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US 4,362,696 AGranted
Corrosion-resistant fuel cladding allow for liquid metal fast breeder reactors
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsWilliam F. Brehm, Jr., Richard P. Colburn
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Abstract
An aluminide coating for a fuel cladding tube for LMFBRs (liquid metal fast breeder reactors) such as those using liquid sodium as a heat transfer agent. The coating comprises a mixture of nickel-aluminum intermetallic phases and presents good corrosion resistance to liquid sodium at temperatures up to 700.degree. C. while additionally presenting a barrier to outward diffusion of .sup.54 Mn.
Claims3
A LMFBR coated nuclear fuel element cladding tube comprising;
- a stainless steel alloy containing at least 10% nickel;
- a means for reducing radially outward diffusion of a radionuclide formed in said stainless steel alloy during irradiation;
- wherein said radionuclide is .sup.54 Mn;
- a means for reducing liquid sodium wastage of said tube;
- an aluminide coating of about 1 to 1.5 mils in thickness formed by diffusing aluminum into a surface of said tube;
- said aluminide coating comprising said means for reducing radially outward diffusion and said means for reducing liquid sodium wastage of said tube;
- and wherein said aluminide coating comprises nickel aluminide phases and is substantially free of silicon.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.