Multi-layered nuclear fuel cladding and method for manufacturing multi-layered nuclear fuel cladding
AssigneeGachon University of Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation
InventorsYoung Soo Yoon, Kang Soo Lee, Sung Pil Woo, In Yea Kim
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Abstract
Multi-layered nuclear fuel cladding, according to the present inventive concept, comprises: an inner tube of zirconium alloy, of which both ends are open for providing an accommodation space into which a sintered nuclear fuel pellet is inserted; and an outer tube, disposed coaxially with the inner tube, having a greater diameter than the inner tube so as to surround the outer surface of the inner tube, wherein the outer tube and the inner tube are fixed to closely contact each other, and may be formed from metals different from each other.
Claims7
A method for manufacturing a multi-layered nuclear fuel cladding comprising:
- forming a preliminary cladding by inserting a preliminary inner tube of zirconium alloy provided with an accommodation space into which a sintered body of nuclear fuel is inserted, into a preliminary outer tube having a greater diameter than the preliminary inner tube and filling the preliminary inner tube with a filler;
- closing both ends which are open in the preliminary cladding, with shielding members;
- applying a pressure from an outside toward an inside of the preliminary cladding to reduce a diameter of the preliminary cladding;
- and
- forming a protective layer on an outer surface of an outer tube manufactured by closely contacting and fixing the preliminary outer tube and the preliminary inner tube,
- wherein the preliminary outer tube and the preliminary inner tube are formed from metals different from each other, and
- wherein the protective layer is formed by oxidation or nitrification of the metal constituting the outer tube through plasma surface treatment and is made of a metal oxide or metal nitride formed denser and thinner than the outer tube to prevent water molecules from passing through the outer tube and being inserted up to the outer surface of the inner tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.