding tube; and  said annular bead being formed of a material formed of the metal of said cladding tube and the metal of said seal plug. 2. The fuel rod according to claim 1, wherein said seal plug and said cladding tube are formed of the same metal. 3. The fuel rod according to claim 1, wherein said annular bead has at least two humps on said cylindrical outer jacket surface, each extending along said jacket surface substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. 4. The fuel rod according to claim 1, wherein said annular bead is resolidified from a welding melt. 5. The fuel rod according to claim 1, wherein said cylindrical outer jacket surface of said annular bead is mechanically unmachined. 6. The fuel rod according to claim 1, wherein said cylindrical outer jacket surface of said annular bead has an encompassing depression formed therein in said annular bead containing the material of said cladding tube having the same microscopic structure as in said cladding tube.