Zircaloy-4 processing for uniform and nodular corrosion resistance

Abstract: This is an improved method of fabricating Zircaloy-4 strip. The method is of the type wherein Zircaloy-4 material is vacuum melted, forged, hot reduced, beta-annealed and quenched, hot rolled, subjected to a post-hot-roll anneal and then reduced by at least two cold rolling steps, including a final cold rolling to final size, with intermediate annealing between the cold rolling steps and with a final anneal after the last cold rolling step. The improvement is characterized by the steps of: (a) utilizing a maximum processing temperature of 620°C between the quenching and the final cold rolling to final size; (b) stress relief annealing at a maximum intermediate annealing temperature of 520°C; and (c) utilizing hot rolling, post-hot-roll annealing , intermediate annealing, and final annealing time-temperature combinations to give an A parameter of between 4 x 10⁻¹⁹ and 7 x 10⁻¹⁸ hour, where segment parameters are calculated for the hot rolling step and each annealing step, the segment parameters are calculated by taking the time, in hours, for which that step is performed, times the exponent of (-40,000/T), in which T is the temperature, in degrees K, at which the step is performed, and where the A parameter is the sum of the segment parameters. Preferably, the hot rolling and the post-hot-roll anneal are at 560-620°C and are for 1.5-3 hours and the intermediate annealing is at 400-520°C and is for 1.5-15 hours and the final anneal after the last cold rolling step is at 560-710°C for 1-5 hours, and the beta-anneal is at 1015-1130°C for 2-30 minutes.

Description: The invention relates to a zirconium based material and more particularly to methods for improved corrosion resistance of Zircaloy-4 strip material (as opposed to other alloys or to Zircaloy-4 tubing). In the development of nuclear reactors, such as pressurized water reactors and boiling water reactors, fuel designs impose significantly increased demands on all of the core strip and tubular cladding (strip is used for grids, guide tubes, and the like). The corrosion of strip is somewhat different from that of cladding as the two have quite different texture (strip is rolled, while cladding is pilgered). Such components are conventionally fabricated from the zirconium-based alloys, Zircaloy-2 and Zircaloy-4. Increased demands on such components will be in the form of longer required residence times and thinner structural members, both of which cause potential corrosion and/or hydriding problems. Commercial reactors generally use either Zircaloy-2 or Zircaloy-4, (see U.S. Patent Nos. 2,772,964 and 3,148,055). Zircaloy-2 is a zirconium alloy having about 1.2-1.7 weight percent (all percents herein are weight percent) tin, 0.07-0.20 percent iron, about 0.05-0.15 percent chromium, and about 0.03-0.08 percent nickel. Zircaloy-4 contains about 1.2-1.7 percent tin, about 0.18-0.24 percent iron, and about 0.07-0.13 percent chromium. Fabrication schedules for Zircaloy-4 have been developed with regard to corrosion resistance. Generally, different processing methods result in either good uniform or good nodular corrosion resistance but not both. The effect of thermal treatment variations has been accounted for by the cumulative A-parameter (see Steinberg, et al. "Zirconium in the Nuclear Industry: Sixth International Symposium, ASTM STP 824, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, 1984). Charquet, et al. (see D. Charquet, et al. "Influence of Variations in Early Fabrication Steps on Corrosion, Mechanical Properties and Structures of Zircaloy-4 Products", Zirconium in the Nuclear Industry: Seventh International Symposium, ASTM, STP 939, ASTM, 1987, pp. 431-447) investigated the effects of early stage tube processing on uniform (400°C) and nodular (500°C) corrosion. Charquet's results showed that, with increasing cumulative A-parameter, nodular corrosion increases, but that uniform corrosion decreases. This is an improved method of fabricating Zircaloy-4 strip. The method is of the type wherein Zircaloy-4 material is vacuum melted, forged, hot reduced, beta-annealed, quenched, hot rolled, subjected to a post-hot-roll anneal and then reduced by at least two cold rolling steps, including a final cold rolling to final size, with intermediate annealing between the cold rolling steps and with a final anneal after the last cold rolling step. The claimed method further comprises: (a) utilizing a maximum processing temperature of 620°C between the quenching and the final cold rolling to final size; (b) utilizing a maximum intermediate annealing temperature of 520°C; and (c) utilizing hot rolling, post-hot-roll annealing, intermediate annealing and final annealing time-temperature combinations to give an A parameter of between 4 x 10⁻¹⁹ and 7 x 10⁻¹⁸ hour, where segment parameters are calculated for the hot rolling step and each annealing step, the segment parameters are calculated by multiplying the time, in hours, for which that step is performed by the exponential of (-40,000/T), in which T is the temperature, in degrees K, at which the step is performed, and where the A parameter is the sum of the segment parameters. Preferably, the hot rolling and the post-hot-roll anneal are at 560-620°C and the intermediate annealing is at 400-520°C and the final anneal after the last cold rolling step is at 560-710°C. Preferably, the hot rolling and the post-hot-roll anneal are for 1.5-3 hours and the intermediate annealing is for 1.5-15 hours and the final anneal after the last cold rolling step is for 1-5 hours, and the beta-anneal is at 1015-1130°C for 2-30 minutes. The invention as set forth in the claims 1 to 4 will become more apparent by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: Figures 1 and 2 schematically outline two embodiments of the processing sequence; and Figures 3a and 3b show corrosion test results at 400°C and 500°C respectively. The current process sequence is schematically outlined in Figure 1. Referring to Figure 1, Zircaloy-4 strip is produced by the steps of vacuum melting, forging and then hot rolling followed by beta quenching. Beta quenching is performed by fluidized bed annealing in the temperature range of 1015°C to 1130°C for 2 to 30 minutes followed by water quenching. To produce Zircaloy-4 channel strip: the beta quenched material then is hot rolled at 600°C; annealed at 600°C for 2 hours; cold rolled in two steps (40% each step) with an intermediate stress relief anneal at 510°C for 2 hours; and given a final recrystallization anneal at 650°C for 3 hours. To produce Zircaloy-4 spacer strip: the beta quenched material is hot rolled at 600°C; annealed at 600°C for 2 hours; cold rolled in one step (40%); stress relief annealed at 510°C for 2 hours; cold rolled, in two steps (40% each step) followed by intermediate stress relief anneals, at 510°C for 3 hours; cold rolled to final size (44%); and then given a final recrystallization anneal at 650°C for 3 hours. This process sequence results in a value of the cumulative A-parameter in the range between 4 x 10⁻¹⁹ and 7 x 10⁻¹⁸ hours. Zircaloy-4 was processed according to the process outline in Figure 2. Zircaloy-4 was vacuum melted, forged, extruded and beta quenched. Beta quenching was performed by induction heating a large diameter hollow cylinder to 1093°C for 4 minutes and water quenching. To produce channel strip: the beta quenched material was hot rolled at 580°C and given a recrystallization anneal at 580°C for 2 hours; cold rolled, in two steps (40% reduction in each step) and given an intermediate stress relief anneal at 510°C for 2 hours; and then given a final heat treatment. To produce spacer: the beat quenched material was hot rolled at 580°C and given a recrystallization anneal at 580°C for 2 hours; cold rolled (40% reduction) and annealed at 510°C for 3 hours; cold rolled in two steps (45% reduction each step) and stress relief annealed at 510°C for 2 hours and 3 hours respectively; cold rolled to final size (44% reduction); and given a final heat treatment. Nodular corrosion tests were performed at 500°C in a static autoclave for 1 day. Uniform steam corrosion tests were performed at 400°C for exposure times of 3 to 88 days. The results are presented in Figure 3. The designation "+" indicates data employing channel strip. The square designation indicates data employing spacer. Maximum uniform (400°C, Figure 3A) and nodular (500°C, Figure 3B) corrosion resistance was obtained using the process sequence in Figure 2 and controlling the final recrystallization anneal. Figure 3 shows that maximum uniform ( corrosion rate - mg/dm²-day ) and nodular ( weight gain - mg/dm² ) corrosion resistance were obtained when the cumulative A-parameter was in the range of 4 x 10⁻¹⁹ to 7 x 10⁻¹⁸ hour.

