Papers by Keyword: Cladding Tube

Abstract: In the framework of Accident tolerant fuel (ATF) program, several types of claddings and pellets with enhanced accident tolerance have been developed for light water reactors. Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) FeCrAl alloys have been considered as a promising candidate for cladding materials due to their good mechanical strength, excellent structural stability and chemical durability at high temperature. The out-of-pile performance of 14Cr ODS-FeCrAl cladding tube fabricated by cold-rolling, such as microstructure, thermophysical property, mechanical property, and corrosion resistance, has been examined and discussed. The results confirm that iron-based ODS alloy is one of the promising candidates to be used as ATF cladding. It could also aid in the supplement of property database of ODS-FeCrAl for future use in nuclear cladding and structural applications in next generation nuclear systems.

Abstract: The end plug to cladding tube of fast reactor fuel pin is normally welded using Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) process. The GTAW process has large heat input and wide heat-affected-zone (HAZ) than high energy density process such as laser welding. In the present study Laser Beam Welding (LBW) is being considered as an alternative welding process to join end plug to clad tube. The characteristics of autogenous processes such as GTAW and pulsed Nd-YAG laser welding on fuel cladding tube to end plug joints have been investigated in this study. Dissimilar combinations of modified stainless steel (SS) alloy D9 cladding tube to SS316L end plug, and similar combinations of SS316L cladding tube to SS316L end plug were successfully welded using the above two welding processes. The laser welding was performed at the butting surfaces of the cladding tube and the end plug, and also by shifting the laser beam by 0.2 mm towards the end plug side to compensate the heat balance and for improving the Cr_eq/Ni_eq ratio in the molten pool. Helium Leak Test (HLT) and Radiography Test (RT) were carried out to validate the quality of the welds. The microstructures of the weld joints were analysed using optical microscope. In the present study, it has been demonstrated that it is possible to obtain welds free from hot cracks by shifting the laser beam by 0.2 mm towards end plug side, while the weld produced using the beam positioned at the interface shows cracks in the weld.

Abstract: Texture and substructure changes in cladding tubes from Zr-based alloys under neutron irradiation in the atomic reactor during 6 years were investigated by use of X-ray methods. For this aim in the “hot” laboratory the automated X-ray diffractometer was set and the technique to handle with irradiated samples was elaborated. The residual radiation activity of samples correlates with integral texture Kearns parameters of tube, so that the texture weakens as the doze of neutron irradiation grows. Because of the initial substructure inhomogeneity of cladding tubes its changes under neutron irradiation are also inhomogeneous: relatively perfect grains of texture maxima become more distorted, whereas initially distorted grains of texture minima becomes more perfect.

Abstract: To investigate the property of a new type of Zircaloy material, a low cycle fatigue (LCF) test has been performed at room temperature (RT) and 375°C. Results show that the new alloy generally displays cyclic hardening followed by a continuous softening behavior. Fatigue lifetime curves as a function of strain range imply that the new alloy has a nearly same lifetime than that of Zr-4 at RT, and superior than that at 375°C.

Abstract: Fretting can be defined as the oscillatory motion with very small amplitudes, which usually occur between two contacting surfaces. Fretting wear is the removal of material from contacting surfaces through fretting action. This fretting wear, which occurs between cladding tubes of nuclear fuel rod and grids, causes in damages the cladding tubes by flow induced vibration in a nuclear reactor. In this paper the fretting wear tests were performed with two types of cladding tubes and three types of supporting grids in water. Fretting wear tests were done using various applied loads. From the results of fretting tests, the wear amounts of tube materials can be predictable by obtaining the wear coefficient using the work rate model. Depending on various normal load, tube materials, and supporting grid shapes, distinctively different wear scar of fretting and stick-slip mechanism can occur.

Abstract: Irradiation of metal materials with low-energy ions is accompanied by the long-range effect, consisting in distinct texture and structure changes at the depth, exceeding, at least, by 104 times the thickness of the layer of ion retardation. In order to ascertain mechanisms of this effect, a layer-by-layer X-ray study was carried out as applied to ion-plasma treated cladding tubes of Zr- 1%Nb alloy for nuclear reactors. Impacts of pulse treatments with helium plasma by two different regimes and the ion energy of ~ 1 keV were compared. It was found, that only by minimal surface melting the ion-plasma treatment causes unpredictable bulk texture changes, consisting in arising of the axial texture component. The melted surface layer suppresses shock waves, associated with braking of ions and supposedly responsible for stimulation of dislocation processes at long distances from the surface.