Patent Number: 052415716
Section: claims

1. A zirconium alloy absorber material comprising: erbium in a range of from about 0.05 to 2.0 wt. % selected from the group consisting of a naturally occurring distribution of erbium isotopes, isotopically enriched erbium-167, and a combination thereof;  iron in a range from about 0.2 to about 0.5 wt. %;  about 50 to 120 ppm silicon;  about 1000 to 2200 ppm oxygen;  one or more additional alloying metals selected from the group consisting of tin in a range of from a measurable amount up to about 1.4 wt. %, chromium in a range from about 0.07 to about 0.25 wt. %, niobium in a range of from a measurable amount up to about 0.6 wt. %, and vanadium in a range of from a measurable amount up to about 0.5 wt. %; and  a balance of zirconium.  providing a zirconium alloy having iron in a range from about 0.2 to about 0.5 wt. %; about 50 to 120 ppm silicon; about 1000 to 2000 ppm oxygen; one or more additional alloying metals selected from the group consisting of tin in a range of from a measurable amount up to about 1.4 wt. %, chromium in a range from about 0.07 to about 0.25 wt. %, niobium in a range from a measurable amount up to about 0.6 wt. %, and vanadium in a range of from a measurable amount up to about 0.5 wt. %; and a balance of zirconium; and  adding erbium in a range of from about 0.05 to 2.0 wt. % selected from the group consisting of a naturally occurring distribution of erbium isotopes, isotopically enriched erbium-167, and a combination thereof to act as a burnable absorber. 2. The zirconium alloy absorber material of claim 1, wherein said alloy is for use in a nuclear reactor fuel rod cladding tube and wherein said iron is present in an amount of about 0.46 wt. %, said oxygen is present in an amount ranging from about 1600-2200 ppm and said additional alloying metals comprise tin in an amount of about 0.5 wt. % and chromium in an amount of about 0.23 wt. %. 3. The zirconium alloy absorber material of claim 1, wherein said alloy is for use in a nuclear reactor fuel rod cladding tube and wherein said iron is present in an amount of about 0.35 wt. %, said oxygen is present in an amount ranging from about 1000 to about 1200 ppm, and said additional alloying metals comprise tin in a range of from about 0.5 to 1.0 wt. %, chromium in an amount of about 0.25 wt. % and niobium in an amount of about 0.3 wt. %. 4. The zirconium alloy absorber material of claim 1, wherein said alloy is for use in a nuclear reactor fuel rod cladding tube and wherein said iron is present in an amount of about 0.3 wt. %, said oxygen is provided in an amount of about 2200 ppm and said additional alloying metals further comprise vanadium in an amount of about 0.25 wt. %. 5. The zirconium alloy absorber of claim 2, further comprising an outer layer of a more corrosion resistant material in the form of a duplex tubing. 6. The zirconium alloy absorber material of claim 1, wherein said alloy is for use as a structural component in a nuclear reactor and wherein said oxygen is provided in an amount ranging from about 1200 to about 1800 ppm and said additional alloying metals further comprise tin in a range from about 0.5 to about 1.4 wt. %, chromium in a range from about 0.07 to about 0.25 wt. % and niobium in range from about 0.1 to about 0.3 wt. %. 7. The structural component of claim 6, further comprising layers of a more corrosion resistant layer on both the inside and outside surfaces of said structural component. 8. A method of making a zirconium alloy absorber material comprising the steps of: