“Chepetsky Mechanical Plant” JSC, Glazov, Russia:

D. A. Negodin, Head of Common Industrial Activity Group, e-mail: Negodin.Glazov@mail.ru
M. G. Shtutsa, Deputy Chief Executive Officer — Technical Officer
E. V. Ilenko, Head of Shop
E. S. Koparulina, Head of Chemical-Technological Laboratory
A. V. Aleksandrov, Head of Group of Metallurgy

The unique complex of physical and chemical properties of hafnium provides the wide use of hafnium-based products in various branches of industry. High value of nuclear effective section of thermal neutron capture predetermined the use of hafnium in nuclear power industry. The combination of high performances of mechanical properties and corrosion resistance in water and water steam make possible to use the metallic hafnium products in reactor core without additional containment shell. After collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia had no industrial production of hafnium and hafnium-based products. “Chepetsky Mechanical Plant” JSC created the industrial production of hafnium and hafnium-based products for the purpose of meeting of Russian nuclear power industry needs. All parameters of melted ingots of metallic hafnium with actual content of 99.0% (wt.) (Hf + Zr  99.8% (wt.)) correspond to the requirements of Russian (State Standard) and international standards (ASTM) for nuclear materials. Plates for emergency control cartridges of VVER-440 (ВВЭР-440) reactors are the most important type of delivered hafnium-based products. The carried out researches have shown that properties of the plates are not inferior to the products of ATI Wah Chang company. There were additionally defined the mechanical properties of metallic hafnium in the range of temperatures within 20–900 ^oС. The corrosion resistance was also defined during 3000 hours in the medium, close to reactor. Hafnium-based products were investigated by metallography methods and electronic microscopy methods. According to this, the surface morphology was studied. The complex of the carried out researches confirms high quality of metallic hafnium and hafnium-based products (manufactured at “Chepetsky Mechanical Plant” JSC) and their suitability for use as reactor materials.

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