Combined electron beam and vacuum arc melting for barrier tube shell material

摘要

This is a process for making a very pure and very homogeneous material for use in lining the interior of zirconium alloy fuel element cladding. The improvement utilizes the forming of a consumable electrode from generally virgin sponge material, melting the consumable electrode in a multiple swept beam electron beam furnace with a feed rate between 1 and 20 inches per hour and then vacuum arc melting the EB melted material.