US5122334A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Zirconium-gallium alloy and structural components made thereof for use in nuclear reactors
Assignee: Alleima Special Metals LLC
•
Filing: 1991-02-25
•
Granted: 1992-06-16
•
Expires: 2011-02-25
Abstract
Abstract A zirconium-base alloy including gallium in amounts effective to improve creep strength of the alloy. The Zr-base alloy can include up to 1 wt. % Ga, up to 0.5 wt. % oxygen, up to 1 wt. % Sn and up to 1 wt. % total of Fe, Cr and V. For instance, the alloy can include 0.5-0.5 wt. % Ga, 0.1-0.7 wt. % Sn, 0.1-0.5 wt. % Fe, 0.15-0.4 wt. % V, 0-0.5 wt. % Cr, 0.1-0.25 wt. % oxygen, balance Zr and unavoidable impurities. The alloy is particularly useful as a component of a fuel assembly such as a fuel tube.
Inventors
- 👤 Ellis R. Bradley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:51
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21C; G21C3/00; G21C3/02; G21C3/04; G21C3/06; G21C3/07; G21G; G21G1/00; C; C22; C22C; C22C16/00; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E30/00; Y02E30/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
31 words
A zirconium-base alloy having improved creep strength, comprising Zr and an amount of Ga effective to improve creep strength of the alloy, Ga being present in amounts up to 1 wt.%.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
31 words
A zirconium-base alloy having improved creep strength, comprising Zr and an amount of Ga effective to improve creep strength of the alloy, Ga being present in amounts up to 1 wt.%.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The alloy of claim 1, wherein Ga is present in amounts up to 0.5 wt. %.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The alloy of claim 1, wherein Ga is present in amounts up to 0.25 wt. %.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 1, wherein Ga is present in amounts of 0.1-0.25 wt. %.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 1, wherein Ga is present in amounts of 0.25-0.5 wt. %.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The alloy of claim 1, further comprising up to 0.5 wt. % oxygen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 6, wherein oxygen is present in amounts of 0.1-0.25 wt. %.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 6, wherein oxygen is present in amounts of 0.12-0.18 wt. %.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The alloy of claim 1, further comprising up to 1 wt. % Sn.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 9, wherein Sn is present in amounts of 0.1-0.7 wt. %.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 9, wherein Sn is present in amounts of 0.25-0.5 wt. %.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The alloy of claim 1, further comprising at least one of Fe, Cr and V in a total amount of up to 1 wt. %.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The alloy of claim 12, wherein Fe is present in amounts up to 0.5 wt. %.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 12, wherein Fe is present in amounts of 0.1-0.5 wt. %.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 12, wherein Fe is present in amounts of 0.25-0.4 wt. %.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The alloy of claim 12, wherein Cr is present in amounts up to 0.5 wt. %.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 12, wherein Cr is present in amounts of 0.1-0.5 wt. %.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 12, wherein Cr is present in amounts of 0.15-0.25 wt. %.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The alloy of claim 12, wherein v is present in amounts up to 0.5 wt. %.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 12, wherein V is present in amounts of 0.15-0.4 wt. %.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The alloy of claim 12, wherein V is present in amounts of 0.2-0.3 wt. %.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The alloy of claim 5, further comprising 0.1-0.25 wt. % oxygen, 0.1-0.7 wt. % Sn, 0.1-0.5 wt. % Fe, 0.15-0.4 wt. % V, 0-0.5 wt. % Cr, balance Zr and unavoidable impurities.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
52 words
The alloy of claim 22, wherein oxygen is present in amounts of 0.12-0.18 wt. %, Sn is present in amounts of 0.25-0.5 wt. %, Fe is present in amounts of 0.25-0.4 wt. %, V is present in amounts of 0.2-0.3 wt. %, and Cr is present in amounts of 0.15-0.25 wt. %.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
A structural component for use in nuclear reactors and made of a zirconium-base alloy, the alloy including an amount of Ga effective to improve creep strength of the alloy, Ga being present in amount up to 1 wt.%.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
A structural component for use in nuclear reactors and made of a zirconium-base alloy, the alloy including an amount of Ga effective to improve creep strength of the alloy, Ga being present in amount up to 1 wt.%.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
The structural component of claim 24, wherein the alloy includes up to 1 wt. % Ga, up to 0.5 wt. % oxygen, up to 1 wt. % Sn and up to 1 wt. % in total of Fe, Cr and V.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
The structural component of claim 24, wherein the alloy consists essentially of up to 0.5 wt.% Ga, 0.1-0.25 wt. % oxygen, 0.1-0.7 wt. % Sn, 0.1-0.5 wt. % Fe, 0.1-0.5 wt. % V, 0-0.5 wt. % Cr, balance Zr and unavoidable impurities.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
53 words
The structural component of claim 26, wherein oxygen is present in amounts of 0.12-0.18 wt. %, Sn is present in amounts of 0.1-0.3 wt. %, Fe is present in amounts of 0.25-0.4 wt. %, V is present in amounts of 0.15-0.35 wt. %, and Cr is present in amounts of 0-0.25 wt. %.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
42 words
The structural component of claim 24, wherein the alloy consists essentially of up to 0.5 wt.% Ga, 0.1-0.25 wt. % oxygen, 0.1-0.7 wt. % Sn, 0.1-0.5 wt. % Fe, 0-0.5 wt. % V, 0.1-0.5 wt. % Cr, balance Zr and unavoidable impurities.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
53 words
The structural component of claim 28, wherein oxygen is present in amounts of 0.12-0.18 wt. %, Sn is present in amounts of 0.1-0.3 wt. %, Fe is present in amounts of 0.25-0.4 wt. %, V is present in amounts of 0-0.25 wt. %, and Cr is present in amounts of 0.1-0.3 wt. %.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
14 words
The structural component of claim 24, wherein the structural component comprises a fuel tube.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
12 words
The structural component of claim 30, wherein the fuel tube is liner-free.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
17 words
The structural component of claim 30, wherein the fuel tube includes a Ga-free inner liner of zirconium.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
17 words
The structural component of claim 24, wherein the structural component comprises a component of a fuel assembly.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3294529A
Cited
US3777346A
Cited
US4360445A
Cited
US4963323A
Cited
US4938921A
Cited
US4963316A
Cited
US4938920A
Cited
US4992240A
Cited
US4986957A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-06-16 | 1995-12-16 | 1996-06-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-16 | 1999-12-16 | 2000-06-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-16 | 2003-12-16 | 2004-06-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |