• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.70-78
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• 1993

An attempt was made to investigate the effect of brazing time on microstructure, microhardness, and corrosion of Zircaloy -4as well as the beryllium diffusion into its sheet. The sheets were coated with beryllium and brazed at $1020^{\circ}C$ for 20-40 minutes in $2{\times}10^{-5}$ torr vacuum atmosphere. 1. Microstructurally the brazed zone was largely divided into three regions: a region of continuous or partially formed of eutectic liquid films along grain boundaries; a region of precipitation in both grains and grain boundaries; a region of elongated wide structure of .alpha.-laths, which was not affected by beryllium. 2. Due to the precipitates, the beryllium-migrated region was hardened and the width of the hardened region increased with increasing brazing time. 3. Beryllium brazed Zircaloy -4 sheets showed a higher corrosion rate than those of as-received and heat-treated at a brazing temperature. 4. Diffusion coefficient of beryllium into Zircaloy -4 at $1020^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes was $7.67{\times}10^{-7}cm^2/sec.$ It seemed that Be penetrated Zircaloy -4 by forming eutectic liquid films along grain boundaries in the proximity of Be/Zr interface and it, thereafter, diffused into Zircaloy mainly by interstitial solid solution.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.22-28
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• 2006

A spacer grid assembly, which is an interconnected array of slotted grid straps and is welded at the intersections to form an egg crate structure, is one of the main structural components of the nuclear fuel assembly for Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs). The weld quality of spacer grids in PWRs fuel is extremely important for the fuel assembly performance in the nuclear renter. The spacer grid welds are currently evaluated mainly by the metallographic examination although it reveals only cross-points which are welded by the laser beam. This experiment is also to compare the weldability of Zircaloy-4 spacer grids using by the GTA and LB. The effect of node geometries of spacer grids for the GTAW and LBW has been studied and optimum conditions of spacer grid welding have been found. Microstructures and micro-hardness of the GTA and LB welded zones have been also compared.

• 한국윤활학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국윤활학회 2001년도 제34회 추계학술대회 개최
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• pp.19-26
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• 2001

The wear characteristic of Zircaloy-4 tube, which is used for a cladding of light water reactor fuel rod, is investigated experimentally. The experiment is conducted with contacting the crossed tube specimens in air as well as in water at room temperature with various combination of contact normal force and sliding distance of reciprocating motion. The contour and the volume of each wear are examined to study the effect of contact condition and environment on wear. As a result, it is found that the wear volume in the water environment is larger than that in the air for all the contact (i.e., force and sliding distance) conditions. However, the wear depth is greater in air than in water if the contact normal force and the sliding distance are larger. These are explained by the ease of detachment of wear particles from the contact surface. On the other hand, workrate model is applied with the contact shear force range measured by our wear tester. Investigated is the correlation between the workrate and the wear volume increase rate of the present experiment. The parabolic curve is found to fit well for the present wear data.

• 한국윤활학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국윤활학회 2001년도 제33회 춘계학술대회 개최
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• pp.81-88
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• 2001

To study the influence of the shape of contacting bodies (especially the end profile) on slip regime, wear test is conducted in the case of the contact between tube and support. Two different end profiles of the support are used such as truncated wedge and rounded punch. During the test, 10, 30 and 50 N are applied as normal force and slip displacement varies between 10-200 $\mu\textrm{m}$. The tube and the support specimens are made of Zircaloy-4 and a specially designed wear tester is used. Tests are carried out in air at room temperature. Wear on the tube is examined by measuring microscope. Partial and gross slip regimes are classified from the observed wear shape. Surface roughness tester is also used to measure the wear depth and contour, from which wear volume is evaluated. The transition from partial to gross slip is also investigated by investigating the considerable increase of wear volume. From the result, the boundary between the partial and the gross slip is newly determined in the conventional fretting map for the present specific contact configuration. Since the transition is related with the amount of energy dissipation from the contact surface so is wear, it is regarded that wear can be restrained by designing a proper shape of support.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.589-594
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• 1999

