• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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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.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.357-363
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• 1994

The irradiation growth of the Zircaloy-4 cladding in the KOFA fuel loaded in the Kori-2 nuclear plant was measured to evaluate the irradiation growth behavior and to be compared with that of the Siemens cladding having different manufacturing process. Due to the partial recrystallization by final heat treatment, the KOFA Zircaloy-4 cladding showed a two step irradiation growth behavior such as the growth saturation and the accerlation which is typical of the fully annealed Zircaloy cladding. The difference in the measured irradiation growth rate between the KOFA and the Siemens cladding could be explained by the difference in the cladding texture which depends on the manufacturing process. From the measured irradiation growth data of Kori-2 KOFA fuel, a two-step irradiation growth model of the KOFA Zircaloy-4 cladding was derived, the accuracy of which can be more clearly verified as the measured data of the irradiation growth are accumulated in the future.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.2047-2053
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• 2020

Single-tube burst tests on hydrogenated Zircaloy-4 nuclear fuel cladding under simulated loss-of-coolant accident are conducted to evaluate the impact of hydrogen on burst parameters. The heating rate and initial pressure are varied from 5 K/s to 150 K/s and 5 bar-80 bar, respectively. The hydrogen concentration in the cladding is in the range of 0-2000 wppm. Burst stress is lower for hydrogenated cladding in α-phase. A significant loss of ductility is observed in α-phase and lower α + β-phase for hydrogenated cladding. However, the burst strain is higher for hydrogenated cladding in β-phase. There is a sigmoidal dependency of rupture area with initial stress and rupture area is larger for hydrogenated cladding. A novel burst stress correlation for hydrogenated Zircaloy-4 cladding has been proposed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.423-430
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• 2014

An in-pile performance test of HANA claddings was conducted at up to 67 GWD/MTU in the Halden research reactor in Norway over a 6.5 year period. Four types of HANA claddings (HANA-3, HANA-4, HANA-5, and HANA-6) and a reference Zircaloy-4 cladding were used for the in-pile test. The evaluation parameters of the HANA claddings were the corrosion behavior, dimensional changes, hydrogen uptake, and tensile strength after the claddings were tested under the simulated operation conditions of a Korean commercial reactor. The oxide thickness ranged from 15 to 37 mm at a high flux region in the test rods, and all HANA claddings showed corrosion resistance superior to the Zircaloy-4 cladding. The creep-down rate of all HANA claddings was lower than that of the Zircaloy-4 cladding. In addition, the hydrogen content of the HANA claddings ranged from 54 to 96 wppm at the high heat flux region of the test rods, whereas the hydrogen content of the Zircaloy-4 cladding was 119 wppm. The tensile strength of the HANA and Zircaloy-4 claddings was similarly increased when compared to the un-irradiated claddings owing to the radiation-induced hardening.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.1579-1587
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• 2022

The effects of hydride amount (20-850 wppm), orientation (circumferential and radial), and temperature (room temperature, 100 ℃, 200 ℃) on the axial mechanical properties of Zircaloy-4 cladding were comprehensively examined. The fraction of radial hydride fraction in the cladding was quantified using PROPHET, an in-house radial hydride fraction analysis code. Uniaxial tensile tests (UTTs) were conducted at various temperatures to obtain the axial mechanical properties. Hydride orientation has a limited effect on the axial mechanical behavior of hydrided Zircaloy-4 cladding. Ultimate tensile stress (UTS) and associated uniform elongation demonstrated limited sensitivity to hydride content under UTT. Statistical uncertainty of UTS was found small, supporting the deterministic approach for the load-failure analysis of hydrided Zircaloy-4 cladding. These properties notably decrease with increasing temperature in the tested range. The dependence of yield strength on hydrogen content differed from temperature to temperature. The ductility-related parameters, such as total elongation, strain energy density (SED), and offset strain decrease with increasing hydride contents. The abrupt loss of ductility in UTT was found at ~700 wppm. Demonstrating a strong correlation between total elongation and offset strain, SED can be used as a comprehensive measure of ductility of hydrided zirconium alloy.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.474-483
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• 2021

To establish the exclusive role of hydrogen on burst behaviour of Zircaloy-4 during loss-of-coolant accident transients, an extensive single-rod burst tests were conducted on both unirradiated as-received and hydrogenated Zircaloy-4 cladding tubes at different heating rates and internal overpressures. The visual observations of cladding tubes during bursting as well as post-burst are presented in detail to understand the effect of hydrogen concentration, heating rate, and internal pressure. Impact of hydrogen on burst parameters-burst stress, burst strain, burst temperature-during loss-of-coolant accident transients are compared and discussed. Rupture at multiple locations for hydrogenated cladding at lower internal pressure and higher heating rate is reported for the very first time. A novel burst criterion accounting hydrogen concentration in nuclear fuel cladding is proposed.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.231-238
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• 2003

The fuel of light water reactor is used for several years under high temperature and pressure, so it needs to be clad with high corrosion resistance material. The cladding materials must have the characteristics of low absorption of a neutron and high corrosion resistance. Zircaloy-2 in Boiling Water Reactor, Zircaloy-4 in Pressurized Water Reactor have been used as cladding materials and Zirlo has been developed as the material for preventing the corrosion. If the fracture of the cladding tube occurs during operation, it will cause the economic loss to shut down and replace the system. So it is needed to evaluate the integrity of the cladding materials. In this paper, the tensile characteristics of the cladding materials were investigated for the basic research of fracture characteristics. Also the residual stress was analyzed to compare the tube type(original type) specimen and the flattened type specimen.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.489-494
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• 2001

The fuel of light water reactor used far several years at high temperature and pressure, so it needs to clad with high corrosion resistance material. The cladding materials need low absorption of a neutron and high corrosion resistance. Cladding materials used Zircaloy-2 in Boiling Water Reactor, Zircaloy-4 in Pressurized Water Reactor and Zirlo has good for long term corrosion. If fracture of cladding tube occured during operation, it caused disaster. So it is needed to estimate of integrity fur cladding materials. In this paper, tension characteristics of cladding materials are investigate which is basic research far fracture characteristic. Also analysis of residual stress effect between tube type(original type) specimen and flattened type specimen.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.256-261
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• 2001

Corrosion and tensile properties of zircaloy-4 cladding tube having a laser welding part in elevated temperature are studied to present the criterion of quality evaluation in nuclear reactor and to found the scientific basis of SCC, with laser welding method using by coupling up cladding tube to end cap. In the result of tensile test($400^{\circ}C$), the fracture is not happened in the welding part but base metal and the result of corrosion test($400^{\circ}C$ 1500psi steam), corrosion rate of the molten zone and PMZ is a little higher than the other zone.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.445-452
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• 1994

Three-axial deformation behavior of the Zircaloy cladding tube under the irradiation condition of the fuel in pressurized water reactor can be analyzed by the anisotropy in the creep and the irra- diation growth, which depends on the texture parameter. A methodology to evaluate the impact of the anisotropic creep and irradiation growth on the strain in each axial direction of the cladding tube has been proposed. Based on the measured strains after irradiation and predicted ones with the help of a fuel performance analysis code, it is found that a tangential strain of the cladding tube is caused mainly by the creep, whereas a axial strain of the cladding is caused mainly by the irradiation growth but with a considerable contribution of the creep at low irradiation.