Hydride blister-resistant zirconium-based nuclear fuel rod cladding

Patent · Tue Apr 21 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6556196

Ferrari, H M

A nuclear fuel rod is described comprising: a metallic tubular cladding formed from a zirconium alloy, containing a nuclear fuel therein, and having end sealing means thereon to hermetically seal the nuclear fuel within the metallic tubular cladding; a discontinuous thin film, about 0.01 to about 5 microns thick, of material, selected from the group consisting of nickel metal and nickel base-zirconium alloys, on the internal surface of the metallic tubular cladding to provide a nickel metal film over 1-40 percent of the area of the internal surface; and whereby multiple sites of the thin film are provided for hydride transport from the interior of the nuclear fuel rod, so as to prevent localized hydride transport and resulting hydride blistering, and cladding failures resulting therefrom.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4659545
• OSTI ID: 6556196
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220300* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Fuel Elements
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360105 -- Metals & Alloys-- Corrosion & Erosion
ALLOYS
CORROSION RESISTANCE
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FILMS
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUEL RODS
FUEL-CLADDING INTERACTIONS
FUELS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NICKEL BASE ALLOYS
NUCLEAR FUELS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
SEALS
SURFACES
THIN FILMS
TUBES
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS