Nuclear fuel cladding with hydrogen absorbing inner liner
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorMickey O. Marlowe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cladding tube for use in holding fissionable material in a water cooled nuclear reactor is provided. The cladding tube includes inner and outer circumferential regions, and including (1) a substrate defining the outer circumferential region, and (2) an inner liner defining the inner circumferential region. The inner liner is made from a zirconium alloy having at least one alloying element which promotes hydrogen absorption in a concentration of between about 1 and 15 weight percent. The hydrogen absorption promoting element can be one of the following: nickel, chromium, iron, zinc, vanadium, gallium, yttrium, palladium, platinum, or aluminum.
Claims15
A cladding tube for housing fissionable material in a water cooled nuclear fission reactor, the cladding comprising inner and outer circumferential regions, and including
- a substrate defining the outer circumferential region;
- and
- an inner liner defining the inner circumferential region, wherein the inner liner comprises a hydrogen absorbing zirconium alloy having one or more alloying elements which promotes hydrogen absorption in a concentration of between about 1 and 15 weight percent.
A fuel element comprising:
- a cladding tube having inner and outer circumferential regions, and including a substrate defining the outer circumferential region, and an inner liner defining the inner circumferential region, wherein the inner liner comprises a zirconium alloy having an alloying element promoting hydrogen absorption in a concentration of between about 1 and 15 weight percent;
- nuclear fuel material disposed within said tube;
- and
- means for sealing the respective ends of said tube with said nuclear material therein.
A cladding tube for housing fissionable material in a water cooled nuclear fission reactor, the cladding comprising inner and outer circumferential regions, and including
- a Zircaloy substrate defining the outer circumferential region and having an inner surface;
- a compliant zirconium or dilute zirconium alloy barrier layer metallurgically bonded to the inner surface of the substrate and itself having an inner surface;
- and
- an inner liner metallurgically bonded to the inner surface of the barrier layer and defining the inner circumferential region, wherein the inner liner comprises a hydrogen absorbing zirconium alloy having one or more alloying elements which promotes hydrogen absorption in a concentration of between about 1 and 15 weight percent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.