Remote Resistance Welding of Zr-4 Endplate for DUPIC Fuel Fabrication
The remote resistance welding technology in the hot cell environment for DUPIC (Direct Use of spent PWR fuel In CANDU reactors) fuel fabrication was established. To do this, a preliminary investigation for hands-on fuel fabrication outside the hot cell was conducted in the consideration of constraints caused by welding in the hot cell. Further welding experiments were carried out to improve the RW process. A remote resistance welding apparatus was developed. The characteristics of welds made by RW and LBW were compared in terms of the weld nugget penetrations and torque strength. It was found that resistance welding was a more suitable welding process for joining the endplate to the end caps in the hot cell. The optimum conditions for RW in the hot cell operation in a remote manner were also obtained.