Abstract:
In a zirconium-alloy fuel element cladding, a method for generating regions of coarse and fine intermetallic precipitates across the cladding wall is provided. The method includes steps of specific heat treatments and anneals that coarsen precipitates in the bulk of the cladding. The method also includes at least one step in which an outer region (exterior) of the cladding is heated to the beta or alpha plus beta phase, while an inner region (interior) is maintained at a temperature at which little or no metallurgical change occurs. This method produces a composite cladding in which the outer region comprises fine precipitates and the inner region comprises coarse precipitates.
Abstract:
A fuel box for a nuclear fuel bundle for a boiling water reactor is manufactured by zirconium alloy plates. The plates have a composition such that the material after beta quenching and heat treatment will have a ductile, so-called basketweave structure.
Abstract:
An upper hold-down spring structure for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly. A hold down spring 20 mounted on an upper surface of an upper nozzle 11 of a fuel assembly for a pressurized water reactor is composed of an upper plate spring 21 having plastic spring characteristics and a lower plate spring 23, base ends of which are fixed with a fastening bolt 18 at a common position. The upper spring 21 and the lower spring 23 are made of precipitation hardened nickel base alloy and the thickness of the springs are determined so as to keep the stresses generated less sensitive to stress corrosion cracking.
Abstract:
A tube for forming a nuclear fuel assembly guide tube or sheath. The tube is made of an alloy containing 1.0-1.7 wt % of tin, 0.55-0.8 wt % of iron, 0.20-0.60 wt % total of chromium and/or vanadium, and 0.10-0.18 wt % of oxygen, carbon and silicon being present in amounts of 100-180 ppm and 50-120 ppm respectively, while the only other components of the alloy are zirconium and the unavoidable impurities.
Abstract:
A fuel box for a nuclear fuel bundle for a boiling water reactor is manufactured by zirconium alloy plates. The plates have a composition such that the material after beta quenching and heat treatment will have a ductile, so-called basketweave structure.
Abstract:
L'invention a pour objet un procédé de fabrication d'un produit plat (4) en alliage de zirconium consistant en un feuillard, bande ou tôle (4) d'épaisseur comprise entre 0,4 et 3 mm, ce procédé comprenant après un laminage à froid un réchauffage et un maintien dans le domaine béta dudit produit, ledit maintien étant suivi d'un refroidissement rapide, caractérisé en ce que on effectue ledit réchauffage et ledit maintien au moyen de lampes (3) à rayons infrarouges de longueur d'onde comprise entre 0,8 et 5 micromètres assurant sur la largeur du produit (4) une différence maximale de températures inférieure à 35°C, ladite largeur étant comprise entre 50 et 600 mm. L'invention s'applique à la fabrication des pièces de fixation et d'espacement des réacteurs nucléaires.
Abstract:
A composite nuclear fuel container for service in water cooled nuclear fission reactor plants having improved resistance to corrosion, and a method of producing same. The invention comprises each component of the fuel container being of specific compositions which have been heat treated to transfer their microcrystalline structure.