Abstract: The invention concerns an alloy containing equally 0.02 to 0.07% wt. % of the total iron, of chromium or vanadium, 0.8 to 1.3 wt. % of niobium, 100 ppm or less of tin, 1100 to 1700 ppm of oxygen, less than 100 ppm of carbon, 10 to 30 ppm of sulphur and less than 50 ppm of silicon.

Abstract: The invention concerns an alloy containing equally 0.02 to 0.07% wt. % of the total iron, of chromium or vanadium, 0.8 to 1.3 wt. % of niobium, 100 ppm or less of tin, 1100 to 1700 ppm of oxygen, less than 100 ppm of carbon, 10 to 30 ppm of sulphur and less than 50 ppm of silicon.

Abstract: A method for production of a fuel cladding tube for a nuclear reactor, characterized by the preparation of an ingot of an alloy of zirconium with the following composition by weight %: 0.8%?Nb?2.8%, traces?Sn?0.65%, 0.015%?Fe?0.40%, C?100 ppm, 600 ppm?O?2300 ppm, 5 ppm?S?100 ppm, Cr+V?0.25%, Hf?75 ppm and F?1 ppm the remainder being zirconium and impurities arising from production. The ingot is then subjected to forging, a hardening and thermomoechanical treatments comprising cold laminations separated by intermediate annealing, all intermediate annealings being carried out at a temperature below the ???+? transition temperature of the alloy, finishing with a recrystallization annealing and resulting in the production of a tube, whereupon an optional external cleaning of the tube is carried out and a mechanical polishing of the external surface of the tube is carried out to give a roughness Ra less than or equal to 0.5 ?m. The invention further relates to a fuel cladding tube obtained thereby.

Abstract: The invention proposes a zirconium-based alloy also containing, by weight, apart from unavoidable impurities, from 0.02 to 1% of iron, from 0.8% to 2.3% of niobium, less than 2000 ppm of tin, less than 2000 ppm of oxygen, less than 80 ppm of carbon, from 5 to 35 ppm of sulphur and less than 0.25% in total of chromium and/or vanadium, the ratio R of the niobium content less 0.5% to the iron content, optionally supplemented by the chromium and/or vanadium content, being lower than 3.

Abstract: A method for production of a fuel cladding tube for a nuclear reactor, characterised by the preparation of an ingot of an alloy of zirconium with the following composition by weight %: 0.8%?Nb?2.8%, traces?Sn?0.65%, 0.015%?Fe?0.40%, C?100 ppm, 600 ppm?O?2300 ppm, 5 ppm?S?100 ppm, Cr+V?0.25%, Hf?75 ppm and F?1 ppm the remainder being zirconium and impurities arising from production. The ingot is then subjected to forging, a hardening and thermomoechanical treatments comprising cold laminations separated by intermediate annealing, all intermediate annealings being carried out at a temperature below the ???+? transition temperature of the alloy, finishing with a recrystallisation annealing and resulting in the production of a tube, whereupon an optional external cleaning of the tube is carried out and a mechanical polishing of the external surface of the tube is carried out to give a roughness Ra less than or equal to 0.5 ?m. The invention further relates to a fuel cladding tube obtained thereby.

Abstract: The invention proposes a zirconium-based alloy also containing, by weight, apart from unavoidable impurities, from 0.02 to 1% of iron, from 0.8% to 2.3% of niobium, less than 2000 ppm of tin, less than 2000 ppm of oxygen, less than 80 ppm of carbon, from 5 to 35 ppm of sulphur and less than 0.25% in total of chromium and/or vanadium, the ratio R of the niobium content less 0.5% to the iron content, optionally supplemented by the chromium and/or vanadium content, being lower than 3.

Abstract: The invention proposes a zirconium-based alloy also containing, by weight, apart from unavoidable impurities, from 0.02 to 1% of iron having from 0.8% to 2.3% of niobium, less than 2000 ppm of tin, less than 2000 ppm of oxygen, less than 100 ppm of carbon, from 5 to 35 ppm of sulphur and from 0.01% to 0.25% in total of chromium and/or vanadium, the ratio R of the niobium content, less 0.5%, to the iron content, optionally supplemented by the chromium and/or vanadium content.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for making tubes designed for a nuclear fuel pencil case or guide tube which consists in forming a bar in a zirconium based alloy containing equally 0.3 to 0.25 wt. % of the total iron, of chromium or vanadium, 0.8 to 1.3 wt. % of niobium, less than 2000 ppm of tin, 500 to 2000 ppm of oxygen, less than 100 ppm of carbon, 5 to 30 ppm of sulphur and less than 50 ppm of silicon. The bar is soaked in water after being heated at a temperature between 1000° C. and 1200° C. A blank is spun after being heated at a temperature between 600° C. and 800° C. The blank is cold-rolled, in at least three of four passes, to obtain a tube with intermediate heat treatments between 560° C. and 620° C. and s final heat treatment is carried out between 560° C. and 620° C. in inert atmosphere or under vacuum.

Abstract: A zirconium alloy tube for forming the whole or the outer portion of a nuclear fuel pencil housing or a nuclear fuel assembly guide tube. The zirconium alloy contains 0.8-1.8 wt. % of niobium, 0.2-0.6 wt. % of tin and 0.02-0.4 wt. % of iron, and has a carbon content of 30-180 ppm, a silicon content of 10-120 ppm and an oxygen content of 600-1800 ppm. The tube may be used when recrystallized or stress relieved.

