Effect of interlayer macrostress on hydride orientation in shell tubes from Zr-based alloys

Methods of texture analysis allowed to show that inhomogeneity of the crystallographic texture in shell tube wall is responsible for rise of tangential macrostress in the tube. This inhomogeneity predetermines a difference of thermal expansion between outside and inside layers of tube at its exploitation temperature. The indicator of such stress is formation of radially-oriented hydrides in the transverse section of tube, subjected to treatment in autoclave. (paper)