• 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.

• 한국윤활학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국윤활학회 2003년도 학술대회지
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• pp.64-71
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• 2003

In order to evaluate the effect of alloying elements (Nb and Sn) on the wear resistance of advanced Zr fuel claddings, sliding wear tests have been performed in room temperature air and water and these results were compared with those of commercial alloys such as Zircaloy-4, A and B alloys. As a result, the advanced Zr fuel claddings have a similar wear resistance compared with the commercial alloys. The wear resistance of the advanced Zr fuel claddings is closely releted to the content of Nb and Sn even though the effects of transition elements are involved in deforming wear properties. In the tested specimens with similar Sn content, wear volume became down to a minimum at $0.4\;wt\;\%$ Nb, then rapidly increased at 1.0 wt Nb. This behavior results in the variation of grain size with alloying contents. But Sn did not have a significant effect on the wear volume of advanced Zr fuel claddings below $1.1\;wt\%$. The relationship between alloying elements and wear behaviour was evaluated and discussed using material compatibility factor.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.1-11
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• 1991

중수로형 핵연료봉단마개용접부의 품질검 사는 금속조직 검사에 따른 용접계면에 존재하는 불연속인 용접선(weld line) 길이가 가장 중요한 검사기준이다. 본 연구에서는 저항용접에서 가장 중요한 변수인 용접열의 변화에 따라 용접계면에서 용접선 소멸과 이 용접선이 용접부에 미치는 경향을 미세조직, 인장 및 파열시험으로 조사하였고, 또 주사전자현미경을 사용하며 파단면을 조사하였다. 용접열(main heat)의 변화에 따라 실제 용접에 사용된 전류와 업셋에 따른 시편길이 감소량은 증가하였으며 이들에 관한 상관관계식을 유도하였다. 용접열 50%근 용접된 용접부의 용접업셋 크기, 기계적 강도 및 용접선 소멸등을 고려한 결과 이것이 건전한 봉단마개 용접을 위한 임계치임을 알았다. 용접열을 50%에서 75%로 변화시킴에 따라 Zircaloy-4 용접부의 미세조직은 basketweave, Widmanstatten과 마르텐사이트로 변했고, 이는 용접시 최고도달 온도에 따라 냉각속도가 크게 변화했기 때문으로 사료된다. 인장시험에 의한 용접선 파단면에서 연성파괴의 dimple 형상은 2축응력에 의해 파열된 파단면의 dimple보다 크고 깊었음이 관찰되었다. 저항업셋용접부에서의 용접전류 증가에 따른 용접선의 소멸과정은 초기용접계면에 기공 존재, 이들의 수축과 소멸 및 초기계면 수축등 3단계로 구분할 수 있었다.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1996년도 춘계학술발표회논문집(3)
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• pp.259-264
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• 1996

상용 Zircaloy-4보다 성능이 우수한 고연소도용 Zr 신합금을 개발하는 것을 목표로 외국에서 개발중인 12종의 신합금 피복관에 대한 특성평가, 부식기구 규명 연구, 국내에서 제조된 Zr 신합금의 특성평가를 실시하였다. 외국 피복관의 부식특성 평가로 부터 Sn을 0.6-1.0 wt.% 첨가하고 Nb을 0.4 wt.% 첨가하는 것이 내식성 관점에서 바람직함을 알 수 있었다. 여러 가지 LiOH용액에서의 부식기구 연구를 통해 수소화물이 부식가속의 원인임을 알 수 있었으며 수소화물 형성을 억제하는데는 Nb첨가가 효과적인 것으로 나타났다. 이와 같은 연구결과를 토대로 신합금의 개발방안을 수립하였으며 예비적으로 합금을 설계. 제조하여 특성시험을 실시한 결과, Zr-Sn-Nb-FeCr 합금이 우수한 내식성을 보이며 Fe, Mo는 강도 증가 효과가 큰 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 연구결과를 종합적으로 평가하여 신합금을 설계하고 노외성능 평가를 통해서 신합금을 선정한후, 단계적으로 하나로를 이용한 노내성능 평가를 실시할 예정이다.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.240-249
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• 1992

The objective of this study is to investigate the characteristics of welded joints on the Zircaloy-4 resistance upset welding for HWR(Heavy Water reactor)fuel rods. To estimate the characteristics of welded joints, the various tests were performed on the test coupons systematically with a wide range of each welding parameters in terms of a tensile test, burst test, knoop hardness test and metallography. Major results obtained in this study are as follows: 1. The tube and machined with 120.deg. projection was the reliable weld joint design for the nuclear fuel rod end cap welding. 2. As the weld current and the amount of upset increased linearly with increasing welding main heat input, it could make an estimate of their variation in accordance with the phase shift control. 3. It was found that an increase in squeeze force has an effect on the upset contour of welded joint because the amount of upset were increased by the change of squeeze force.

• 한국진공학회지
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• 제4권S2호
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• pp.100-105
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• 1995

Nitrogen implantation process has been applied for improvement of wear resistance of Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding materials. Nitrogen was implanted at 120keV to a total dose range of $1\times 10^{17}$ions/$\textrm{cm}^2$ to $1\times 10^{18}$ions/$\textrm{cm}^2$ at various temperatures between $270^{\circ}C$ and $671^{\circ}C$. The microstructure changes by nitrogen implantation were analyzed by XRD and AES and wear behavior was evaluated by performing ball-on-disc type wear testing at various loads and sliding velocities under unlubricated condition. Nitrogen implantation produced ZrNx nitride above $3\times 10^{17}$ions/$\textrm{cm}^2$ as well as heavy dislocations, which resluted in an increase in microhardness of the implanted surface of up to 1400 $H_k$ from 200 $H_k$ of unimplanted substrate. Hardness was also found to be increased with increasing implantation temperature up to 1760 $H_k$ at $620^{\circ}C$. The wear resistance was greatly improved as total ion dose and implantation temperature increased. The effective enhancement of wear resistance at high dose and temperature is believed to be due to the significant hardening associated with high degree of precipitation of Zr nitrides and generation of prismatic dislocation loops.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1997년도 춘계학술발표회논문집(2)
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• pp.183-188
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• 1997

핵연료 피복관용 Zr신합금을 개발하기 위해서 16종의 신합금을 설계하였다. 설계된 합금은 진공아크용해, $\beta$-열처리, 열간압연, 냉간압연 및 진공열처리의 공정에 의해 판재로 제조되었으며 이들 시편에 대해 35$0^{\circ}C$와 40$0^{\circ}C$에서 부식시험, 상온과 고온에서 인장시험 및 40$0^{\circ}C$에서 크립시험을 실시하여 신합금의 특성을 평가하였다. Zr-Nb-Sn계에 Fe, V, Te, Sb, Ru, Pd의 다른 원소를 미량 첨가하는 다원계 합금에서 Fe와 Cr은 부식특성을 향상시키는데 매우 효과적인 것으로 나타났다. Sb는 기계적강도를 향상시키고 Fe, Cr원소는 연신율을 증가시키는 원소로 밝혀졌으며 Sb와 V은 크립저항성을 매우 향상시킨다. 16종의 합금중 2-3종의 합금은 기존의 Zircaloy-4보다 우수한 내식성을 보였으며 Zr-Nb-Sn-FeCr합금은 ZIRLO와 유사한 부식저항성을 나타냈다. 부식과 크립저항성을 동시에 향상시키기 위해서는 Fe, Cr, Sb원소를 적절히 함유시킨 합금에 대해서 집중적인 연구가 수행되어야 할 것으로 사료된다.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제27권10호
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• pp.563-568
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• 2017

In this study, the coating of an Al-Cr layer on the surface of a Zircaloy-4 alloy was carried out through plasma pretreatment coating and a laser surface melting process. Two different conditions for laser treatment, severe or minimal surface melting of the Zr alloy substrate, were applied to form the final coating. When there was significant surface melting of the Zr alloy, the solidification microstructure of the newly formed coating layer was mainly composed of needle-shaped $Al_3Zr$, Al(Cr) and $Al_7Cr$ phases. On the other hand, the solidification microstructure of the coating layer was mainly composed of Al(Cr) and $Al_7Cr$ phases when there was minimal surface melting of Zr base in the laser process. However, when the coating was maintained at $1100^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours, significant inter-diffusion occurred between the phases in the coating. As a result, the upper part of the coating layer was observed to mainly consist of $Al_3Zr$ and $Al_8Cr_5$ phases, regardless of the laser treatment conditions.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1996년도 춘계학술발표회논문집(3)
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• pp.238-243
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• 1996

현재 상용 공급되고 있는 4종의 경수로 핵연료 피복관에 대해 노외 부식특성 시험을 수행하여 그 특성을 비교하였다. 이중 3종의 피복관은 제조공정을 달리하여 제조된 low tin Zircaloy-4 (피복관 A, B, C)이며, 1종은 Nb이 첨가된 Zr 합금 (피복관 D)이었다. 증류수내 Li 함량을 2.2 ppm, 30 ppm, 220 ppm으로 변화시키며 부식시험을 수행한 결과 최종 pilgering시 낮은 Q 인자와 높은 열처리 온도로 제조된 피복관 A의 내부식성이 대체로 우수하였으며, 220 ppm Li 수용액에서는 Nb이 첨가된 피복관의 내부식성이 매우 우수한 것으로 나타났다. Li 첨가의 영향을 보면 2.2 ppm Li 첨가시에는 증류수와 거의 동일한 부식거동을 나타내고 있으나 30 ppm Li 첨가시에는 부식이 가속되고 있었으며, 220 ppm Li으로 Li 함량이 크게 증가하였을 때 부식속도도 크게 증가하였다. 수소흡수율은 피복관 A에서 가장 높았으며, 피복관 D가 가장 낮은 값을 나타내었다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.229-236
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• 2018

Accident-tolerant fuels (ATFs) are currently of high interest to researchers in the nuclear industry and in governmental and international organizations. One widely studied accident-tolerant fuel concept is multilayer cladding (also known as coated cladding). This concept is based on a traditional Zr-based alloy (Zircaloy-4, M5, E110, ZIRLO etc.) serving as a substrate. Different protective materials are applied to the substrate surface by various techniques, thus enhancing the accident tolerance of the fuel. This study focuses on the results of testing of Zircaloy-4 coated with pure chromium metal using the cold spray (CS) technique. In comparison with other deposition methods, e.g., Physical vapor deposition (PVD), laser coating, or Chemical vapor deposition techniques (CVD), the CS technique is more cost efficient due to lower energy consumption and high deposition rates, making it more suitable for industry-scale production. The Cr-coated samples were tested at different conditions ($500^{\circ}C$ steam, $1200^{\circ}C$ steam, and Pressurized water reactor (PWR) pressurization test) and were precharacterized and postcharacterized by various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), or nanoindentation; results are discussed. Results of the steady-state fuel performance simulations using the Bison code predicted the concept's feasibility. It is concluded that CS Cr coating has high potential benefits but requires further optimization and out-of-pile and in-pile testing.