Method of fabricating a fuel element

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED METHOD OF FABRICATING A METAL-CLADD FUEL BODY CONTAINING A HYDRIDE, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES THE STEPS OF FORMING A SOLID FUEL BODY FROM A MIXTURE OF NUCLEAR FUEL AND HYDRIDE-FORMING METAL, PROVIDING A METAL SHEATH AROUND AT LEAST ONE SURFACE OF SAID FUEL BODY, SAID METAL SHEATH BEARING STRUCTURALLY STABLE AT A HYDRIDING TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 700*C. AND ABOUT 900*C. AND PERMEABLE TO HYDROGEN AT SAID HYDRIDING TEMPERATURE, SAID METAL SHEATH BEING APPLIED TO SAID FUEL BODY IN A MANNER TO PROVIDE AN INTERFERENCE FIT WITH SAID FUEL BODY AFTER HYDRIDING, HYDRIDING SAID HYDRIDE-FORMING METAL OF SAID FUEL BODY WITH SAID METEAL SHEATH APPLIED THEREAROUND AT SAID HYDRIDING TEMPERATURE BY PASSING HYDROGEN PURIFIED TO HYDRIDE-RATE DEPRESSING CONTAMINANTS INTO CONTACT THEREWITH, CONTROLLING THE HYDRIDING RATE SO AS TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE CRACKING OF SAID FUEL BODY, MAINTAINING SAID HYDROGEN IN CONTACT WITH SAID FUEL BODY UNTIL A DESIRED DEGREE OF HYDRIDING HAS BEEN EFFECTED, AND THEN COOLING THE HYDRIDED FUEL BODY TO AMBIENT TEMPERATURE TO PROVIDE A HYDRIDE-CONTAINING FUEL BODY HAVING A METAL SHEATH DISPOSED PARTIALLY THEREAROUND.