The effect of $\beta$-heat treatment on th microstructure, mechanical properties and texture in the nuclear fuel cladding of Zircaloy-4 tubes was chosen at 1000, 1100 and 120$0^{\circ}C$, and the tubes were heat-treated by a high frequency vacuum induction furnace. Morphology of the second phase particles and $\alpha$-grain of as-received tubes were markedly changed by heat treatment. The average sizes of second phase particles of as-received and $\beta$-heat treated tubes were 0.1$\mu\textrm{m}$ and 0.076$\mu\textrm{m}$, respectively. However, the average sizes of second phase particles were not much changed in the $\beta$-heated temperatures. With increasing heat treatment temperatures, the 0.2% yield strength and the hoop strength were decreased because of changes in preferred orientation as will as $\alpha$-plate width. Heat treated Zircaloy-4 tubes exhibited texture changes but the preferred orientation of grains still remained.

• 한국정밀공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국정밀공학회 2000년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.393-396
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• 2000

Spent fuel rod cutting device should cut a spent fuel rod to an optimal size in order to fast decladding operation. In this paper, for developing spent fuel rod cutting device with cutter blade, rod properties such as dimension and material of zircaloy tube and fuel pellet are investigated at first and then, various methods of existing cutting devices used commercially are investigated and their performance are analyzed and compared. This device is designed to be operated automatically via remote control system considering later use in Hot-Cell (radioactive area) and the mdularization in the structure of this device makes maintenance easy. SUS and Zircaloy-4 are selected as cut material used in the test of spent fuel rod cutting device by cutter blade. In order for constructing the high durable cutter blade, various materials are analyzed in terms of quality, shape, characteristic, and heat treatment, etc. and from these results, spent fuel rod cutting device is designed and manufactured based on the considerations of durability, round shape sustainability of rod cross-section, debris generation, and fire risk, etc.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.259-263
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• 2002

Three different ribbons of amorphous $Til_{1-x}Be_x$ alloys such as $Ti_{0.59}Be_{0.41},\;Ti_{0.61}Be_{0.39}\;and\;Ti_{0.63}Be_{0.37}$ were made by melt-spinning method to be used as brazing filler metals for joining Zircaloy-4 nuclear fuel cladding tubes, and their crystallization behavior as well as microstructure of the brazed zone were examined. The crystallization behavior was investigated in teams of thermal stability, crystallization temperature and activation energy. The crystallization of the $Ti_{1-x}Be_x$ alloys proceeded in two steps by the formation of ${\alpha}$-Ti at a lower temperature and of TiBe at a higher temperature. The crystallization temperature and activation energy of $Ti_{1-x}Be_x$ alloys were higher and larger than those of $Zr_{1-x}Be_x$ alloys and PVD Be. Those resulted thinner joining layer with $Ti_{1-x}Be_x$ alloys, which kept sound thickness of Zircaloy-4 nuclear fuel cladding tubes after brazing. But in the brazed zones made by $Ti_{1-x}Be_x$ filler metals, a little solid-solution layers composed of Zr and Ti were formed toward the Zr cladding tube and Zr was detected in the brazed zones. Microstructure of brazed zone was changed from globular to dentrite with decreasing Be content in the $Ti_{1-x}Be_x$ filler metal.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.67-75
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• 2013

핵연료 지지격자 소재로 사용되는 zircaloy-4의 유동응력을 Johnson-Cook 모델로 결정하고, 모델의 재료상수를 역 공학으로 도출했다. 변형률 항의 상수 A, B, n과 변형률 속도 항의 $\dot{\varepsilon}_0$은 인장시험을 통해 결정했다. 상수 C, m을 역 공학으로 도출하기 위해 슬롯밀링시험을 수행하고, 유한요소해석으로 모사했다. 실험과 해석으로 얻은 결과의 차이를 오차함수, 즉 최소화 대상 목적함수로 설정했고, 이 함수를 최소로 하는 C, m을 도출했다. 도출한 상수의 타당성을 검증하기 위해 상관계수를 살펴봤고, 전단시험과 해석을 수행해 교차 검증했다. 상관계수는 모든 조건에 대해 0.97이상으로 실험과 해석결과 사이에 강한 상관관계가 있음을 확인했다. 전단시험과 해석의 전단면 형상 및 최대하중을 비교하여 도출한 유동응력 모델이 타당함을 보였다.

