• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권5호
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• pp.1549-1559
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• 2022

As an accident tolerant fuel (ATF) concept, oxide dispersion strengthened Zircaloy-4 (ODS Zry-4) cladding has been developed to enhance the mechanical properties of cladding using laser processing technology. In this study, a simulation technique was established to investigate the mechanical properties and effects of Y₂O₃ particles for the ODS Zry-4. A 3D representative volume element (RVE) model was developed considering the parameters of the size, shape, distribution and volume fraction (VF) of the Y₂O₃ particles. From the 3D RVE model, the Young's modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and creep strain rate of the ODS Zry-4 were effectively calculated. It was observed that the VF of Y₂O₃ particles had a significant effect on the aforementioned mechanical properties. In addition, the predicted properties of ODS Zry-4 were applied to a simulation model to investigate cladding deformation under a transient condition. The ODS Zry-4 cladding showed better performance, such as a delay in large deformation compared to Zry-4 cladding, which was also found experimentally. Accordingly, it is expected that the simulation approach developed here can be efficiently employed to predict more properties and to provide useful information with which to improve ODS Zry-4.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.218-222
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• 2018

An oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) layer was formed on Zircaloy-4 tubes by a laser beam scanning process to increase mechanical strength. Laser beam was used to scan the yttrium oxide ($Y_2O_3$)-coated Zircaloy-4 tube to induce the penetration of $Y_2O_3$ particles into Zircaloy-4. Laser surface treatment resulted in the formation of an ODS layer as well as microstructural phase transformation at the surface of the tube. The mechanical strength of Zircaloy-4 increased with the formation of the ODS layer. The ring-tensile strength of Zircaloy-4 increased from 790 to 870 MPa at room temperature, from 500 to 575 MPa at $380^{\circ}C$, and from 385 to 470 MPa at $500^{\circ}C$. Strengthening became more effective as the test temperature increased. It was noted that brittle fracture occurred at room temperature, which was not observed at elevated temperatures. Resistance to dynamic high-temperature bursting improved. The burst temperature increased from 760 to $830^{\circ}C$ at a heating rate of $5^{\circ}C/s$ and internal pressure of 8.3 MPa. The burst opening was also smaller than those in fresh Zircaloy-4 tubes. This method is expected to enhance the safety of Zr fuel cladding tubes owing to the improvement of their mechanical properties.