Method of manufacturing fuel rod for water cooled reactor

Fuel pellets are successively charged to the inside of a fuel can from one end thereof while supplying pressurized gases from the other end of the fuel can. After completing the loading operation for all of the fuel pellets, end plugs are welded to both ends of the fuel can. Pressurized gases supplied from the other end of the fuel can form a high speed gas stream in the fuel can. Since the gas stream flows through a narrow gap between the fuel can and the fuel pellets to generate a floating force at the pellets, the pellets move in the fuel can with no substantial contact with the zirconium liners at the surface of the can and are loaded to predetermined positions. In this way, occurrence of scratched injuries at the inner surface of the fuel can can be prevented and the factors of causing stress corrosion cracks can be reduced, thereby enabling to produce fuel rods of high reliability. (H.T.)