| 摘要 |
<p>BURIED ZIRCONIUM LAYER A nuclear fuel element for use in the core of a nuclear reactor is disclosed and has a composite cladding having a substrate, an unalloyed zirconium barrier metallurgically bonded to the inside surface of the substrate, and an inner layer metallurgically bonded to the inside surface of the zirconium barrier. In this composite cladding, the inner layer and the zirconium barrier shield the substrate from any impurities or fission products from the nuclear fuel material held within the composite cladding. The zirconium barrier forms about 1 percent to about 30 percent of the thickness of the cladding. The inner layer and the zirconium barrier protect the substrate from stress corrosion and the zirconium barrier restricts the propagation of stress cracking. The substrate and the inner layer of the cladding are selected from conventional cladding material, and preferably are a zirconium alloy.</p> |