Claims: A method of fabricating Zircaloy-4 strip, wherein Zircaloy-4 material is vacuum melted, forged, hot reduced, beta-annealed and quenched, hot rolled, subjected to a post-hot-roll anneal and then reduced by at least two cold rolling steps, including a final cold rolling to final size, with intermediate annealing between the cold rolling steps and with a final anneal after the last cold rolling step, thereby a. utilizing a maximum processing temperature of 620°C between said quenching and said final cold rolling to final size; b. utilizing a maximum intermediate annealing temperature of 520°C; and c. utilizing hot rolling, post-hot-roll annealing, intermediate annealing and final annealing time-temperature combinations to give an A parameter of between 4 x 10⁻¹⁹ and 7 x 10⁻¹⁸ hour, where segment parameters are calculated for the hot rolling step and each annealing step, said segment parameters being calculated by taking the time, in hours, for which that step is performed, times the exponent of (-40,000/T), in which T is the temperature, in degrees K, at which the step is performed, and where the A parameter is the sum of the segment parameters. The method of fabricating Zircaloy-4 strip of claim 1, characterized in that said hot rolling and said post-hot-roll anneal are at 560-620°C and said intermediate annealing is at 400-520°C and said final anneal after the last cold rolling step is at 560-710°C. The method of fabricating Zircaloy-4 strip of claim 2, characterized in that said hot rolling and said post-hot-roll anneal are for 1.5-3 hours and said intermediate annealing is for 1.5-15 hours and said final anneal after the last cold rolling step is for 1-5 hours. The method of fabricating Zircaloy-4 strip of claim 2, characterized in that said beta-anneal is at 1015-1130°C for 2-30 minutes.

Inventors: DOUGHERTY JAMES PATRICK, FOSTER JOHN PAUL, WORCESTER SAMUEL AUSTIN, DOUGHERTY, JAMES PATRICK, FOSTER, JOHN PAUL, WORCESTER, SAMUEL AUSTIN
Applicants: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORP, WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Application year: 1991
Main classification: C22F1
IPC codes: C22F1, G21C3