• 한국표면공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국표면공학회 1999년도 추계학술발표회 초록집
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• pp.105-105
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• 1999

핵연료 피복관은 핵연료에서 방사성 핵분열생성물의 방출을 저지하는 가장 뚱요한 방어막인데, 현재 지르칼로이 4가 피복관의 재료로 사용되고 있다. 사용후 핵연료는 원자력발전소내 습식 저장조에 저장되고 있으나, 지속적인 관리와 장소확보의 용이 성으로 인해 건식 저장조를 사용하는 추세에 있다. 본 연구에선 건식 저장조에 장 기간 저장되는 핵연료 피복관에 주변 환경으로부터 오염될 수 있는 소금기나 기름 등이 지르칼로이의 공기중 산화에 미치는 영향의 존재를 밝히려 한다. 현재 고리 원자력발전소에서 사용중인 핵연료 피복관을 1cm정도 높이로 자르고, 피복관 표면 을 ASTM -G2-88 방법으로 처리한 후 산화실험을 수행하였다. 산화정도는 간헐적 (intermittent) 방법을 사용하여 시편의 무게를 측정하여 구하였으며, 산화온도는 $400-500^{\circ}C$로 하였다. 소금이 흡착이 된 경우, 산화 속도는 흡착이 안된 시편보다 가속되었으며, 거의 이차법칙을 따르고 있다. 산화막 위의 흡착물의 영향을 알아보기 위해, 지르칼로이를 $500^{\circ}C$ 수증기에 $5g/m^2$ 두께로 산화시킨 후, 다시 산화실험을 수행하였다. 사용한 흡착물은 LiF, NaF, KF, NaCI 이다. 흡착물들은 산화를 대체로 가속시켰으며, NaF, KF, NaCI 순으로 그 영향력이 컸다. 그러나, LiF는 산화에 전혀 영향을 미치지 않았다. SIMS를 사용하여 각 시편의 두께에 따른 흡착물의 분포 를 알아보았다. 음이온(CI, F)과 양이온(Na, Li, K)이 산화막과 금속 경계면까지 관 찰되었으며, 음이온과 양이온의 분포는 대게 동일하였다. LiF의 경우 산화막에서 이들의 농도가 급격히 떨어지고 있음을 알 수 있었다. 산화막 내에서 이들 흡착물의 확산이 산화속도 가속의 원인이며 이들 흡착물중 CI과 F는 산화막과 금속 겸계면 에서 새로 생성되는 산화막의 강도에 영향을 미쳐, 일찍 미세균열을 만들기 시작하여 산화를 가속시키는 것으로 판단된다.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제37권10호
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• pp.1239-1249
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• 2013

본 연구에서는 zircaloy-4 판재에 대해 바우싱거 효과를 고려한 경화거동 예측모델을 구축했다. 금속소재 가공에서 인장 후 압축 시 항복응력이 감소한다. 이에 스프링백 해석 시 바우싱거 효과를 반드시 고려해야 한다. Simple shear 시험에서 적정 시편크기 및 적정 조임토크에 대한 결정법을 제시했다. 5 가지 재료에 대한 simple shear 시험을 통해 응력-변형률 곡선을 구했다. 또한 유한요소해석을 활용해 simple shear 하중-변위 곡선으로부터 유효응력-변형률 곡선으로 변환과정을 소개했다. 등방/운동성 경화 조합모델을 활용해 simple shear 순/역방향 시험을 모사했다. 이때 각 경화계수에 따른 하중-변위 곡선 변화를 관찰하고, zircaloy-4에 대한 경화계수를 결정했다.