• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2009

In order to evaluate high-temperature oxidation behavior of the advanced alloy cladding under LOCA conditions, isothermal oxidation tests in steam were performed with cladding specimens prepared from high burnup PWR fuel rods that were irradiated up to 79 MWd/kg. Cladding materials were $M5^{(R)}$ and $ZIRLO^{TM}$, which are Nb-containing alloys. Ring-shaped specimens were isothermally oxidized in flowing steam at temperatures from 1173 to 1473 K for the duration between 120 and 4000s. Oxidation rates were evaluated from measured oxide layer thickness and weight gain. A protective effect of the preformed corrosion layer is seen for the shorter time range at the lower temperatures. The influence of pre-hydriding is not significant for the examined range. Alloy composition change generally has small influence on oxidation in the examined temperature range, though $M5^{(R)}$ shows an obviously smaller oxidation constant at 1273 K. Consequently, the oxidation rates of the high burnup $M5^{(R)}$ and $ZIRLO^{TM}$ cladding are comparable or lower than that of unirradiated Zircaloy-4 cladding.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.353-354
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• 2009

Tensile deformation behavior with different strain rate was investigated. $Zr_{56.2}Ti_{13.8}Nb_{5.0}Cu_{6.9}Ni_{5.6}Be_{12.5}$ (bulk metallic glass alloy possessed crystal phase which was called $\beta$-phase of dendrite shape, mean size of $20{\sim}30{\mu}m$ and occupied 25% of the total volume) was used in this study. Maximum tensile strength was obtained as 1.74Gpa at strain rate of $10^2/s$ and minimum strength was found to be 1.6GPa at $10^{-1}/s$. And then, maximum plastic deformation occurred at the strain rate of $5{\times}10^{-2}/s$ and represented 1.75%, though minimum plastic deformation showed 0%. In the specific range of strain rate, relatively higher plastic deformation and lower ultimate tensile strength were found with lots of shear bands. The fractographical observation after tensile test indicated that vein like pattern on the fracture surface was well developed especially in the above range of strain rate.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.237-245
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• 2018

Potential air ingress scenarios during accidents in nuclear reactors or spent fuel pools have raised the question of the influence of air, especially of nitrogen, on the oxidation of zirconium alloys, which are used as fuel cladding tubes and other structure materials. In this context, the reaction of zirconium with nitrogen-containing atmospheres and the formation of zirconium nitride play an important role in understanding the oxidation mechanism. This article presents the results of analysis of the interaction of the oxygen-preloaded niobium-bearing alloy $M5^{(R)}$ with nitrogen over a wide range of temperatures ($800-1400^{\circ}C$) and oxygen contents in the metal alloy (1-7 wt.%). A strongly increasing nitriding rate with rising oxygen content in the metal was found. The highest reaction rates were measured for the saturated ${\alpha}-Zr(O)$, as it exists at the metal-oxide interface, at $1300^{\circ}C$. The temperature maximum of the reaction rate was approximately 100 K higher than for Zircaloy-4, already investigated in a previous study. The article presents results of thermogravimetric experiments as well as posttest examinations by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and microprobe elemental analyses. Furthermore, a comparison with results obtained with Zircaloy-4 will be made.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.500-507
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• 2009

Tensile deformation behavior with different strain rate was investigated. $Zr_{56.2}Ti_{13.8}Nb_{5.0}Cu_{6.9}Ni_{5.6}Be_{12.5}$(bulk metallic glass alloy possessed crystal phase which was called $\beta$-phase of dendrite shape, mean size of $20{\sim}30{\mu}m$ and occupied 25% of the total volume) was used in this study. Maximum tensile strength was obtained as 1.74GPa at strain rate $10^2s^{-1}$ and minimum strength was found to be 1.6GPa at $10^{-1}s^{-1}$. And then, maximum plastic deformation occurred at the strain rate of $5{\times}10^{-2}s^{-1}$ and represented 1.75%, though minimum plastic deformation showed 0%. In the specific range of strain rate, relatively higher plastic deformation and lower ultimate tensile strength were found with lots of shear bands. The fractographical observation after tensile test indicated that vein like pattern on the fracture surface was well developed especially in the above range of strain rate.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.681-688
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• 2014

