Producing Explosive Clads

Fig. 1. Angle arrangements to produce explosion clads, where (a) represents symmetric angle cladding and (b), angle cladding.

Explosion-bonded metals are produced by several manufacturers in the United States, Europe, and Japan. The chemical industry is the principal consumer of explosion-bonded metals which are used in the constmction of clad reaction vessels and heat-exchanger tube sheets for corrosion-resistant service. The primary market segments for explosion-bonded metals are for corrosion-resistant pressure vessels, tube sheets for heat exchangers, electrical transition joints, and stmctural transition joints. Total world markets for explosion-clad metals are estimated to fluctuate between 30 x 10 to 60 x 10 annually. 

In cladding, an explosively driven metal plate (flyer plate) hits another plate (base plate) kept at a specified distance-greater than half the flyer plate thickness in order to allow this plate to achieve its maximum impact velocity. The extreme temperature and pressure produced with high-energy impact, bonds the plates together through a metallurgical bond. This technique is employed to bond... 

Integral Bonded Cladding A composite material produced by roll bonding or explosion welding (EXW). 

Much disagreement exists on whether a sodium vapor explosion of the kind postulated above can in fact take place when the molten core mixes with the coolant following the initial explosive dispersal of the core. According to the superheat theory of Fauske (see Bibliography), it seems likely that the mixing of molten uranium or plutonium oxide with liquid sodium will not in fact produce a sodium vapor explosion. On the other hand, it is possible that the much more rapid transfer of heat to the sodium from the molten steel of the fuel cladding could either trigger a sodium vapor explosion directly or set up the conditions under which the slower heat transfer from the fuel itself could do so. 

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