Steel-vanadium alloy cladding for fuel element

Abstract

This disclosure describes various configurations and components for bimetallic and trimetallic claddings for use as a wall element separating nuclear material from an external environment. The cladding materials are suitable for use as cladding for nuclear fuel elements, particularly for fuel elements that will be exposed to sodium or other coolants or environments with a propensity to react with the nuclear fuel.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding comprising:
 an outer layer of T92 steel;   an inner layer selected from vanadium, a vanadium and titanium alloy, and a vanadium, titanium and chromium alloy; and   a middle layer of chromium or chromium alloy between the outer layer and the inner layer.   
     
     
         20 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the inner layer consists of:
 up to 0.5 wt. % Ti;   up to 0.5 wt. % Cr;   the balance being V and other elements, wherein the inner layer includes not greater than 0.15 wt. % of each of these other elements, and wherein the total of these other elements does not exceed 0.35 wt. %.   
     
     
         21 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the inner layer consists essentially of vanadium with no more than 0.35% wt. % other elements. 
     
     
         22 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the inner layer consists essentially of V-4Cr-4Ti. 
     
     
         23 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the inner layer consists essentially of V-5Ti. 
     
     
         24 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the outer layer and the middle layer are metallurgically bonded together. 
     
     
         25 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the inner layer has a thickness that is from 0.1% to 50% of the thickness of the outer layer and the middle layer has a thickness that is from 0.1% to 50% of the thickness of the outer layer. 
     
     
         26 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the inner layer has a thickness that is from 0.1% to 50% of the thickness of the outer layer. 
     
     
         27 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the middle layer has a thickness that is from 0.1% to 50% of the thickness of the outer layer. 
     
     
         28 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the inner layer has a thickness that is from 1% to 5% of the thickness of the outer layer. 
     
     
         29 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the middle layer has a thickness that is from 1% to 5% of the thickness of the outer layer. 
     
     
         30 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the inner layer has a thickness that is from 1% to 5% of the thickness of the outer layer and the middle layer has a thickness that is from 1% to 5% of the thickness of the outer layer. 
     
     
         31 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the outer layer is at least 99% of the total thickness of the steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding and wherein with each of the middle layer and inner layer being from 0.0001% to 0.5% of the thickness of the steel layer. 
     
     
         32 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 19 , wherein the steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding is in the form of a tube with an interior surface and an exterior surface, the inner layer forming the interior surface of the tube and the outer layer forming the exterior surface of the tube. 
     
     
         33 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 32  further comprising:
 an amount of nuclear material within the tube. 
 
     
     
         34 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 33 , wherein the nuclear material includes one or more elements selected from U, Th, Am, Np, and Pu. 
     
     
         35 . The steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding of  claim 33 , wherein the nuclear material includes at least one refractory material chosen from Nb, Mo, Ta, W, Re, Zr, V, Ti, Cr, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, Nd, and Hf. 
     
     
         36 . A steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding comprising:
 an outer layer of T92 steel;   an inner layer consisting essentially of vanadium; and   a middle layer consisting essentially of chromium between the outer layer and the inner layer.   
     
     
         37 . A steel-middle layer-vanadium cladding comprising:
 an outer layer of T92 steel;   an inner layer consisting essentially of vanadium; and   a middle layer consisting essentially of chromium alloy between the outer layer and the inner layer.