Corrosion resistant composite claddings for nuclear fuel rods

Patent · Tue Jun 18 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5667599

Taylor, D F

This paper describes a corrosion resistant nuclear fuel element. It comprises: an elongated composite cladding container having a zirconium alloy tube consisting essentially of by weight percent; 0.5 to 2.0 percent tin, 0.2 to 1.5 percent of a solute composed of molybdenum and tellurium and the balance zirconium, the container having a barrier layer of sponge zirconium metallurgically bonded to the inside surface of the alloy tube, the sponge zirconium being about 1 to 30 percent of the thickness of the alloy tube; and a central core of a body of nuclear fuel material selected from the group consisting of compounds of uranium, plutonium, thorium and mixtures thereof disposed in and partially filling the container so as to leave a gap between the container and the core and an internal cavity at one end of the container, an enclosure integrally secured and sealed at each end of the container and a nuclear fuel material retaining means positioned in the cavity.

• Assignee: General Electric Co., Schenectady, NY (USA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5024809; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-561135
• OSTI ID: 5667599
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360105 -- Metals & Alloys-- Corrosion & Erosion
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
ALLOYS
BONDING
CORROSION RESISTANCE
ELEMENTS
FABRICATION
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL RODS
JOINING
MATERIALS TESTING
METALS
MOLYBDENUM
PLUTONIUM
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR CORES
SEMIMETALS
TELLURIUM
TESTING
THORIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS