Nuclear fuel element having a composite coating
A nuclear fuel element consisting of a zirconium or zirconium alloy container and nuclear fuel pellets is provided for use in the core of a nuclear reactor. The zirconium or zirconium alloy container has an inner coating of copper in proximity to the nuclear fuel, and is separated from the zirconium or zirconium alloy by an intermediate zirconium oxide diffusion barrier layer. The copper layer and the intermediate zirconium oxide diffusion barrier of the composite cladding reduce perforations or failure in the zirconium or zirconium alloy cladding substrate caused by stress corrosion cracking or metal embrittlement. Good bonding of the copper to the oxide zirconium and zirconium alloy prevents scaling of copper from the composite cladding during the loading of the fuel element with fuel pellets.
- Assignee:
- General Electric Co.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4473410
- OSTI ID:
- 6290418
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Nuclear fuel elements having a composite cladding
Nuclear fuel elements having a composite cladding. [BWR and PWR]
Related Subjects
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
ALLOYS
BONDING
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COATINGS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CONTAINERS
COPPER
CORROSION
DIFFUSION BARRIERS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FABRICATION
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL PELLETS
FUEL-CLADDING INTERACTIONS
FUELS
JOINING
MATERIALS
METALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PELLETS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
STRESS CORROSION
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ZIRCONIUM
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES