Granted Patent B2

US 10,290,383 · App. 15/084,577 · Granted May 14, 2019

Abstract

Claims (15)

1. A method of forming an integrated gradient network of protective particles into a ZrO 2 layer and a base Zr tube of a nuclear reactor cladding, the integrated gradient network having an inner surface and an inner volume of a layer of zirconium alloy, an outer surface and an outer volume of a layer of a protective material and an integrated middle volume of a layer of a combination of zirconium oxide, zirconium and excess sound velocity-impacted protective material, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a Zr alloy nuclear reactor cladding having a Zr base alloy layer and a ZrO 2 outer layer;

b) providing a protective material, wherein the protective material comprises particles of a Ti—Al—C ceramic;

c) loading the protective material into a hybrid thermal-kinetic spray deposition or cold spray apparatus; and

d) impacting the nuclear reactor cladding with the protective material to impact at a velocity greater than sound and sufficient to penetrate through the ZrO 2 layer and into the Zr base alloy layer to provide the integrated gradient network of a layer of protective Ti—Al—C ceramic particles, the layer of the combination of protective particles, ZrO 2 and Zr, and the Zr base alloy layer;

wherein the highest density of protective material is at the cladding outer surface to protect the cladding from the reactor environment and any further oxidation of the zirconium; and

wherein the integrated middle volume provides structural integrity for the cladding.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the impacting velocity is 3½ times greater than 340 m/s.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising heating the nuclear reactor cladding prior to impacting the nuclear reactor cladding with the protective material.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the heating step heats an outer surface of the nuclear reactor cladding between 200° C. to 400° C.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the impacting step is carried out with a hybrid thermal-kinetic deposition process.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the impacting step is carried out with a cold spray deposition process.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the cold spray process is carried out at a temperature between 250° C. and 1200° C.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the protective material has a particle size of approximately between 1 and 500 micrometers.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the impacting step is performed in an inert environment.

Assignments (9)