Zirconium alloy composition having excellent corrosion resistance for nuclear applications and method of preparing the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a zirconium alloy composition having excellent corrosion resistance for nuclear applications and a method of preparing the same. The zirconium alloy composition having excellent corrosion resistance for nuclear applications includes 1.3˜2.0 wt % of niobium, 0.05˜0.18 wt % of iron, 0.008˜0.012 wt % of silicon, 0.008˜0.012 wt % of carbon, and 0.1˜0.16 wt % of oxygen, with the balance being zirconium, or includes 2.8˜3.5 wt % of niobium, 0.2˜0.7 wt % of at least one of iron and copper, 0.008˜0.012 wt % of silicon, 0.008˜-0.012 wt % of carbon, and 0.1˜0.16 wt % of oxygen, with the balance being zirconium. The zirconium alloy composition according to the present invention, in which the amount of niobium, acting as a first alloying element, and the amount of at least one of iron and copper, acting as a second alloying element, are appropriately controlled, and silicon, carbon and oxygen are added in appropriate amounts, can exhibit excellent corrosion resistance, and thus can be usefully used as materials for nuclear fuel cladding tubes, support ribs, and core components of light water reactors and heavy water reactors.

1 . A zirconium alloy composition having excellent corrosion resistance for nuclear applications, comprising 1.3˜2.0 wt % of niobium, 0.05˜0.18 wt % of iron, 0.008˜0.012 wt % of silicon, 0.008˜0.012 wt % of carbon, and 0.1˜0.16 wt % of oxygen, with a balance being zirconium. 
     
     
         2 . The zirconium alloy composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises 1.4˜1.6 wt % of niobium, 0.08˜0.12 wt % of iron, 0.009˜0.011 wt % of silicon, 0.009˜0.011 wt % of carbon, and 0.12˜0.14 wt % of oxygen, with the balance being zirconium. 
     
     
         3 . A zirconium alloy composition having excellent corrosion resistance for nuclear applications, comprising 2.8˜3.5 wt % of niobium, 0.2˜0.7 wt % of at least one of iron and copper, 0.008˜0.012 wt % of silicon, 0.008˜0.012 wt % of carbon, and 0.1˜0.16 wt % of oxygen, with a balance being zirconium. 
     
     
         4 . The zirconium alloy composition according to  claim 3 , wherein said composition comprises 2.8˜3.2 wt % of niobium, 0.4˜0.6 wt % of at least one of iron and copper, 0.009˜0.011 wt % of silicon, 0.009˜0.011 wt % of carbon, and 0.12˜0.14 wt % of oxygen, with the balance being zirconium. 
     
     
         5 . The zirconium alloy composition according to  claim 3 , wherein a total amount of the iron and copper is 0.7 wt % or less. 
     
     
         6 . A method of preparing a zirconium alloy composition according to  claim 1  to  5  comprising:
 a first step of mixing alloying elements and then melting them, to thus prepare an ingot;   a second step of heat treating the ingot prepared in the first step in a β-region and then cooling it;   a third step of hot rolling the ingot heat treated and cooled in the second step; and   a fourth step of cold rolling and heat treating the ingot hot rolled in the third step, thus preparing a zirconium alloy.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , which further comprises a final heat treating following a further cold rolling after the heat treating in the fourth step.