Method of manufacturing a reinforced nuclear fuel cladding using an intermediate thermal deposition layer
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsEDWARD J. LAHODA, ANDREW J. MUELLER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is described that includes the steps of making a thin walled Zr alloy tube, loading nuclear fuel pellets into the tube, compressing the tube onto the fuel pellets to substantially reduce free space around the fuel pellets, positioning end plugs at each of two ends of the tube, filling the tube with a heat transferring gas, and coating the compressed tube with a corrosion resistant material using a thermal deposition process, such as cold spray, before inserting the tube into a pre-formed SiC composite cover having at least one closed end.
Claims33
A method for making a fuel rod comprising:
- loading a tube having a first open end and a second open end with nuclear fuel;
- compressing the fuel-loaded tube around the fuel to reduce free space in the tube;
- closing at least one of the first and second ends of the tube;
- filling the fuel-loaded tube with a gas suitable for transferring heat;
- and,
- covering the compressed tube with a pre-formed protective cover.
A method for making a fuel rod comprising:
- providing a hollow tube having top and bottom open ends and inner and outer surfaces;
- stacking fissile material into the hollow tube;
- compressing the tube against the stacked fissile material to reduce available free space between the fissile material and the inner surface of the tube;
- closing at least one of the top and bottom ends of the tube with an end plug, at least one end plug having a gas port therethrough;
- adding a gas suitable for heat transfer to the tube through the gas port in the end plug;
- closing the port;
- applying a corrosion resistant coating to the outer surface of the compressed tube;
- providing a pre-formed cover;
- and,
- placing the coated compressed tube into the pre-formed cover.
A cladding tube for a fuel rod in a nuclear reactor comprising:
- a cladding tube formed from a zirconium alloy and having an exterior corrosion resistant coating comprised of an inner coating selected from the group consisting of a Mo, Ta, W, and Nb, and an outer coating selected from the group consisting of chromium, a chromium alloy, and combinations thereof;
- a plurality of nuclear fuel pellets stacked within the cladding tube;
- the cladding tube configured for contact with the stacked fuel pellets;
- and,
- a pre-formed SiC cover for holding the pellet filled cladding tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.