Sandvik's program of zirconium alloy nuclear fuel cladding tubes cover all fuel designs and most technical specifications. Our to date manufacturing experience of nuclear fuel tubes is well over 60,000,000 meters for more than 100 reactors worldwide.
Sandvik's manufacture of zirconium alloy nuclear fuel tubes is a completely integrated process that starts with alloying and melting zirconium sponge and concludes with the finished tubes.
This completely integrated manufacturing process enables us to control and optimize a wide range of critical process parameters to safeguard the extremely high quality and material property demands.
The result is safe and trouble free performance during reactor peak activity levels and the targeted life time of the nuclear fuel elements of which the cladding tubes are the most critical component.
Nuclear fuel types
Sandvik manufactures nuclear fuel tubes to the following nuclear fuel types:
- PWR/VVER
- BWR
- CANDU (HWR)
- AGR
- LMFBR
Size range and grades
Fuel designs | 8x8, 9x9 and 10x10 |
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Grades | Zircaloy-2, Zircaloy-2 variants and new developments |
Zircaloy-2 plus an inner surface liner of alloyed or pure Zirconium | |
Size range: | OD 9 - 25 mm (0.354 - 0.984 in.) |
Fuel designs | 15x15, 16x16, 17x17, 18x18 and VVER |
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Grades | Zircaloy-4 |
New Zirconium based alloys | |
Size range | OD 8 - 15 mm (0.315 - 0.590 in.) |
Grades | Zircaloy-4 |
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Size range | OD 12 - 16 mm (0.472 - 0.630 in.) |