Channel boxes for a boiling water reactor and methods of manufacture thereof
A BWR channel box comprises a substrate, a first layer, and a second layer. The substrate comprises silicon carbide fibers. The first layer is deposited on a first surface of the substrate. The second layer is deposited on an opposite second surface of the substrate. Each layer comprises a corrosion resistant metallic composition. The combined weight of both layers is in a range from greater than 0% to 10% of the total weight of the channel box.
1 . A channel box for a boiling water reactor, the channel box comprising:
a substrate comprising a tubular shape, the substrate comprising silicon carbide fibers; and
a first layer deposited on a first surface of the substrate, wherein the first layer comprises a corrosion resistant metallic composition; and
a second layer deposited on a second surface of the substrate opposing the first surface of the substrate, the second layer comprising a second corrosion resistant metallic composition, wherein the combined weight of both the first and second layers is in a range from greater than 0% to 10% of the total weight of the channel box.
2 . The channel box of claim 1 , wherein the silicon carbide fibers are infiltrated with silicon carbide, zirconium, a zirconium alloy, or a combination thereof by chemical vapor infiltration, chemical vapor deposition, or a combination thereof.
3 . The channel box of claim 2 , further comprising an interlayer intermediate the silicon carbide fibers and the silicon carbide, zirconium, zirconium alloy, or combination thereof, infiltrated therein.
4 . The channel box of claim 3 , wherein the interlayer is carbon based.
5 . The channel box of claim 1 , wherein the corrosion resistant metallic composition comprises zirconium, a zirconium alloy, titanium, a titanium alloy, yttrium, a yttrium alloy, or a combination thereof.
6 . The channel box of claim 5 , wherein the corrosion resistant metallic composition comprises a zirconium alloy comprising niobium.
7 . The channel box of claim 1 , wherein the first layer comprises a thickness in a range of 1 micron to 20 microns.
8 . The channel box of claim 1 , wherein the combined weight of both the first and second layers is in a range from greater than 1% to 2% of the total weight of the channel box.
9 . The channel box of claim 1 , wherein the channel box comprises a wall thickness in a range of 1 millimeter to 4 millimeters.
10 . The channel box of claim 1 , further comprising a third layer disposed over the first layer, the third layer comprises chromium or a chromium alloy.
11 . The channel box of claim 10 , wherein the third layer comprising a thickness in a range of 0.1 microns to 5 microns.
12 . A boiling water reactor comprising the channel box of claim 1 .
13 . A method comprising pre-irradiating the channel box of claim 1 in a first location of a core of a boiling water reactor, wherein the first location has a lower neutron flux gradient than a second location in the boiling water reactor.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein pre-irradiating the channel box comprises exposing the channel box to radiation until a fluence of at least one displacement per atom is achieved.