Hydride reorientation behaviors of PWR cladding tubes under typical interim dry storage conditions were investigated with the use of as-received 250 and 485ppm hydrogen-charged Zr-Nb alloy cladding tubes. In order to evaluate the effect of typical cool-down processes on the radial hydride precipitation, two terminal heat-up temperatures of 300 and $400^{\circ}C$, as well as two terminal cool-down temperatures of 200 and $300^{\circ}C$, were considered. In addition, two cooling rates of 2.5 and $8.0^{\circ}C/min$ during the cool-down processes were taken into account along with zero stress or a tensile hoop stress of 150MPa. It was found that the 250ppm hydrogen-charged specimen experiencing the higher terminal heat-up temperature and the lower terminal cool-down temperature generated the highest number of radial hydrides during the cool-down process under 150MPa hoop tensile stress, which may be explained by terminal solid hydrogen solubilities for precipitation, and dissolution and remaining circumferential hydrides at the terminal heat-up temperatures. In addition, the slower cool-down rate generates the larger number of radial hydrides due to a cooling rate-dependent, longer residence time at a relatively high temperature that can accelerate the radial hydride nucleation and growth.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.321-329
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• 2006

The popularity of Ni-Cr-Mo based metal alloys for metal-ceramic crown have increased recently because of low price, superior yield strength and rigidity. the use of these alloys give them the potential advantage of thinner copping with the required rigidity for long span bridges. The purpose of this study was to assess the microstructures and mechanical properties of Ni-Cr-Mo-(Si,Al,Nb,Zr,Ti.Cu,Mm) based Alloys not containing beryllium(Be) related toxic effects. The abtained results indicated that as-cast these specimen alloys showed compositional and microstructural differences, and mechanical properties values of Ni69Cr20Mo5Si2Al4 alloy among these specimen alloys was found to be superior to those of commercial Ni-Cr based alloy using in market place today.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.265-276
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• 2013

Pressure tubes made of Zr-2.5 wt% Nb alloy are important components consisting reactor coolant pressure boundary of a pressurized heavy water reactor, in which unanticipated through-wall cracks and rupture may occur due to a delayed hydride cracking (DHC). The Canadian Standards Association has provided deterministic and probabilistic structural integrity evaluation procedures to protect pressure tubes against DHC. However, intuitive understanding and subsequent assessment of flaw behaviors are still insufficient due to complex degradation mechanisms and diverse influential parameters of DHC compared with those of stress corrosion cracking and fatigue crack growth phenomena. In the present study, a deterministic flaw assessment program was developed and applied for systematic integrity assessment of the pressure tubes. Based on the examination results dealing with effects of flaw shapes, pressure tube dimensional changes, hydrogen concentrations of pressure tubes and plant operation scenarios, a simple and rough method for effective cooldown operation was proposed to minimize DHC risks. The developed deterministic assessment program for pressure tubes can be used to derive further technical bases for probabilistic damage frequency assessment.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.325-331
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• 2022

Beta-titanium alloys are used in many industries due to their increased elongation resulting from their BCC structure and low modulus of elasticity. However, there are many limitations to their use due to the high cost of beta-stabilizer elements. In this study, biocompatible Ti-Mo-Fe beta titanium alloys are designed by replacing costly beta-stabilizer elements (e.g., Nb, Zr, or Ta) with inexpensive Mo and Fe elements. Additionally, Ti-Mo-Fe alloys designed with different Fe contents are fabricated using powder metallurgy. Fe is a strong, biocompatible beta-stabilizer element and a low-cost alloying element. The mechanical properties of the Ti-Mo-Fe metastable beta titanium alloys are analyzed in relation to the microstructural changes. When the Fe content increases, the tensile strength and elongation decrease due to brittle fracture despite a decreasing pore fraction. It is confirmed that the hardness and tensile strength of Ti-5Mo-2Fe P/M improve to more than 360 Hv and 900 MPa, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.254-259
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• 2014

A pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) core has 380 fuel channels contained and supported by a horizontal cylindrical vessel known as the calandria, whereas a pressurized water reactor (PWR) has only a single reactor vessel. The pressure tube, which is a pressure-retaining component, has a 103.4 mm inside diameter ${\times}$ 4.19 mm wall thickness, and is 6.36 m long, made of a zirconium alloy (Zr-2.5 wt% Nb). This provides support for the fuel while transporting the $D_2O$ heat-transfer fluid. The simple tubular geometry invites highly automated inspection, and good approach for all inspection. Similar to all nuclear heat-transfer pressure boundaries, the PHWR pressure tube requires a rigorous, periodic inspection to assess the reactor integrity in accordance with the Korea Nuclear Safety Committee law. Volumetric-based nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques utilizing ultrasonic and eddy current testing have been adopted for use in the periodic inspection of the fuel channel. The eddy current testing, as a supplemental NDE method to ultrasonic testing, is used to confirm the flaws primarily detected through ultrasonic testing, however, eddy current testing offers a significant advantage in that its ability to detect surface flaws is superior to that of ultrasonic testing. In this paper, effectiveness of flaw detection and the depth sizing capability by eddy current testing for the inside surface of a pressure tube, will be introduced. As a result of this examination, the ET technique is found to be useful only as a detection technique for defects because it can detect fine defects on the surface with high resolution. However, the ET technique is not recommended for use as a depth sizing method because it has a large degree of error for depth sizing.