Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

HIGH TEMPERATURE OXIDATION OF NB-CONTAINING ZR ALLOY CLADDING IN LOCA CONDITIONS

  • Chuto, Toshinori (Fuel Safety Research Group, Nuclear Safety Research Center) ;
  • Nagase, Fumihisa (Fuel Safety Research Group, Nuclear Safety Research Center) ;
  • Fuketa, Toyoshi (Fuel Safety Research Group, Nuclear Safety Research Center)
  • Published : 2009.03.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

In order to evaluate high-temperature oxidation behavior of the advanced alloy cladding under LOCA conditions, isothermal oxidation tests in steam were performed with cladding specimens prepared from high burnup PWR fuel rods that were irradiated up to 79 MWd/kg. Cladding materials were $M5^{(R)}$ and $ZIRLO^{TM}$, which are Nb-containing alloys. Ring-shaped specimens were isothermally oxidized in flowing steam at temperatures from 1173 to 1473 K for the duration between 120 and 4000s. Oxidation rates were evaluated from measured oxide layer thickness and weight gain. A protective effect of the preformed corrosion layer is seen for the shorter time range at the lower temperatures. The influence of pre-hydriding is not significant for the examined range. Alloy composition change generally has small influence on oxidation in the examined temperature range, though $M5^{(R)}$ shows an obviously smaller oxidation constant at 1273 K. Consequently, the oxidation rates of the high burnup $M5^{(R)}$ and $ZIRLO^{TM}$ cladding are comparable or lower than that of unirradiated Zircaloy-4 cladding.

Keywords

References

  1. M. Ozawa, T. Takahashi, T. Homma, and K. Goto, "Behavior of irradiated Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding under simulated LOCA conditions," Zirconium in the Nuclear Industry: 12th International Symposium, ASTM STP 1354, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA, p. 279 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1520/STP14304S
  2. J. -C. Brachet, V. Maillot, L. Portier, D. Gilbon, A. Lesbros, N. Weackel, and J. -P. Mardon, "Hydrogen content, preoxidation, and cooling scenario effects on post-quench microstructure and mechanical properties of Zircaloy-4 and M5 alloys in LOCA conditions," Zirconium in the Nuclear Industry: 15th International Symposium, Sun River, Oregon, USA, February 24-28, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1520/JAI101116
  3. F. Nagase, T. Otomo, H. Uetsuka, "Experiments on high burnup fuel behavior under LOCA conditions at JAERI," 2000 International Topical Meeting on Light Water Reactor Fuel Performance, Park City, Utah, USA , April 10-13, 2000.
  4. L. Portier, T. Bredel, J. -C. Brachet, V. Maillot, J. -P. Mardon, and A. Lesbros, "Influence of long service exposures on the thermal-mechanical behavior of Zy-4 and M5TM alloys in LOCA conditions," Zirconium in the Nuclear Industry: 14th International Symposium, Stockholm, Sweden, January 13-15, 2004.
  5. F. Nagase, T. Otomo and H. Uetsuka, "Oxidation Kinetics of Low-Sn Zircaloy-4 at the Temperature Range from 773 to 1573 K," J. Nucl. Sci. Technol., 40, 4, p.213 (2003). https://doi.org/10.3327/jnst.40.213
  6. Y. Yan, T. Burtseva and M. Billone, "LOCA-Related Research at ANL," Proc. of Fuel Safety Research Meeting 2004, Tokyo, Japan, March 1-2, 2004.
  7. F. Nagase, "High burnup fuel behavior under LOCA conditions," Proc. Fuel Safety Research Meeting 2005, Tokyo, Japan, March 2-3, 2005.
  8. F. Nagase, T. Chuto, T. Fuketa, "Fracture resistance of high burnup PWR fuel cladding under simulated LOCA conditions," 2008 Water Reactor Fuel Performance Meeting, Seoul, Korea, Oct. 19-23, 2008.
  9. L. Baker and L. C. Just, Studies of Metal-Water Reaction at High Temperatures III. Experimental and Theoretical Studies of the Zirconium-Water Reaction, ANL-6548, Argonne National Laboratory (1962).

Cited by

  1. Treatment of the Equations of Metal Oxidation Rates at Nuclear Power Plants and Thermal Power Plants in Terms of Thermodynamics vol.65, pp.9, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1134/S0040601518090069