Patent Number: 052971775
Section: claims

1. A fuel assembly, which comprises a plurality of fuel rods, each comprising at least one cladding tube made from a zirconium-based alloy and a nuclear fuel loaded therein, a spacer for providing the fuel rods at desired positions, upper and lower tie plates for respectively supporting the fuel rods at their upper and lower ends, at least one water rod, and a channel box made from a zirconium-based alloy for integrating the fuel rods and the at least one water rod into one assembly, the zirconium-based alloy of the cladding tubes including iron and nickel, wherein the cladding tubes have a higher concentration of solid-solution state iron and nickel at outer surfaces of the cladding tubes than at inner surfaces, and material forming the channel box has a crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation of 0.25 to 0.50. 2. A fuel assembly according to claim 1, wherein the material forming the channel box has a crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-the-rolling direction of 0.25 to 0.36 and a crystallographic orientation parameter in the longitudinal direction of 0.25 to 0.36. 3. A fuel assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one water rod is made of a zirconium-based alloy material, and the material forming the at least one water rod has a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube thickness direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation of 0.25 to 0.50, a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube longitudinal direction of 0.25 to 0.36, and a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube circumferential direction of 0.25 to 0.36. 4. A fuel assembly, which comprises a plurality of fuel rods, each comprising a cladding tube made from a zirconium-based alloy and a nuclear fuel loaded therein, a spacer for providing the fuel rods at desired positions, an upper tie plate and a lower tie plate for supporting the thus provided fuel rods at their upper ends and their lower ends, at least one water rod, and a channel box, made from a zirconium-based alloy, for integrating the fuel rods and the at least one water rod into one assembly and encasing the assembly of the fuel rods and the at least one water rod, the cladding tubes, the spacer and the channel box each containing 1 to 2% by weight of tin, 0.20 to 0.35% by weight of iron, 0.03 to 0.16% by weight of nickel, the balance being substantially zirconium, the cladding tubes having a higher concentration of solid solution-state iron and nickel at outer surfaces of the cladding tubes than at inner surfaces thereof, and material forming the channel box having a crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, as a Fr value, of 0.25 to 0.50. 5. A fuel assembly according to claim 4, wherein the at least one water rod is provided at a central position of the spacer. 6. A fuel assembly, which comprises a plurality of fuel rods, each comprising a cladding tube made from a zirconium-based alloy and a nuclear fuel loaded therein, a spacer for providing the fuel rods at desired positions, an upper tie plate and a lower tie plate for supporting the thus provided fuel rods at their upper ends and their lower ends, at least one water rod, and a channel box, made from a zirconium-based alloy, for integrating the fuel rods and the at least one water rod into one assembly and encasing the assembly of the fuel rods and the at least one water rod, the cladding tubes being hardened and having a higher content of solid solution-state tin, iron and nickel at outer surfaces of the cladding tubes than at inner surfaces thereof, and material forming the channel box having a crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, as a Fr value, of 0.25 to 0.50. 7. A fuel assembly, which comprises a plurality of fuel rods, each comprising a cladding tube made from a zirconium-based alloy and a nuclear fuel loaded therein, a spacer for providing the fuel rods at desired positions, an upper tie plate and a lower tie plate for supporting the thus provided fuel rods at their upper ends and their lower ends, at least one water rod, and a channel box made from a zirconium-based alloy for integrating the fuel rods and the at least one water rod into one assembly and encasing the assembly of the fuel rods and the at least one water rod, material forming the channel box having a crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;00021&gt; crystallographic orientation, a Fr value, of 0.25 to 0.50 and being fixed to the upper tie plate, and the at least one water rod being fixed to the upper tie plate and the lower tie plate at its both ends, respectively, and material forming the at least one water rod having a crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, as a Fr value, of 0.25 to 0.50. 8. A fuel assembly, which comprises a plurality of fuel rods, each comprising a cladding tube made from a zirconium-based alloy and a nuclear fuel loaded therein, a spacer for providing the fuel rods at desired positions, an upper tie plate and a lower tie plate for supporting the thus provided fuel rods at their upper ends and their lower ends, at least one water rod, and a channel box, made from a zirconium-based alloy, for integrating the fuel rods and the at least one water rod into one assembly and encasing the assembly of the fuel rods and the at least one water rod, the cladding tubes being hardened and having a higher content of solid solution-state iron and nickel at outer surface of the cladding tubes than at inner surfaces thereof, and the channel box being thicker at corners than on sides thereof, and material forming the channel box having a crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, as a Fr value, of 0.25 to 0.50. 