Zirconium alloy composition for nuclear fuel cladding tube forming protective oxide film, zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding tube manufactured using the composition, and method of manufacturing the zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding tube

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a zirconium alloy composition for nuclear fuel cladding tubes, comprising: 1.6˜2.0 wt % of Nb; 0.05˜0.14 wt % of Sn; 0.02˜0.2 wt % of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Fe, Cr and Cu; 0.09˜0.15 wt % of O; 0.008˜0.012 wt % of Si; and a balance of Zr, a nuclear fuel cladding tube comprising the zirconium alloy composition, and a method of manufacturing the nuclear fuel cladding tube. Since the nuclear fuel cladding tube made of the zirconium alloy composition can maintain excellent corrosion resistance by forming a protective oxide film thereon under the conditions of high-temperature and high-pressure cooling water and water vapor, it can be usefully used as a nuclear fuel cladding tube for light water reactors or heavy water reactors, thus improving the economical efficiency and safety of the use of nuclear fuel.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This patent application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0043446 filed on May 9, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a zirconium alloy composition for nuclear fuel cladding tubes, which can maintain excellent corrosion resistance for a long period of time by forming a protective oxide film under the operating environment of a light water reactor or a heavy water reactor, a zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding tube manufactured using the zirconium alloy composition, and a method of manufacturing the zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding tube.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]A nuclear fuel cladding tube used for a nuclear fuel assembly of a light water reactor or a heavy water reactor is predominantly manufactured using a zirconium alloy. To dat...

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Benefits of technology

[0016]Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a zirconium alloy composition for nuclear fuel cladding tubes, which can maintain excellent corrosion resistance for a long period time by forming a protective oxide film under the operating environment of a light water reactor or a heavy water reactor.

[0017]Another object of the present invention is to provide a zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding tube having excellent corrosion resistance, which can meet high-burnup long-period operation conditions, and a method of manufacturing the same.

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, when the conventional Zircaloy-2 or Zircaloy-4 is used as a raw material for a nuclear fuel cladding tube, there is a problem in that the corrosion phenomenon of the nuclear fuel becomes serious.

However, the change in the corrosion resistance of the Nb-containing zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding tubes is very sensitive to the kind and amount of added elements, the size and distribution of precipitates present in a microstructure, and the like.

When a zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding tube is used in the reactor environment, the corrosion phenomenon thereof cannot be avoided, and thus an oxide film is formed on the surface of the zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding tube.

Although it is well known that the corrosion resistance of a nuclear fuel cladding tube is determined by the protection ability of an oxide film formed in the early stage of corrosion, to date, zirconium alloys for nuclear fuel cladding tubes have been developed based on only experimental results, and technologies for improving the protection ability of the oxide film have not yet been developed.

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