Method for treating the surface of finished parts, particularly the surface of tubes and spacers formed of zirconium alloys, for nuclear reactor fuel assemblies

Patent · Tue May 20 00:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5664666

Steinberg, E

A method is described for treating the surface of finished parts formed of zirconium alloys for nuclear reactor fuel assemblies with an oxidizing agent, which comprises heating the finished parts in an autoclave and subjecting the finished parts to hydrogen peroxide (H/sub 2/O/sub 2/) as an oxidizing agent sufficient to generate oxygen in atomic form and to form a substantially hydrogen-impervious surface layer of oxide at least on the surface portions of the finished parts which are subjected to water or steam in the nuclear reactor, and heating the finished parts and the H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ in the autoclave to a temperature substantially in the range from 400/sup 0/C to 550/sup 0/C.

• Assignee: Kraftwerk Union Aktiengesellschaft, Mulheim
• Patent Number(s): US 4589929
• OSTI ID: 5664666
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 9 Feb 1984
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
FUEL ASSEMBLIES
SURFACE TREATMENTS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
AUTOCLAVES
HEATING
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
MATERIALS
OXIDIZERS
OXYGEN
REACTORS
SPACERS
STEAM
TUBES
WATER
ALLOYS
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PEROXIDES
220300* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Fuel Elements
360101 - Metals & Alloys- Preparation & Fabrication