DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS FOR USE IN SUPERHEATED WATER AND STEAM
A zirconium-base alloy with corrosion resistance and strength superior to zircaloy-2 in 680 deg F water and 750 to 900 deg F steam is being sought in a development program. Approximately 100 binary compositions were screened by corrosion testing in 680 deg F water and 750 deg F steam; selected compositions were exposed to 900 deg F steam. Data obtained from these studies indicated a number of highly promising bases for ternary alloy investigation. On the basis of 4800-hr tests, a number of ternary materials were found to satisfy the program objective for the 680 deg F water environment. The compositions are based on Zr- 1 Sb, Zr-1 Cr, Zr--0.5 Nb, and Zr-0.5 Sn with small additions of Te, Ge, Cr, or Fe. Further, the hydrogen pickup characteristics of these alloys were improved over zircaloy-2, but acceptability on this basis remains to be demonstrated by mechanical property evaluation. For 3000-hr tests in 750 deg F steam, the ailoys Zr--3Cr-1Fe, Zr-3Cr--0.25Te, and Zr--1V--1Fe were superior to zircaloy-2 on the basis of corrosion resistance and strength; however, hydrogen pickup properties were about the same as Zircaloy-2, which is considered excessively high. In 900 deg F steam, a few materials were greatly superior to Zircaloy-2 but weight gains were very high. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Illinois Inst. of Tech., Chicago. Armour Research Foundation
- NSA Number:
- NSA-18-012577
- OSTI ID:
- 4115216
- Report Number(s):
- GEAP-4089(Vol.I)(Paper 6)
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
IMPROVED ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS. Quarterly Report, October 1, 1962-December 31, 1962
IMPROVED ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS. Technical Progress Report, February 1 1961- February 28, 1961
Related Subjects
ADSORPTION
ANTIMONY ALLOYS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CORROSION
EFFICIENCY
GERMANIUM
HYDROGEN
IRON
IRON ALLOYS
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
NIOBIUM
PLANNING
STABILITY
STANDARDS
STEAM
SUPERHEATING
TELLURIUM
TEMPERATURE
TENSILE PROPERTIES
USES
VANADIUM ALLOYS
WATER
WEIGHT
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS