Additive manufacture of zirconium alloys for thermal propulsion by selective powder deposition

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  • IAC-24,C2,LBA,1,x91846

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The complex fuel configurations required for nuclear thermal propulsion fuel systems make additive manufacturing a fabrication technology of choice for architectures with flow channels that facilitate effective heat exchange and pressure thresholds. In the present work, additive manufacturing of zirconium-niobium and zirconium vanadium matrices that typically encapsulate low-enriched fuel particles was performed by the selective powder deposition method. Zirconium-niobium (80Zr20Nb) and zirconium-vanadium (56Zr-44V) alloys in contact with graphite, instead of the conventional silica support material, were sintered to consolidate the printed powder forms. Microstructural analyses showed the formation of a zirconium-rich crust at the printed edges in contact with graphite. Thermal conductivity studies were conducted on a laser flash analyser up to 500 °C and both alloys showed comparable thermal conductivity. Mechanical tests in the form of Vickers microhardness indentations and three point bending were performed on zirconium-niobium and zirconium-vanadium alloys. In both studies, the zirconium vanadium showed larger variances in the samples due to the grains of the powder particles sintering in a discretised form and presenting a quasi-composite microstructure. Vickers’ hardness was 527 and 550 HV1/10 for the Zr-V and Zr-Nb, respectively. Sudden failure in the elastic regime showed brittle behaviour in Zr-V, while gradual transition into an inelastic regime in Zr-Nb showed ductile behaviour. Selective powder deposition is a promising additive manufacturing process for the realisation of articles made from zirconium alloys of vanadium and niobium.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC)
PublisherInternational Astronautical Federation (IAF)
Publication statusPublished - 31 Oct 2024
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