Patent · US Expired

Zircaloy 2 or Zircaloy 4 strip having specified tensile and elastic properties

US4881992A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
3References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 15, 1988
Grant dateNov 21, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 15, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC22F1/186
  • WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

The invention concerns a process for the production of a strip of Zircaloy 2 or 4 with an oxygen content of between 900 and 1600 ppm and with mechanical characteristics corresponding to the following conditions: PA0 E.sub.0.2 at 315.degree. C..gtoreq.250 MPa PA0 "long" uniform A% at 20.degree. C..gtoreq.4 and PA0 "transverse" uniform A% at 20.degree. C..gtoreq.4, wherein, after hot working of an ingot to provide a billet, said billet is cold rolled to form a strip with intermediate annealing operations, characterized in that: (a) each of the last two intermediate annealing operations is a treatment for from 0.5 min to 10 min at between 750 ad 650.degree. C., (b) the final heat treatment following the last rolling operation is for from 1.5 to 7 min at between 630 ad 590.degree. C., and (c) the strip is rolled with particular degrees of deformation for each of the last three rolling operations. The invention also concerns the strip produced, which in addition in cross-section has a finer grain than ASTM 11 and partial recrystallization affecting from 20 to 40% of the volume. The strip of the invention is used in particular for the production of spacer grids used in nuclear fuel eleme…

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