Water reactor fuel cladding

Patent · Tue Jun 12 04:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:6892995

Foster, J P; McDonald, S G

This patent describes a nuclear reactor fuel element cladding tube. It comprises: an outer cylindrical layer of a first zirconium alloy selected from the group consisting of Zircaloy-2 and Zircaloy-4; an inner cylindrical layer of a second zirconium alloy consisting essentially of about 0.19 to 0.6 wt.% tin, about 0.19 to less than 0.5 wt.% iron, about 100 to 700 ppm oxygen, less than 2000 ppm total impurities, and the remainder essentially zirconium; the inner layer characterized by aqueous corrosion resistance substantially the same as the first zirconium alloy; the inner layer characterized by improved resistance to PCI crack propagation under reactor operating conditions compared to the first zirconium alloy and substantially the same PCI crack propagation resistance compared to unalloyed zirconium; and the inner cylindrical layer is metallurgically bonded to the outer layer.

• Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
• Patent Number(s): A; US 4933136
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-230734A
• OSTI ID: 6892995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050700* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Fuels Production & Properties
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360101 -- Metals & Alloys-- Preparation & Fabrication
ALLOY-ZR98SN-2
ALLOY-ZR98SN-4
ALLOYS
CHROMIUM ADDITIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CLADDING
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
DEPOSITION
DESIGN
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
IRON ADDITIONS
IRON ALLOYS
MATERIALS
NICKEL ADDITIONS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NUCLEAR FUELS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
SURFACE COATING
TIN ALLOYS
TUBES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCALOY 2
ZIRCALOY 4
ZIRCONIUM ALLOY
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS