• Large blanks of purified Zirconium are transformed into products for

fuel cladding through HOT ROLLING Processes

after immersion the zirconium in molten salt bath to acquire the

optimized temperature, hot rolling can be performed.

Hot rolling is done in 𝛽 phase or 𝛼 + 𝛽 range.

• Further reduction in size is obtained by cold rolling either on pilgering
or flat mills.

• Low temperature annealing (500-700℃) is performed between the

steps.
Pilgering of zirconium tubes
• Cold rolling on the pilger mills is considered as one of the most
effective manufacturing process in the case of tube production for
nuclear applications

• Pilgering is a cold operation consists of a set of diesthat rock back and

forth over the outside of the tube.A mandrel inside the tube
maintains the desired size.
• Parameters that should be taken into account are, tooling material,
pilgered material, shapes, pass schedule, lubrication and pilfgering
parameters.
Rolling of Aluminium Alloys
• Aluminum with its low neutron capture cross section (0.24
barns) is the preferred cladding material for pressurized and boiling
water reactors operating in the moderate temperature range.
Aluminum, in the form of a hot rolled APM alloy, is generally used as a
fuel-element cladding in organic-moderated reactors.
• The rolling of cast aluminium changes its metallic structure and the metal takes on new characteristics and properties.
• The brittleness of the coarse, as-cast structure is replaced by a stronger and more ductile material
• with the degrees of strength and ductility being variable factors that are functions of the amount of rolling (deformation) given to the
metal, the rolling temperature, the alloy composition and the use of annealing.
Aluminium Rolling Alloys for Nuclear Industry

• 5083 (Former BS designation N8)

Very good weldability. Very good corrosion resistance to seawater and
marine atmosphere. High strength alloy with a strength slightly higher
than 5086. High fatigue strength. Good cold and stretch formability in
soft temper in relation to strength. Can be produced in thick plates
without internal stress.
Applications:
Storage tanks, piping and tubing, chemical apparatus,
• 6082 (Former BS designation H30)
• Very good corrosion resistance and weldability (lowered strength
values in the welding zone). Good machinability. Good cold
formability in T4 temper after a stabilizing heat treatment. Heat
treatable medium high strength. Strength somewhat higher than
6061. Medium high fatigue strength.
• Applications
• Heavy duty structures in rail coaches, boilermaking, machinery
frames
• 7075 (Former BS designation 2L95)
• Heat treatable very high strength alloy with a strength slightly lower
than 7010. Very high fatigue strength. Joining preferably by rivets,
adhesives or screws. Corrosion protection is recommended also in
outdoor atmosphere.
• Applications
Highly stressed structural components, nuts, rivets bolts
Fabrication of Tube Bundles in IHX
• The tube bundle of IHX has 3600 nos. of straight seamless tubes
(OD19mmX0.8WT). Each tube is supported with anti-vibration belts at
11 locations to minimize the flow induced vibration during reactor
operation
• The tubes are initially rolled and then seal welded to the either ends
of top and bottom tubesheets by autogenous pulsed GTAW process.
• The rolling provides strength to the joint and seal weld is to ensure
leak tightness for the joint. tube to tubesheet joints are executed first
by rolling using mechanical tube expanders and then welding to avoid
stresses on the seal welds during tube expansion step.
Dispersion nuclear Fuels
• Metal Matrix Composites blended powders (Uranium aluminide and
uranium silicide) are consolidated into billets and followed by various
deformation processing, such as extrusion, forging, rolling or spinning
into final usable shapes.
• There are two types of processes for secondary forming of dispersion
nuclear fuel. Extrusion process is used to produce fuel tubes or rods.
The other is roll-bonding process for producing fuel plates.
• For rolling-process, the compact is placed into an aluminum alloy
frame, and two cover plates are welded on to produce a rolling billet.
Some fabricators vacuum degas the compact before the rolling billet
is assembled in order to remove moisture or lubricant remaining from
the compaction process. The rolling billet is then preheated and
rolled through several passes. Rolling temperatures range from about
425°C to about 500°C, depending on the particular cladding alloy
being used.