• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.70-78
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• 1993

An attempt was made to investigate the effect of brazing time on microstructure, microhardness, and corrosion of Zircaloy -4as well as the beryllium diffusion into its sheet. The sheets were coated with beryllium and brazed at $1020^{\circ}C$ for 20-40 minutes in $2{\times}10^{-5}$ torr vacuum atmosphere. 1. Microstructurally the brazed zone was largely divided into three regions: a region of continuous or partially formed of eutectic liquid films along grain boundaries; a region of precipitation in both grains and grain boundaries; a region of elongated wide structure of .alpha.-laths, which was not affected by beryllium. 2. Due to the precipitates, the beryllium-migrated region was hardened and the width of the hardened region increased with increasing brazing time. 3. Beryllium brazed Zircaloy -4 sheets showed a higher corrosion rate than those of as-received and heat-treated at a brazing temperature. 4. Diffusion coefficient of beryllium into Zircaloy -4 at $1020^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes was $7.67{\times}10^{-7}cm^2/sec.$ It seemed that Be penetrated Zircaloy -4 by forming eutectic liquid films along grain boundaries in the proximity of Be/Zr interface and it, thereafter, diffused into Zircaloy mainly by interstitial solid solution.

• 한국윤활학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국윤활학회 1999년도 제29회 춘계학술대회
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• pp.310-316
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• 1999

The fretting wear characteristics of the contact between Zircaloy-4 tube and Inconel 600 tube have investigated. Zircaloy-4 is used for fuel rod in nuclear reactor and Inconel 600 is used for tube In steam generator of nuclear power plant. A fretting wear tester was designed to be suitable for this fretting test. In this study, the number of cycles, slip amplitude and normal load were selected as main factors of fretting wear. This study shows that the wear scar length of Zircaloy-4 and Inconel 600 increases as number of cycles, normal load and slip amplitude increase and the wear scar length of Zircaloy-4 is more longer than that of Inconel 600 due to the surface hardness.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제35권6호
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• pp.363-370
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• 2002

Empirical equations for the oxide thickness and the weight gain of Zircaloy-4 cladding during the oxidation in high temperature, high pressure steam have been developed. Firstly, the empirical equations for oxide thickness in 1 atm steam in 700~100$0^{\circ}C$ were made, then, the enhancement factor for the steam pressure effects on Zircaloy-4 cladding oxidation in high temperature steam was added. Based on the analysis of the weight fraction of dissolved oxygen in metal layer, empirical equations for the weight gain of Zircaloy-4 in high pressure, high temperature steam were developed. We compare the developed empirical equations with the Baker-Just correlation. The Baker-Just correlation can give a non-conservative estimation of oxidation of Zircaloy-4, depending on the steam pressure. These developed empirical equations can be used for the correct estimation of oxidation of Zircaloy-4 during accident analysis.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.81-92
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• 1996

This study is to compare the weldability of Zircaloy-4 end cap of nuclear fuel pin using by GTA and Nd :YAG LB. The welding parameters which affect bead width and penetration depth have been investigated. The effect of joint geometry of end cap for GTAW and LBW has been studied and optimum conditions of Zircaloy-4 endcap welding have been found. Microstructures and microhardness of GTA and LB welded zones have been also compared.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.44-51
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• 1990

Effects of temperature on the tensile properties of annealed and hydirded Zircaloy-4 plate in which hydrides are precitated paralled to the rolling direction were investigated. The main results obtained are as follows : 1) In annealed Zircaloy-4, yield point phenomenon was found in the temperature range of $200-550^{\circ}C$, while in hydrided alloy the phenomenon was found in the range of $200-400^{\circ}C$. 2) The dynamic strain aging behavior was occurd in the temperature interval of 400-$550^{\circ}C$in both annealed and hydrided Zircaloy-4. 3) The nearly values of yield strength, tensile stength and elongation are obtained in both annealed and hydried Zircaloy-4. From this result, we are led to conclude that the hydrides which are preiptated parallel to the circumferenial direction of nucler fuel are not so harmful for tensile properties of the clad.

