300 ppm Be, and Co appear to have no 
effects. 
Hydrogen is liberated during Zr- 
alloy corrosion by 
Zr + 2H.O = ZrO- + 2H. 
Zircaloy-2 picks up 10-20% of the H. 
produced in 750° F steam and 5-15% 
in 680° F water. Unalloyed Zr picks 
up 30%. Incomplete data show that 
the corrosion rate of Zircaloy-2 con- 
taining 4-10,000 ppm hydrogen in 
750° F steam increases slightly with 
increasing H.content. Specimens con- 
taining 500-10,000 ppm hydrogen after 
126 days in steam have weight gains 
114 times that for specimens containing 
Company Notes 
In addition to the products listed in the 
table, the following additional work is being 
done by the companies indicated: 
Bridgeport Brass Co, Deep-drawn Zirc- 
aloy-2 shells are now in experimental produc- 
tion. Development work continues on 
tubing from 3-in. extruded to 3¢-in. cold- 
drawn. Bridgeport is cooperating with 
Carborundum Metals and others in a 
sample-preparation program; extruded bil- 
lets of sponge and reactor-grade Zr and 
Zircaloy-2 are available. In ’56, Bridge- 
port hopes to have moderate production of 
tubing in lengths up to 20 ft. 
Kawecki Chemical Co. Independently of 
the AEC program, Kawecki has developed 
a Hf-Zr separation process. Although now 
done on a laboratory scale, facilities could 
be readily set up to produce large quantities 
of Hf-free potassium zirconium fluoride and 
zirconium oxide and hydroxide should the 
demand warrant it. The process is said to 
be similar to the Russian method of frac- 
tional crystallization of Zr and Hf bifluo- 
rides described at Geneva in paper 634. 
Metals and Controls Corp. In fabricating 
fuel elements, one project is arc-melting 
uranium and zirconium alloys; several 
problems have placed Zr sponge in a minor 
role in this use. Metals and Controls is 
also working on a fuel element of uranium 
foil clad with Zr strip; not completely de- 
veloped, it looks good for critical-assembly 
type of operation. A small amount of Zr 
scrap is being melted down for U-Zr ingots; 
it is an important factor in decreasing the 
price of fuel elements. 
National Research Corp. A patented proc- 
ess for titanium shape-casting has been 
applied to Zr; vacuum casting should offer 
a relatively inexpensive method of pro- 
ducing complex shapes with high yield. 
Melting (up to 80-lb capacity) and heat- 
treating equipment are being designed and 
manufactured; furnaces of up to 2,000 lb 
Zr melting capacity (arc, skull, or cold- 
mold) can be furnished on order. 
Nuclear Metals, Inc. Several methods have 
been developed for cladding fuel elements 
with Zr and Zr alloys. Facilities are avail- 
able for testing Zr, e.g., its corrosion re- 
sistance and physical properties. 
Wolverine Tube Div., Calumet & Hecla, Inc. 
Although now primarily concerned with 
tube products, Wolverine has an eye on the 
market for products of rolling, welding, and 
zirconium roll-bonded to other metals. 
56 
Reactor-Grade Zirconium Products (Cont.) 
FABRICATED PRODUCTS 
Spec’s 
Price 
Bridgeport Brass Co. (Zr and Zircaloy) 
Extruded tubing 
Wrought tubing 
Rod 
Up to 3.0 in. o.d., 14-8 
in. wall; down to 2 in 
o.d., 1g—14-in. wall 
114 in. o.d., 0.100-in. 
wall; down to 3 in. o.d., 
0.020-in. wall 
As extruded or drawn 
down to 34-in. round 
3 
Chase Brass and Copper Co., Inc. (Zr and Zircaloy) 
Extruded tubing (conversion 
basis) 
Firth Sterling, Inc. 
Sheet bar 
Forged billets 
Hot-rolled strip 
Cold-rolled strip 
Hot-rolled bars 
Hot-rolled sheet 
Cold-rolled sheet 
Hot-rolled rods 
Wire 
Tubing 
National Research Corp. 
149-in. min. i.d., 544-in. 
max. 0.d.; }g—14 in. min. 
wall thickness, depend- 
ing on o.d.; 1-in. max. 
wall thickness 
Up to 625 lb 
0.100 mil min., 100 in. 
wide, 600-lb rolls 
0.005 mil min. thickness 
346-5 in. diameter, }4- 
10 in. square 
0.1 in. thick, 36 X 96 
down to 0.012 in. min. 
thickness 
3g in. min. diameter; 
cold drawn and center- 
less ground to }4 in. 
diameter 
0.010 in. min. diameter 
Extruded—214-34 in. 
diameter; welded—214- 
14 in. diameter; both re- 
drawn to 346 in. diam- 
eter and 0.020 in. wall 
Jobs quoted individually 
Price on 
specific lots 
request for 
>500 Ib, $26.56/Ib; 
<50 Ib, $33.20/Ib; 
>500 Ib, $25.75/lb; 
<50 Ib, $32.19/Ib 
>500 Ib, $28.23/lb; 
<50 lb, $38.18/Ib 
> 500 lb, $26.15/Ib; 
<50 lb, $37.05 /Ib 
>500 Ib, $35/Ib; 
<50 lb, $60/Ib 
Price on request 
> 500 Ib, $85.00/Ib; 
<50 lb, $110.00/lb 
Special Zr components fabricated on order; prepared to quote on shapes requiring 
machining and welding to close tolerance 
Nuclear Metals, Inc. 
Zr-clad fuel elements, mill products (wire, sheet, rods, tubing); sample quantities to 
large*scale production; prices on inquiry 
Typical sample tubing lots 
Sylvania Electric Products, Inc. 
Bid on specific items, such as fuel elements. 
well as other techniques 
44-3¢ in. o.d., 0.020- 
0.060 in. wall 
1 in. o.d., 0.020—0.100 in. 
wall 
$5-10/ft 
$10-30/ft 
Fabricate by powder metallurgy as 
Calumet and Hecla, Inc., Wolverine Tube Div. (Zr and alloys) 
Tubing 
Damascus Tube Co. (Zr, Zircaloy-2, Zircaloy-3) 
Welded tubing and pipe (ASTM 
spec’s or other) 
14-1546 in. o.d., 0.032- 
0.072 wall; 1-134 in., 
0.032-0.083; 134-214 
in., 0.042-0.083 
On individual order basis 
Representative prices 
per 100 ft: 1-in. o.d., 18 
gage—$2,018.94; 1-in. 
o.d., 16 gage—$2,617.96; 
34-in. o.d., 18 gage— 
$1,496.34; 34-in. o.d., 
16 gage—$1,929.14 
