(19)

(11)

EP 3 253 898 A1

(12)

(43) Date of publication: 13.12.2017 Bulletin 2017/50 (21) Application number: 16746041.9 (22) Date of filing: 05.02.2016

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):  C22C 30/00(2006.01) F22B 37/10(2006.01) C21D 1/26(2006.01) G21C 1/08(2006.01) (86) International application number: PCT/CA2016/050104 (87) International publication number: WO 2016/123715 (11.08.2016 Gazette 2016/32)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR Designated Extension States: BA ME Designated Validation States: MA MD (30) Priority: 06.02.2015 US 201562112879 P (71) Applicant: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited/ Énergie Atomique du Canada Limitée Chalk River, Ontario K0J 1J0 (CA)	(72) Inventors: TAPPING, Robert L. Chalk River, Ontario K0J 1J0 (CA) STAEHLE, Roger W. North Oaks, Minnesota 55127-6331 (US) ARIOKA, Koji Mikata-gun Fukui 919-1205 (JP) (74) Representative: Isarpatent  Patent- und Rechtsanwälte Behnisch Barth Charles Hassa Peckmann & Partner mbB Friedrichstrasse 31 80801 München 80801 München (DE)