• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제41권2호
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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.

• 한국소성가공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국소성가공학회 2009년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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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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• 제50권2호
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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.

• 소성∙가공
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• 제18권6호
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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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• 제46권5호
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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.

• 대한치과기공학회지
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• 제28권2호
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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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• 제45권2호
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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.

• 한국분말재료학회지
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• 제29권4호
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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.

• 비파괴검사학회지
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.254-259
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• 2014

중수로 원자로는 한 개의 원자로용기로 구성된 경수로와는 달리 약 380여개의 연료채널(fuel channel)로 구성되어 있다. 연료채널을 구성하는 압력유지 기기인 압력관(pressure tube)은 지르코니움 합금(Zr-2.5wt% Nb) 재질로서 치수는 내경이 103.4 mm, 두께가 약 4.19 mm, 길이가 6.36 m인 튜브 형태의 관이다. 압력관은 내부에 핵연료 다발과 냉각재가 내장되며 압력관의 기능은 연료를 지지하고 열수송 유체인 중수($D_2O$)를 이송한다. 압력관의 단순한 기하학적인 형상으로 인하여 자동화 비파괴검사가 가능하고 접근성이 우수하다. 연료채널은 경수로형 원전과 동일하게 설치전과 운전중에 원자력안전위원회 법령 요건에 따라 주기적으로 엄격한 비파괴검사를 수행하여 건전성을 확인한다. 연료채널의 주기적 비파괴검사에는 초음파탐상 및 와전류탐상검사 기법을 적용한 체적 비파괴검사 기술이 적용된다. 이중에서 와전류탐상검사 기법은 초음파탐상검사에서 검출된 결함의 확인을 위한 보충검사기술로 적용되고 있지만 표면결함에 대한 검출능이 초음파탐상검사 기법보다 우수한 장점을 가지고 있다. 본 논문에서는 압력관 내부 표면 비파괴검사에 적용되고 있는 와전류탐상검사 기술의 압력관 내면에 발생할 수 있는 결함의 검출 및 깊이 측정 특성에 대한 연구결과를 기술하였다. 즉, 와전류검사 기술은 압력관 내면에 발생할 수 있는 아주 미세한 결함을 매우 우수한 분해능으로 검출할 수 있으므로 초음파탐상검사 결과 확인을 위한 보충기술로서 매우 유용하지만, 결함의 깊이 측정은 오차가 매우 크게 발생하므로 결함 깊이 측정에는 적합하지 않고 오직 표면결함 검출에만 적용하는 것이 바람직하다.