9. A fuel assembly, which comprises a plurality of fuel rods, each comprising a cladding tube made from a zirconium-based alloy and a nuclear fuel loaded therein, a spacer for providing the fuel rods at desired positions, an upper tie plate and a lower tie plate for supporting the thus provided fuel rods at their upper ends and their lower ends, at least one water rod, and a channel box made from a zirconium-based alloy for integrating the fuel rods and the at least one water rod into one assembly and encasing the assembly of the fuel rods and the at least one water rod, the cladding tubes being hardened to a depth not more than a half of a thickness thereof and having a higher content of solid solution-state tin, iron and nickel at outer surfaces of the cladding tubes than at inner surfaces thereof, the channel box being thicker at corners than on sides thereof and thicker at a lower level in the longitudinal direction than at an upper level, and material forming the channel box having a crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, as a Fr value, of 0.25 to 0.50, and the cladding tubes, the spacer and the channel box each containing 1 to 2% by weight of tin, 0.20 to 0.35% by weight of iron, and 0.03 to 0.16% by weight of nickel, the balance being substantially zirconium. 10. A fuel assembly according to claim 9, wherein the at least one water rod contains 1 to 2% by weight of tin, 0.05 to 0.20% by weight of iron, 0.05 to 0.15% by weight of chromium, and 0.03 to 0.1% by weight of nickel, the balance being substantially zirconium, or 1 to 2% by weight of tin, 0.18 to 0.24% by weight of iron and not more than 0.01% by weight of nickel, the balance being substantially zirconium. 11. A fuel assembly, which comprises a plurality of fuel rods, each comprising a cladding tube made from a zirconium-based alloy and a nuclear fuel loaded therein, a spacer for providing the fuel rods at desired positions, an upper tie plate and a lower tie plate for supporting the thus provided fuel rods at their upper ends and their lower ends, at least one water rod, and a channel box made from a zirconium-based alloy for integrating the fuel rods and the at least one water rod into one assembly and encasing the assembly of the fuel rods and the at least one water rod, the cladding tubes being hardened and having a higher content of solid solution-state tin, iron and nickel at outer surfaces of the cladding tubes than at inner surfaces thereof, the channel box being made from a welded straight square cylinder having a substantially uniform thickness at corners and on sides, and material forming the channel box having a crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, as a Fr value, of 0.25 to 0.50, and at least one of the cladding tubes, the spacer, the channel box and the at least one water rod containing 1.2 to 1.7% by weight of tin, 0.07 to 0.20% by weight of iron, 0.05 to 0.15% by weight of chromium, and 0.03 to 0.08% by weight of nickel, the balance being substantially zirconium, or 0.1 to 1.7% by weight of tin, 0.18 to 0.24% by weight of iron and not more than 0.01% by weight of nickel, the balance being substantially zirconium. 12. A fuel assembly according to claim 11, wherein the spacer is a spacer that has been subjected to a hardening treatment by quenching from an (.alpha.+.beta.) phase region or a .beta.-phase region after an ultimate hot plastic working. 13. A water rod for a fuel assembly, which is made from a zirconium-based alloy tube containing 1 to 2% by weight of tin, 0.05 to 0.15% by weight of chromium and 0.03 to 0.10% by weight of nickel, the balance being substantially zirconium, and having a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube thickness direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic direction, as a Fr value, of 0.25 to 0.50, a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube longitudinal direction, as a Fl value, of 0.25 to 0.36, and a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube circumferential direction, as a Ft value, of 0.25 to 0.36. 14. A water rod for a fuel assembly according to claim 13, wherein the zirconium-based alloy tube contains 0.05 to 0.15% by weight of chromium. 15. A water rod for a fuel assembly according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the zirconium-based alloy tube has an average crystal grain size of 50 to 300 .mu.m. 16. A water rod for a fuel assembly, which is made from a zirconium-based alloy tube having a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube thickness direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic direction, as a Fr value, of 0.25 to 0.50, a crystallographic orientation parameter in the longitudinal direction, as a Fl value, of 0.25 to 0.36, and a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube circumferential direction, as a Ft value, of 0.25 to 0.36. 17. A fuel assembly according to any one of claims 5-9 and 11, wherein the channel box is a channel box prepared by bending a zirconium-based alloy plate into a channel-type member, welding the channel-type member to another channel-type member, thereby obtaining a square cylindrical member, locally heating the square cylindrical member in a .beta.-phase temperature region and maintaining the member in the heated state, and forcedly cooling the heated member with a cooling medium, thereby making the forcedly cooled member have a crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, as a Fr value, of 0.25 to 0.50. 18. A fuel assembly according to any one of claims 5-9 and 11, wherein the cladding tubes are cladding tubes prepared by continuously moving either (a) a thick tube shell of the zirconium-based alloy, after a final hot plastic working, or (b) a thin tube shell between the final hot plastic working and a final cold plastic working, in a longitudinal direction, locally heating the outer surface of the tube shell in an (.alpha.+.beta.) phase or .beta.-phase temperature region and maintaining the outer surface in the heated state, while cooling the inner surface of the tube shell, and forcedly cooling the outer surface of the tube shell with a cooling medium, thereby hardening the tube shell. 19. A fuel assembly according to any one of claims 5-9, 11 and 12, wherein the spacer has spacer cells each prepared by continuously moving either (a) a thick tube shell of the zirconium-based alloy after a final hot plastic working or (b) a thin tube shell between the final hot plastic working and a final cold plastic working, in the longitudinal direction, locally heating the tube shell in an (.alpha.+.beta.) phase or .beta.-phase temperature region and maintaining the tube shell in the heated state, and forcedly cooling the tube shell with a cooling medium, thereby hardening the tube shell. 