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Zirconium alloy composition having excellent corrosion resistance for nuclear applications and method of preparing the same

a technology of zirconium alloys and corrosion resistance, which is applied in the direction of nuclear elements, nuclear fuel reduction, and greenhouse gas reduction, etc., can solve the problems of increasing the number of severe corrosion of nuclear fuel, the development of zirconium alloys, and the need for zirconium alloys, etc., to achieve excellent corrosion resistance, excellent corrosion resistance, and excellent corrosion resistance

Inactive Publication Date: 2008-06-05
KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RES INST +1
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a zirconium alloy composition with excellent corrosion resistance that can be used as material for nuclear fuel cladding tubes and core components under high temperature / high pressure conditions of light water reactors and heavy water reactors. The alloy composition includes specific amounts of niobium, iron, silicon, copper, carbon, and oxygen. The alloy composition has good mechanical properties and can withstand high temperatures and pressures.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, in the case where conventional Zircaloy-2 or Zircaloy-4 is used as material for nuclear fuel cladding tubes, problems in which the nuclear fuel is severely corroded are on the rise.
However, compared to such zirconium alloys, the development of zirconium alloys, having superior corrosion resistance suitable for high burn-up and extended fuel cycle operating conditions in nuclear power plants, is still required.

Method used

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  • Zirconium alloy composition having excellent corrosion resistance for nuclear applications and method of preparing the same
  • Zirconium alloy composition having excellent corrosion resistance for nuclear applications and method of preparing the same

Examples

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example 1

Preparation of Zirconium Alloy

[0057](1) Preparation of Ingot

[0058]A zirconium alloy composition, comprising 1.58 wt % of niobium, 0.05 wt % of iron, 0.01 wt % of silicon, 0.01 wt % of carbon, and 0.13 wt % of oxygen, with the balance being zirconium, was subjected to VAR to thus prepare an ingot having a weight of 200 g in a button shape. As such, as zirconium, reactor grade sponge zirconium, described in ASTM B349, was used, and the alloying elements had high purity of 99.99% or more. In addition, silicon, carbon, and oxygen were subjected along with sponge zirconium to first melting to thus prepare a mother alloy, which was then added in a desired amount upon ingot melting. In order to prevent the segregation of impurities or the non-uniform distribution of the alloy composition, the melting process was repeated four times. Further, in order to prevent the oxidation upon the melting process, the vacuum state in a chamber was maintained at 1×10−5 torr, argon gas having high purity ...

example 2

[0067]The present example was performed in the same manner as in Example 1, with the exception that a zirconium alloy composition, comprising 1.51 wt % of niobium, 0.09 wt % of iron, 0.01 wt % of silicon, 0.01 wt % of carbon, and 0.13 wt % of oxygen, with the balance being zirconium, was used.

example 3

[0068]The present example was performed in the same manner as in Example 1, with the exception that a zirconium alloy composition, comprising 1.72 wt % of niobium, 0.14 wt % of iron, 0.01 wt % of silicon, 0.01 wt % of carbon, and 0.13 wt % of oxygen, with the balance being zirconium, was used.

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a zirconium alloy composition having excellent corrosion resistance for nuclear applications and a method of preparing the same. The zirconium alloy composition having excellent corrosion resistance for nuclear applications includes 1.3˜2.0 wt % of niobium, 0.05˜0.18 wt % of iron, 0.008˜0.012 wt % of silicon, 0.008˜0.012 wt % of carbon, and 0.1˜0.16 wt % of oxygen, with the balance being zirconium, or includes 2.8˜3.5 wt % of niobium, 0.2˜0.7 wt % of at least one of iron and copper, 0.008˜0.012 wt % of silicon, 0.008˜-0.012 wt % of carbon, and 0.1˜0.16 wt % of oxygen, with the balance being zirconium. The zirconium alloy composition according to the present invention, in which the amount of niobium, acting as a first alloying element, and the amount of at least one of iron and copper, acting as a second alloying element, are appropriately controlled, and silicon, carbon and oxygen are added in appropriate amounts, can exhibit excellent corrosion resistance, and thus can be usefully used as materials for nuclear fuel cladding tubes, support ribs, and core components of light water reactors and heavy water reactors.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a zirconium alloy composition having excellent corrosion resistance for nuclear applications and to a method of preparing the same.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]During the last several decades, zirconium alloys, which have a small neutron absorption cross section and excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties, have been widely used as materials for nuclear fuel cladding tubes, nuclear fuel assembly support grids, and structural components in pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and boiling water reactors (BWRs). Among zirconium alloys developed to date, particularly useful are Zircaloy-2 (1.20˜1.70 wt % of tin, 0.07˜0.20 wt % of iron, 0.05˜1.15 wt % of chromium, 0.03˜0.08 wt % of nickel, 900˜1500 ppm of oxygen, and the balance being zirconium) and Zircaloy-4 (1.20˜1.70 wt % of tin, 0.18˜0.24 wt % of iron, 0.07˜1.13 wt % of chromium, 900˜1500 ppm of oxygen, less ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): C22C16/00C22F1/16
CPCC22C16/00Y02E30/40G21C3/07C22F1/186Y02E30/30
Inventor JEONG, YONG HWANBAEK, JONG HYUKCHOI, BYOUNG KWONLEE, MYUNG HOPARK, SANG YOONPARK, JEONG YONGKIM, JUN HWANKIM, HYUN GIL
Owner KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RES INST
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