A fuel element for a pressurized water reactor is described. The fuel element
contains
a laterally open skeleton having control-rod guide tubes each with a first end
and a second end, spacers fastened to the control-rod guide tubes, a fuel element
head disposed at the first end of the control-rod guide tubes, and a fuel element
foot disposed at the second end of the control-rod guide tubes. Gastight cladding
tubes are inserted into the skeleton and each is filled with a column of fuel pellets.
At least some of the gastight cladding tubes have a multilayer wall. The multilayer
wall is formed of a mechanically stable matrix containing a first zirconium alloy
disposed in a middle of the multiplayer wall; and a thinner protective layer of
a second zirconium alloy alloyed to a lesser extent than the first zirconium alloy.
The thinner protective layer is bound metallurgically to the matrix and is disposed
on an inside of the matrix facing the fuel pellets.
