Nuclear fuel element having oxidation resistant cladding
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorRonald B. Adamson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Nuclear fuel elements for use in the core of a nuclear reactor include an improved composite cladding having a zirconium barrier layer metallurgically bonded on the inside surface of a zirconium alloy tube, wherein the inside surface of the barrier is alloyed with preselected elemental impurities to improve oxidation resistance. The zirconium barrier layer forms a shield between the zirconium alloy tube and a core of nuclear fuel material enclosed in the composite cladding. The alloy layer formed on the barrier surface acts to inhibit cracking during the tube production fabrication step and limits oxidation in the event that the cladding is breached during operation of the reactor, allowing the entrance of water or steam into the fuel element.
Claims10
An improved nuclear fuel element of the type including a zirconium alloy tube, a zirconium barrier layer metallurgically bonded to the inside surface of the alloy tube, and a central core of nuclear fuel material partially filling the inside of said tube so as to leave a gap between said sponge zirconium barrier and said nuclear fuel material, said improvement comprising an alloy layer formed on the inside surface of the zirconium barrier layer, said alloy layer being composed of one or more impurities present in a thin layer region of the zirconium barrier in amounts less than 1% by weight but sufficient to inhibit the oxidation of said inside surface of the zirconium barrier layer without substantially affecting the plastic properties of said barrier layer, wherein said impurities are selected from the group consisting of iron, chromium, copper, nitrogen, and niobium.
A method for treating a nuclear fuel composite cladding container to inhibit oxidation, said composite cladding container including a zirconium alloy tube and a zirconium barrier layer metallurgically bonded to the inner surface of the alloy tube, said method comprising introducing at least one impurity selected from the group consisting of iron, chromium, copper, nitrogen, and niobium into an inner surface of the zirconium barrier layer to form an alloy layer having increased oxidation resistance relative to said zirconium barrier, wherein no one of said impurities is present in an amount greater than 1% by weight in the alloy layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.