20. A fuel assembly according to any one of claims 5-9, 11 and 12, wherein the spacer has a frame member made from a plate-shaped material, the frame member being a member that has been prepared by locally heating the plate-shaped material in an (.alpha.+.beta.) phase or .beta.-phase temperature region and maintaining the plate-shaped material in the heated state, and forcedly cooling the material with a cooling medium, thereby hardening the material, the plate-shaped material being in an cell-integrated structure. 21. A fuel assembling according to any one of claims 5-9, 11 and 12, wherein the spacer has lattice cells and a frame member made from a plate-shaped material, the frame member being a member that has been prepared by locally heating the plate-shaped material in an (.alpha.+.beta.) phase or .beta.-phase temperature region and maintaining the plate-shaped material in the heated state, and forcedly cooling the material with a cooling medium, thereby hardening the material, the plate-shaped material being in an cell-integrated structure. 22. A fuel assembly according to any one of claims 5-9, 11 and 12, wherein the at least one water rod each is a water rod prepared by continuously moving a tube, made from the zirconium-based alloy and subjected to a final cold plastic working, in the longitudinal direction, locally heating the tube in a .beta.-phase temperature region and maintaining the tube in the heated state, and forcedly cooling the heated part with a cooling medium, thereby making the tube have a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube thickness direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic direction, as a Fr value, of 0.25 to 0.50, a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube longitudinal direction, as a Fl value, of 0.25 to 0.36, and a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube circumferential direction, as a Ft value, of 0.25 to 0.36. 23. A fuel assembly according to claim 1, wherein said crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, of the material forming the channel box, is 0.25 to 0.35. 24. A fuel assembly according to claim 4, wherein said crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, of the material forming the channel box, is 0.25 to 0.35. 25. A fuel assembly according to claim 1, wherein said crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, of the material forming the channel box, is 0.25 to 0.35. 26. A fuel assembly according to claim 7, wherein said crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, of the material forming the channel box, is 0.25 to 0.35. 27. A fuel assembly according to claim 8, wherein said crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, of the material forming the channel box, is 0.25 to 0.35. 28. A fuel assembly according to claim 9, wherein said crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, of the material forming the channel box, is 0.25 to 0.35. 29. A fuel assembly according to claim 11, wherein said crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation, of the material forming the channel box, is 0.25 to 0.35. 30. A fuel assembly according to claim 17, wherein the forcedly cooled member is made to have a crystallographic orientation parameter in the normal-to-plate direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation of 0.25 to 0.35. 31. A fuel assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fuel rods are not fixed to the upper tie plate; and wherein crystallographic orientations of material of the channel box and material of the at least one water rod are in substantially random distribution while material of the cladding tubes of the fuel rods is not in substantially random distribution. 32. A fuel assembly according to claim 31, wherein the fuel rods extend through through-holes provided in the upper tie plate. 33. A fuel assembly according to claim 32, wherein said at least one water rod is fixed to the upper tie plate. 34. A fuel assembly according to claim 33, wherein the at least one water rod is made of a zirconium-based alloy material, and the material forming the at least one water rod has a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube thickness direction of &lt;0001&gt; crystallographic orientation of 0.25 to 0.50, a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube longitudinal direction of 0.25 to 0.36, and a crystallographic orientation parameter in the tube circumferential direction of 0.25 to 0.36. 35. A fuel assembly according to claim 34, wherein the crystallographic orientation parameter, of the material of the channel box, in the normal-to-plate direction, is greater than crystallographic orientation parameters of the material of the channel box in the longitudinal and normal-to-the-rolling directions. 36. A fuel assembly according to claim 35, wherein the crystallographic orientation parameter of the material forming the at least one water rod, in the tube thickness direction, is greater than crystallographic orientation parameters of the material forming the at least one water rod in the tube longitudinal and tube circumferential directions. 37. A fuel assembly according to claim 34, wherein crystallographic orientation parameters of the material forming the channel box, in the normal-to-plate, longitudinal and normal-to-the-rolling directions, are each substantially equal to 0.33. 38. A fuel assembly according to claim 37, wherein crystallographic orientation parameters of the material forming the at least one water rod, in the tube thickness, longitudinal and tube circumferential directions, are each substantially equal to 0.33. 39. A fuel assembly according to claim 2, wherein crystallographic orientation parameters in each of the normal-to-plate, normal-to-the-rolling, and longitudinal directions is 0.30 to 0.35. 40. A water rod according to claim 16, wherein crystallographic orientation parameters in each of the tube thickness direction, the longitudinal direction and the tube circumferential direction are 0.30 to 0.35. 41. A water rod according to claim 16, wherein crystallographic orientation parameters of the material forming the at least one water rod, in the tube thickness, longitudinal and tube circumferential directions, are each substantially equal to 0.33.