Abstract: A tube of zirconium-based alloy for constituting all or a portion of a cladding or guide tube for a nuclear fuel assembly. The tube is made of an alloy containing, by weight, 1.0-1.7% of tin, 0.55-0.80% of iron, 0.20-0.60% total of chromium and/or vanadium, and 0.10-0.18% of oxygen, with 50-200 ppm of carbon and 50-120 ppm of silicon. The alloy further contains only zirconium and unavoidable impurities, and it is completely recrystallized.

Abstract: A tube for constituting all or part of a cladding or guide tube for a fuel assembly is made from an alloy containing, by weight, 0.4% to 0.6% of tin, 0.5% to 0.8% of iron, 0.35% to 0.50% of vanadium, and 0.10% to 0.18% of oxygen, 100 ppm to 180 ppm of carbon and 50 ppm to 120 ppm of silicon. The alloy contains nothing else apart from zirconium and unavoidable impurities and it is completely recrystallized.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tube suitable for use as sheath of a nuclear fuel rod zirconium based alloy. The alloy contains 0.18% to 0.25% iron, 0.07% to 0.13% chromium, 0.35% to 1.70% tin, all percentages by weight, 900 ppm to 2300 ppm oxygen, 80 ppm to 200 ppm carbon, and 50 ppm to 120 ppm silicon. A drawn blank is subjected to successive passes of metallurgical treatment and of heat treatment. The Fe/Cr ratio by weight in the alloy lies in the range 1.6 to 3. The heat treatment includes, after at least one rolling pass, a plurality of annealing passes under an inert atmosphere such that the sum .SIGMA.A is greater than 1.5.10.sup.-17, and advantageously in the range 2.10.sup.-17 to 2.10.sup.-16. The first rolling pass is performed on the tube coming from the drawing operation, without an intermediate annealing. .SIGMA.A designates the sum of the products of the times t (in hours) multiplied by the exponential of --Q/RT, where T is the temperature in K.

Abstract: A tube for constituting all or part of a cladding or guide tube for a fuel assembly is made from an alloy containing, by weight, 1.4% to 0.6% of tin, 0.5% to 0.8% of iron, 0.35% to 0.50% of vanadium, and 0.10% to 0.18% of oxygen, 100 ppm to 180 ppm of carbon and 50 ppm to 120 ppm of silicon. The alloy contains nothing else apart from zirconium and unavoidable impurities and it is completely recrystallized.

Abstract: The method serves to manufacture tubes for constituting sheaths for nuclear fuel rods. A bar is made out of a zirconium-based alloy containing 50 ppm to 250 ppm iron, 0.8% to 1.3% by weight niobium, less than 1600 ppm oxygen, less than 200 ppm carbon, and less than 120 ppm silicon. The bar is heated to a temperature in the range 1000.degree. C. to 1200.degree. C. and is quenched in water. A blank is extruded after heating to a temperature in the range 600.degree. C. to 800.degree. C. and cold-rolled in at least four passes in order to obtain a tube, with intermediate heat treatment being performed between passes at temperatures in the range 560.degree. C. to 620.degree. C. A final heat treatment is performed at a temperature in the range 560.degree. C. to 620.degree. C., all of the heat treatments being performed under an inert atmosphere or a vacuum.

Abstract: The fuel rod comprises a sheath having an inner tubular layer and an outer surface layer composed of zirconium alloys which differ from each other. The surface layer, whose thickness is between 10 to 25% of the total thickness of the wall of the sheath, is constituted by a zirconium-base alloy containing by weight 0.35 to 0.65% tin, 0.20 to 0.65% iron, 0.09 to 0.16% oxygen and niobium in a proportion of 0.35 to 0.65% or vanadium in a proportion of 0.25 to 0.35%. The inner layer may be constituted by an alloy such as Zircaloy 4 or a zirconium-niobium alloy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing tubes for a nuclear fuel element sheath, comprising a plurality of successive cold rolling and annealing steps including a final .beta. phase heat treatment consisting of maintaining said tube at a temperature between 950.degree. C. and 1250.degree. C. for a time duration sufficient for obtaining a homogeneous .beta. phase within and throughout the whole thickness of said tube, and rapidly cooling said tube to ambient temperature for retaining said .beta. phase throughout the whole thickness of said tube during subsequent cold processing steps including final cleaning of the tube.

Abstract: For manufacturing zirconium alloy plates, more particularly for forming grids for holding nuclear fuel elements, a strip is obtained by hot rolling, then cold rolling, with a high cold hammering rate, then the strip is subjected to reheating for removing the tension at a temperature lower than the recrystallization temperature. Plates are cut out in the transverse direction of the strip.

Abstract: A zirconium alloy tube for forming the whole or the outer portion of a nuclear fuel pencil housing or a nuclear fuel assembly guide tube. The zirconium alloy contains 0.8-1.8 wt. % of niobium, 0.2-0.6 wt. % of tin and 0.02-0.4 wt. % of iron, and has a carbon content of 30-180 ppm, a silicon content of 10-120 ppm and an oxygen content of 600-1800 ppm. The tube may be used when recrystallized or stress relieved.