Resistance welding of an end cap for nuclear fuel rods

1. A method comprising:

plugging an open end of a cladding tube of a nuclear fuel rod with an end plug having a main body, a cylindrical bond portion extending from the main body and terminating in a cladding seat including a cylindrical seat portion of reduced diameter compared with the cylindrical bond portion, and an abrupt or gradual annular step between the cylindrical seat portion of the end plug and the cylindrical bond portion of the end plug, the plugging including:

clamping the open end of the cladding tube in a clamp against the cladding seat of the end plug; and

while clamping, applying electrical current between the end plug and the open end of the cladding tube, the combination of the clamping and the applied electric current including:

forcing the open end of the cladding tube over the cladding seat;

sliding the open end of the cladding tube over the cylindrical bond portion of the end plug so that the cylindrical bond portion is received entirely within the cladding tube;

generating a resistance weld between a cylindrical bonding surface of the cylindrical bond portion of the end plug and the inside surface of the open end of the cladding tube; and

preventing the outer diameter of the open end of the cladding tube, and the resistance weld, from expanding during the sliding of the open end of the cladding tube over the cylindrical bond portion of the end plug.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the cladding seat further comprises a chamfered or frustoconical end.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the end plug includes a slide stop defined between the main body of the end plug and the cylindrical bond portion of the end plug, the slide of the open end of the cladding tube over the cylindrical bond portion of the end plug being stopped by the slide stop.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the slide stop includes an annular groove that receives buildup material displaced during the slide of the open end of the cladding tube over the cylindrical bond portion of the end plug.

5. A method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the slide stop is an abrupt or gradual annular step between the cylindrical bond portion of the end plug and the main body of the end plug.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the end plug includes an annular groove arranged to receive buildup material displaced during the slide of the open end of the cladding tube over the cylindrical bond portion of the end plug.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the clamp is a cladding tube electrode for the applying of electrical current between the end plug and the open end of the cladding tube.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the main body of the end plug includes a tapered tip located outside of the cladding tube after the plugging, and the plugging further includes:

inserting the tapered tip of the main body of the end plug into a mating recess of an end plug electrode for the applying of electrical current between the end plug and the open end of the cladding tube.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the clamping is performed using the cladding tube electrode to apply force to the open end of the cladding tube and using the end plug electrode to apply force to the end plug.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical bond portion has a diameter greater than an inside diameter of the open end of the cladding tube.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the end plug further includes a stub protruding from the cladding seat, the stub sized and shaped to not contact the open end of the cladding tube during the plugging.

12. A method as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:

loading fuel pellets comprising fissile material into the cladding tube.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 , further comprising:

repeating the loading and the plugging for each of a plurality of cladding tubes to generate a plurality of assembled nuclear fuel rods;

constructing a fuel assembly comprising an array of the assembled nuclear fuel rods.