Zirconium alloys for nuclear fuel claddings forming the protective oxide, zirconium alloy nuclear fuel claddings prepared by using thereof and method of preparing the same

摘要

Disclosed herein is a zirconium alloy composition for nuclear fuel cladding tubes, comprising: 1.62.0 wt % of Nb; 0.050.14 wt % of Sn; 0.020.2 wt % of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Fe, Cr and Cu; 0.090.15 wt % of O; 0.0080.012 wt % of Si; and a balance of Zr, a nuclear fuel cladding tube comprising the zirconium alloy composition, and a method of manufacturing the nuclear fuel cladding tube. Since the nuclear fuel cladding tube made of the zirconium alloy composition can maintain excellent corrosion resistance by forming a protective oxide film thereon under the conditions of high-temperature and high-pressure cooling water and water vapor, it can be usefully used as a nuclear fuel cladding tube for light water reactors or heavy water reactors, thus improving the economical efficiency and safety of the use of nuclear fuel.