Control of differential growth in nuclear reactor components by control of metallurgical conditions

摘要

A process is disclosed for providing different irradiation growth rates between a first nuclear element cladding tube of an anisotropic metal and a second cladding tube of the same metal. The process comprises tailoring the tube fabrication of each to produce cladding tubes having a crystalline structure in a desired energy state. The desired energy state is brought about by regulating the size of the final cold-work reduction and the time and temperature of heat treatment following the final reduction. The process is utilized to produce substantially equivalent irradiation growth between fuel rods and water rods. The preferred anisotropic metals are alloys of zirconium.