Nuclear fuel elements for use in FBR type reactors

Purpose: To facilitate maintenance, inspection and repair of external primary coolant circuit equipments, thereby improve the plant operation performance. Constitution: A nickel-enriched thin layer (containing more than 70% nickel) is formed to the outer surface of a nuclear fuel can in contact with the coolant. In such a structure, Mn-54, Co-58 and Co-60 contained in sodium are effectively deposited and captured to the nickel layer thus formed. Since the fuel assemblies are periodically replaced with new ones, the nuclear fuel elements capturing the above described corrosion products are also taken out of the system. (Sekiya, K.)