A nuclear fuel assembly with cladding tube

Purpose: To improve the efficiency for the dismantling work of a nuclear fuel assembly, eliminate the use of a large-scale dissolution tank and increase the life of shearing tools. Method: To a hexagonal surface of a cladding tube for a nuclear fuel assembly, at least two breaks extending in the axial direction of the tube are formed at such positions that are opposite on the circumference of the hexagonal surface. Then, the fuel assembly is set to a shearing machine and the cladding tube and the fuel rod are finely cut in the radial direction. Since the breaks are disposed in the axial direction, the assembly can be cut while tightly holding the fuel rod with no slip, and the cladding tube can be cut finely at the same time; hereby no clogging is resulted in a shooter for sending the cutting products to the dissolution tank, and large dissolution tank is not required. (Sekiya, K.)