Microstructural Characteristics of Zircaloy-4 Nuclear Fuel Cladding Welds by Resistance Upset Welding Processes

저항 업셋 용접방식에 따른 Zircaloy-4 핵연료 피복재 용접부의 미세조직 특성

  • 고진현 (한국기술교육대학교 신소재공학과) ;
  • 김상호 (한국기술교육대학교 신소재공학과) ;
  • 박춘호 (한전 원자력연료주식회사) ;
  • 김수성 (한국원자력연구소)
  • Published : 2002.06.01

Abstract

A study on microstructures of welds for Zircaloy-4 sheath end closure by the resistance upset welding methods was carried out. Two upset welding process variations such as magnetic farce and multi-impulse resistance welding were used. Grain size and microhardness across welds were analysed in terms of welding parameters. Magnetic farce resistance weld with one cycle of unbalanced mode has smaller upset length and $\alpha-grain$ size in heat affected zone than those of multi-impulse resistance weld because of lower heat input and shorter welding time. Heat affected zone formed by two upset resistance welding variations revealed fine Widmanstatten structure or martensitic ${\alpha}'$ structure due to the high heating rate and foster cooling rate. Magnetic force resistance welds showed recrystallized grains before grain growth, whereas multi-impulse resistance welds showed full grain growth.

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References

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