Fuel assembly sputtering process
US5301211A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 3, 1992 |
| Grant date | Apr 5, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 3, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/30
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for sputter coating the inside surface (30) of a fuel assembly tubular component (10) such as a control rod guide tube (200) with wear or corrosion resistant material. The steps include supporting the component tube in a fixture (12,14) and supporting a source tube (100,300) of e.g., wear resistant material, coaxially within the component tube, thereby defining a cylindrical annulus (24) between the tubes. The annular space is evacuated and backfilled with an inert working gas (26) such as argon, to a pressure sufficient to sustain a plasma discharge. The component tube is positively biased (36) as an anode, and the source tube is negatively biased (34) as a cathode, such that a plasma of the working gas is established in the annular space. A circumferential magnetic field is generated around the source tube to confine and shape the plasma whereby the source tube is bombarded with ions from the plasma substantially uniformly over the length of the source tube. Wear resistant material is thereby sputtered substantially uniformly from the source tube onto the inside surface of the component tube, to form a coating thereon.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.