High temperature strain behavior of Zircaloy-4 and Zr--2. 5Nb fuel sheaths
The ballooning behavior of Zircaloy-4 fuel sheaths at high temperatures was reported previously by Hardy. Similar tests were done on Zr--2.5Nb tubes. In both materials, the importance of the phase transformation from hexagonal close-packed to body-centered-cubic structure is evident. Towards the upper boundary of the two-phase (..cap alpha.. + ..beta..) region where ..beta..-phase material would dominate, there is a marked discontinuity in the strain versus temperature results. They indicate that the solid solution strengthening in the ..beta..-phase is more effective than the second phase particle strenghtening in the ..cap alpha..-phase. At normal operating temperatures, Zr--2.5Nb is stronger than Zircaloy-4. However, above 600/sup 0/C it enters the two-phase temperature region and becomes weaker than Zircaloy-4 which is still within the ..cap alpha..-phase. In the ..beta..-phase, where Zr--2.5Nb contains about twice as many atoms in solid solution as Zircaloy-4, the former again becomes stronger. At 1000/sup 0/C, the strain rate of Zr--2.5Nb is about two orders of magnitude less than that of Zircaloy-4 at the same stress.
- Research Organization:
- Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Chalk River, Ontario
- OSTI ID:
- 6301841
- Journal Information:
- Am. Soc. Test. Mater., Spec. Tech. Publ.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Soc. Test. Mater., Spec. Tech. Publ.; (United States) Vol. 633; ISSN ASTTA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
220300 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360102* -- Metals & Alloys-- Structure & Phase Studies
360103 -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
ACCIDENTS
ALLOYS
CRYSTAL-PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
ELEMENTS
EXPANSION
FUEL CANS
HAFNIUM
LOSS OF COOLANT
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALLURGICAL EFFECTS
METALS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REFRACTORY METALS
STRAIN RATE
STRESSES
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TIN
TIN ALLOYS
TITANIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
YIELD STRENGTH
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCALOY 4
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS