Method of fabricating a poision tube for reactor control rods

Purpose: To unify the neutron absorbing performance, enhance the workability in the insertion of neutron absorber tube and further decrease the stresses acting on the neutron absorber coating tube. Method: The neutron absorber coated rod comprising neutron absorbing substance and a metal pipe is fabricated by compressing a metal pipe filled with the neutron absorber. Specifically, neutron absorbing substance such as boron carbide powder or the like is filled in a metal pipe such as made of stainless steel tube by way of vibration packing or the like. Then, after heating the metal pipe, it is applied with compression working such as swaging into a fine tube to increase the packing density of the absorbing substance filled in the pipe to greater than 60% of the theoretical density and completely contacted closely to the inner wall of the pipe. The neutron absorber coated rod thus fabricated can be inserted to an external coating tube with ease at a predetermined gap. (Yoshino, T.)