Deposition of integrated protective material into zirconium cladding for nuclear reactors by high-velocity thermal application

A method of forming an integrated gradient network of protective particles into a ZrO2 layer and a base Zr tube of a nuclear reactor cladding, the integrated gradient network having an inner surface and an inner volume of a layer of zirconium alloy, an outer surface and an outer volume of a layer of a protective material and an integrated middle volume of a layer of a combination of zirconium oxide, zirconium and excess sound velocity-impacted protective material, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a Zr alloy nuclear reactor cladding having a Zr base alloy layer and a ZrO2 outer layer;
• b) providing a protective material comprised of Zr—Al alloy particles;
• c) loading the protective material into a hybrid thermal-kinetic spray deposition or cold spray apparatus;
• and
• d) impacting the nuclear reactor cladding with the protective material to impact at a velocity greater than sound and sufficient to penetrate through the ZrO2 layer and into the Zr base alloy layer to provide an integrated gradient network of a layer of the protective particles, the layer of the combination of protective particles, ZrO2 and Zr and the Zr base alloy layer;
• wherein the highest density of protective material is at the cladding outer surface to protect the cladding from the reactor environment and any further oxidation of the zirconium;
• and
• wherein the integrated middle volume provides structural integrity for the cladding.