Multilayer tube in ceramic matrix composite material, resulting nuclear fuel cladding and associated manufacturing processes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9548139-B2
Application number	US-201214236189-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2012
Priority date	Aug 1, 2011
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a multilayer tubular part ( 1 ) comprising a metal layer forming a metal tubular body ( 3 ) and two layers in ceramic matrix composite material covering the metal tubular body, wherein one of the two layers in ceramic matrix composite material covers the inner surface of the metal tubular body to form an inner tubular body ( 4 ), whilst the other of the two layers in ceramic matrix composite material covers the outer surface of the metal tubular body to form an outer tubular body ( 2 ), the metal tubular body therefore being sandwiched between the inner and outer tubular bodies. The metal tubular body is in metal or metal alloy. Finally, the metal tubular body has a mean thickness smaller than the mean thicknesses of the inner and outer tubular bodies. A said part is useful in particular for producing nuclear fuel claddings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nuclear fuel cladding for a nuclear reactor, wherein the nuclear fuel cladding is a multilayer tubular part which has two ends, at least of said ends being open, the nuclear fuel cladding comprising: a full metal layer forming a metal tubular body; a first layer of ceramic matrix composite material which covers an inner surface of the metal tubular body, thereby forming an inner tubular body, a second layer of ceramic matrix composite material which covers an outer surface of the metal tubular body, thereby forming an outer tubular body; the metal tubular body therefore being sandwiched between the inner and outer tubular bodies and improving hermeticity of the nuclear fuel cladding, and the metal tubular body having a smaller mean thickness than the mean thicknesses of the inner and outer tubular bodies, wherein
The inner tubular body is made of a ceramic matrix composite chosen among a C f /C composite, a C f /SiC composite or a SiC f /SiC composite and the outer tubular body is made of a ceramic matrix composite chosen among a C f /C composite, a C f /SiC composite or a SiC f /SiC composite.

2. The nuclear fuel cladding of claim 1 , wherein the metal tubular body has a mean thickness of between 5% and 20% of a mean thickness of the multilayer tubular part.

3. The nuclear fuel cladding of claim 1 , wherein the metal tubular body is in a material chosen from among niobium and its alloys, tantalum and its alloys, tungsten and its alloys, and titanium and its alloys.

4. A tubular structure having a closed cavity and comprising a nuclear fuel cladding as defined in claim 1 and a cover for each open end of the nuclear fuel cladding, the cover being positioned at an open end thereby sealing fully the open end, the cover comprising an inner layer in metal or metal alloy to be secured to the metal tubular body of the nuclear fuel cladding, the closed cavity of the tubular structure being delimited by an inner wall of the nuclear fuel cladding and by an inner wall of the cover.

5. The tubular structure of claim 4 , wherein the nuclear fuel cladding, at the at least one open end, comprises an annular region in which the metal tubular body is not covered by the outer tubular body and wherein the cover is formed of a bottom connected to a side edge, the side edge being adapted to cover the annular region.

6. The tubular structure of claim 4 , wherein the closed cavity is configured to contain a nuclear fuel and the fission gases released by the nuclear fuel when irradiated.

7. The tubular structure of claim 6 , which has a mean thickness of between 50 and 200 micrometers.

8. A nuclear fuel element comprising nuclear fuel housed the a closed cavity of the tubular structure of claim 4 .

9. A process for manufacturing the nuclear fuel cladding of claim 1 , comprising:
a) providing a tubular body in ceramic matrix composite material to form the inner tubular body, the inner tubular body being made of a ceramic matrix composite chosen among a C f /C composite, a C f /SiC composite or a SiC f /SiC composite, by:
preparing a first fibrous preform of continuous fibres on a cylindrical supporting element;
applying treatment to cause consolidation of the first fibrous preform by forming a matrix in the first fibrous preform, the treatment being conducted at a temperature lower than the degradation temperature of the first fibrous preform and lower than a degradation temperature of the supporting element, thereby obtaining a first consolidated preform;
removing the supporting element from the first consolidated preform by chemical attack of a contact surface of a material of the supporting element with the first consolidated preform;
densifying the first consolidated preform at a temperature lower than a degradation temperature of the first consolidated preform;
b) forming the metal tubular body on the inner tubular body;
c) forming the outer tubular body on the metal tubular body, the outer tubular body being made of a ceramic matrix composite chosen among a C f /C composite, a C f /SiC composite or a SiC f /SiC composite, by:
preparing a second fibrous preform of continuous fibres on the outer surface of the metal tubular body;
applying treatment to cause densification of the second fibrous preform by forming a matrix in the second fibrous preform, the treatment being conducted at a temperature which is lower than a degradation temperature of the second fibrous preform, lower than a degradation temperature of the metal tubular body and lower than a degradation temperature of the inner tubular body.

10. The process of claim 9 , wherein step b) comprises the vapour phase depositing of a metal or metal alloy layer on the outer surface of the inner tubular body.

11. The process of claim 9 , wherein step b) comprises:
inserting the inner tubular body in a metal tube made of metal or metal alloy;
plating this metal tube onto an outer surface of the inner tubular body, thereby forming a part;
optional annealing of the part thus formed.

12. The process of claim 9 , further comprising, between steps a) and b), a surface treatment of a surface of the inner tubular body to reduce a roughness thereof.

13. A process for manufacturing a tubular structure for a nuclear reactor, the tubular structure having a closed cavity and comprising a nuclear fuel cladding,
wherein the nuclear fuel cladding comprises:
a full metal layer which forms a metal tubular body;
a first layer of ceramic matrix composite material, which covers an inner surface of the metal tubular body, thereby forming an inner tubular body; a second layer of ceramic matrix composite material which covers an outer surface of the metal tubular body, thereby forming an outer tubular body; the metal tubular body therefore being sandwiched between the inner and outer tubular bodies and improving hermeticity of the nuclear fuel cladding, and the metal tubular body having a smaller mean thickness than the mean thicknesses of the inner and outer tubular bodies; and
the inner tubular body being made of a ceramic matrix composite chosen among a C f /C composite, a C f /SiC composite or a SiC f /SiC composite and the outer tubular body being made of a ceramic matrix composite chosen among a C f /C composite, a C f /SiC composite or a SiCf/SiC composite;
wherein the nuclear fuel cladding has two open ends, at least one of the open ends being open, and a cover for each open end, the cover being positioned at an open end, thereby fully sealing the open end, and the cover comprising an inner layer made of metal or metal alloy to be secured to the metal tubular body of the nuclear fuel cladding, the closed cavity of the tubular structure being delimited by an inner wall of the nuclear fuel cladding and by an inner wall of the cover;
wherein the process comprises manufacture of a nuclear fuel cladding according to the process of claim 9 and sealing of each open end of the nuclear fuel cladding by placing a cover on each open end and securing the cover onto the metal tubular body, the cover comprising an inner layer made of metal or metal alloy.

14. The tubular structure of claim 4 , wherein the cover further comprises an additional layer in ceramic matrix composite material to be secured to the outer tubular body of the nuclear fuel cladding.

Assignees

• Zabiego Maxime
• Sauder Cédric
• Lorrette Christophe
• Guedeney Philippe
• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Zabiego Maxime
• Sauder Cédric
• Lorrette Christophe
• Guedeney Philippe

Classifications

• C04B2235/6028

  Shaping around a core which is removed later · CPC title

• C04B2237/403

  Refractory metals · CPC title

• B32B9/041

  of metal · CPC title

• B32B2597/00

  Tubular articles, e.g. hoses, pipes · CPC title

• G21C3/06

  Casings; Jackets · CPC title