• 대한용접접합학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한용접접합학회 2000년도 특별강연 및 춘계학술발표대회 개요집
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• pp.139-143
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• 2000

Laser beam weldability of Zircaloy-4 was investigated using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser of 550W average power. Mechanical properties and microstructure of laser butt welded Zircaloy-4 test specimens were examined. The influence of laser generated during laser welding was analyzed and optimum laser welding parameters were investigated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.173-179
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• 1998

The corrosion behavior of KOFA cladding which is a standard Zircaloy-4 manufactured by Westinghouse Specialty Metal Plant according to the Siemens/KWU's HCW (Highly Cold Worked) standard Zircaloy-4 specification was analyzed using the oxide measurement data of KOFA fuel irradiated in Kori-2 nuclear power plant. Analysis of the measured KOFA cladding oxidation showed that oxidation of KOFA cladding was lower than the design prediction based upon Siemens/KWU's HCW standard Zircaloy-4 cladding. Although the measured fuel rods have relatively low burnup and oxidation and the amount of the measured data are small, analysis of manufacturing and in-reactor operation conditions of KOFA cladding indicates that the differences in the manufacturing processes and chemical composition of the Siemens/KWU's HCW (Highly Cold Worked) standard Zircaloy-4 and KOFA cladding may have somewhat contributed to lower corrosion of KOFA cladding than the expected.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.22-33
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• 1987

원자력 발전소에 있어서 정상가동 상태나 이상동작시에 핵연료 피복관의 건전성 확보와 연관하여 피복재의 항복거동은 중요한 문제이다. 급격한 출력상승 상황에서 이산화 우라늄 소결체와 피복관 사이의 노내 조사거동의 차이는 소결체와 피복관 사이에 Contact Pressure를 야기 시킨다. 만일 이 Contact Pressure가 Zircaloy 피복관의 Yield Pressure에 도달하면 피복관에는 영구변형이 일어난다. 이 변형은 원자로의 출력이 정상상태로 회복되더라도 존재하므로 소결체와 피복관 사이의 Gap을 증대시킨다. 이러한 상황을 묘사하기 위해 본 논문에서는 구리 Mandrel과 Zircaloy사이의 열팽창 차이를 이용하는 Mandrel 팽창 실험을 실행했다. 실험 결과 측정된 Zircaloy 피복관의 외경 팽창치와 본 논문에서 유도된 수학적 관계식들을 이용하여 온도에 따른 Zircaloy 피복관의 내부항복압력과 항복응력, 피복재의 항복에 따른 핵연료 소결체와 피복관 사이의 Gap 증대를 구하고, 항복 거동에 따른 온도의 영향을 보기 위해 항복과정의 활성화 에너지를 구했다. 본 실험과 분석에서 얻어진 이들 결과들은 다른 실험 결과들과 상당히 일치하였으며, 이것으로 볼 때 본 논문에서 유도된 관계식들과 Mandrel 팽창 실험이 Zircaloy 피복관의 항복거동과 Gap Expansion 측정에 신뢰성이 있음을 알 수 있었다.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제8권11호
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• pp.1031-1037
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• 1998

Zircaloy-4와 Zr-2.5Nb 합금의 부식에 미치는 냉각속도와 소둔온도의영향을 조사하기 위해서 여러 가지 방법으로 열처리된 시편에 대해서 autoclave 부식시험을 실시하였다. 냉각속도의 영향을 조사하기 위해서 시편을 $1050^{\circ}C$에서 30분 가열 후 염빙수냉, 수냉, 유냉, 공냉, 노냉의 방법에 의해 열처리하였으며, 소둔온도의 영향을 조사하기 위해서 $\alpha$온도, $\alpha$+$\beta$온도, $\beta$온도구역에서 열처리하였다. $500^{\circ}C$부식시험 결과, Zircaloy-4합금에서는 nodule형 부식이 발생되는 반면에 Zr-2.5Nb 합금에서는 nodule형 부식이 발생되지 않았다. Zirfcaloy-4 합금에서는 nodule형 부식이 발생되는 반면에 Zr-2.5Nb 합금에서는 nodule형 부식이 발생되지 않았다. Zircaloy-4합금은 냉각속도가 빠를수록 내식성이 증가하는 반면에 Zr-2.5Nb합금은 냉각속도가 빠를수록 내식성이 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 또한 소둔온도가 증가할수록 Zr-2.5Nb 합금의 내식성은 감소하는 결과를 보였다. Zircaloy-4의 내식성은 Fe, Cr 원소의 기지내 분포와 석출물의 분포에 의해 지배를 받으며 Zr-2.5Nb 합금의 내식성은 기지조직내의 Nb 농도와 $\beta_{-Nb}$상에 의해 지배를 받는 것으로 사료된다.

• 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.