Nuclear fuel rods having end plugs with bores therethrough sealed by frangible membranes

Claim 1

A cylindrical, pressurized, nuclear fuel rod having a casing with one open end and containing a nuclear fuel therein; a solid, elongated end plug having an outer end and a generally flat inner end; said plug being attached to said casing and extending substantially into said casing past said open end thereof, with said plug inner end being within said casing and said plug outer end being without said casing; said plug inner and outer ends being generally opposed to each other; said plug having an outer diameter conforming substantially to a diameter of said casing so as to be generally contiguous therewith; said plug being sealingly welded around the periphery of said plug to said casing at the open end and about the circumference of said casing; said plug defining an inner portion within said casing, defining an outer portion facing outwardly from the open end of said casing; a narrow bore extending through said plug and through its said inner and outer ends; said plug inner portion being chamfered narrower toward said flat inner end to enable said plug to be fitted into said casing; a frangible membrane being provided and sealingly welded to said flat plug inner end by a circumfeRential weld that is spaced from said plug bore; said membrane passing across and sealing said bore; said membrane being comprised of a thin, flat, metal sheet; wherein the membrane is to be broken by the introduction of a gas into said fuel rod from the outside and through said bore in said plug, and thereafter said bore is to be sealed at said plug outer end.