Patent · US Expired

Thermal-mechanical treatment of composite nuclear fuel element cladding

US4390497A · kind A · utility

22Cited by
7References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 21, 1981
Grant dateJun 28, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 21, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E30/30
  • WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Cladding for nuclear fuel elements which is formed with a zirconium metal barrier layer bonded to the inside surface of a zirconium alloy tube and which is sized by a cold working tube reduction process and is heat treated after final reduction at a temperature and for a time period which allows substantially complete recrystallization of the zirconium metal barrier layer and provides a fine-grained microstructure therein and which stress-relieves but does not fully recrystallize the zirconium alloy tube. The crystallographic structure of the zirconium metal barrier layer may be improved by compressive deformation such as shot-peening.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.