CREEP DEFORMATION OF AN IRRADIATED Zr-1%Nb NUCLEAR FUEL CLADDING TUBE UNDER DRY STORAGE CONDITIONS

Year
1998
Author(s)
I.M. Kadarmetov - A.A.Bochvar All-Russia Research Institute of Inorganic Materials
Abstract
Creep deformation and rupture properties of an irradiated Zr-1%Nb alloy used as a cladding material for WWER-440,-1000 fuel rods are studied experimentally. Creep tests were carried out on internally gas pressurized tubular specimens at temperatures of 450 to 570°C to obtain data for evaluating spent fuel integrity under the off-normal dry storage condition. A lot of papers indicate that irradiation induced hardening can significantly reduce the thermal creep rate in irradiated Zircaloy-2,-4. Similar results are also true for Zr-1%Nb alloy.