• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.823-832
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• 2003

To define the causes of cladding degradation which can take place during the operation of nuclear power plants, it is required to develop the new fracture toughness test of spent fuel cladding. The fracture toughness of Zircaloy-4 cladding was estimated using the recently developed KAERI embedded Charpy (KEC) specimen. Axially notched KEC specimens cut directly from unirradiated fuel claddings, were tested in a way similar to the standard toughness test method of a Single Edge Bending (SEB) specimen. The results of KEC fracture toughness test at room temperatures were discussed and compared with those of the previous other studies. In conclusions, even though the KEC fracture toughness test of nuclear fuel claddings was easier and more reliable than those developed earlier, the results from the cladding fracture tests were not the material characteristics but the specific fracture parameters which were deeply related to the specification of claddings. In addition, the phenomenon of a thickness yielding was not observed from the fracture surface. It was closely related to the fact that the plane strain condition of the KEC specimen was changed to the plane stress condition during crack advancing. It was also supported by the fractographic evidence that the formation of ductile dimples at the crack initiation became the similar appearance such as a quasi-cleavage after the sufficient crack advancing.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.164-171
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• 2005

Iodine-Induced Stress Corrosion Cracking (ISCC) properties of Zircaloy-4 and HANA4 developed in KAERI for the high burn-up nuclear fuel cladding were evaluated. To confirm the effect of final heat treatment on ISCC resistance of Zr-alloy, stress relieved and recrystallized specimens were prepared and tested. With the pre-cracked specimen at internal surface, ISCC crack propagation rates and threshold stress intensity factor ($K_{ISCC}$) based on the fracture mechanics were measured by internal pressurization test at $350^{\circ}C$ in iodine environment. $K_{ISCC}$ of Zircaloy-4 and HANA4 cladding were $3.3MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$ and $4.4MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$, respectively. Pitting corrosion at the crack surface was observed and it seemed that TG crack propagation was derived from the pitting.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.1549-1559
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• 2022

As an accident tolerant fuel (ATF) concept, oxide dispersion strengthened Zircaloy-4 (ODS Zry-4) cladding has been developed to enhance the mechanical properties of cladding using laser processing technology. In this study, a simulation technique was established to investigate the mechanical properties and effects of Y₂O₃ particles for the ODS Zry-4. A 3D representative volume element (RVE) model was developed considering the parameters of the size, shape, distribution and volume fraction (VF) of the Y₂O₃ particles. From the 3D RVE model, the Young's modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and creep strain rate of the ODS Zry-4 were effectively calculated. It was observed that the VF of Y₂O₃ particles had a significant effect on the aforementioned mechanical properties. In addition, the predicted properties of ODS Zry-4 were applied to a simulation model to investigate cladding deformation under a transient condition. The ODS Zry-4 cladding showed better performance, such as a delay in large deformation compared to Zry-4 cladding, which was also found experimentally. Accordingly, it is expected that the simulation approach developed here can be efficiently employed to predict more properties and to provide useful information with which to improve ODS Zry-4.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.931-932
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• 2004

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.421-422
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.402-403
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• 2005

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.2565-2571
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• 2020

Background: Understanding the behaviour of nuclear fuel claddings by conducting burst test on single cladding tube under simulated loss-of-coolant accident conditions and developing theoretical cum empirical predictive computer codes have been the focus of several investigations. The developed burst criterion (a) assumes symmetrical deformation of cladding tube in contrast to experimental observation (b) interpolates the properties of Zircaloy-4 cladding in mixed α+β phase (c) does not account for azimuthal temperature variations. In order to overcome all these drawbacks of burst criterion, it is reasoned that artificial intelligence technique may be a better option to predict the burst parameters. Methods: Artificial neural network models based on feedforward backpropagation algorithm with logsig transfer function are developed. Results: Neural network architecture of 2-4-4-3, that is model with two hidden layers having four nodes in each layer is found to be the most suitable. The mean, maximum, and minimum prediction errors for this optimised model are 0.82%, 19.62%, and 0.004%, respectively. Conclusion: The burst stress, burst temperature, and burst strain obtained from burst criterion have average deviation of 19%, 12%, and 53% respectively whereas the developed neural network model predicted these parameters with average deviation of 6%, 2%, and 8%, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.255-255
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• 2002

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.320.1-320.1
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• 2004

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.570-587
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• 1993

Recently a number of severe fuel degradation events, seemingly due to internal secondary hydriding, have been reported. This paper reviews internal hydriding of defected zircaloy cladding. First, the history of zircaloy cladding development and the environment of the zircaloys in service in the nuclear reactor are introduced. Fundamental aspects of zircaloy hydriding, such as hydrogen permeability in zirconium oxide, terminal solubility and precipitation in zirconium and its alloys, and the deleterious effect of hydrides are reviewed. The mechanism of massive internal hydriding in defected zircaloy fuel rods is qualitatively described based on the observed phenomena. Significant factors affecting the hydriding process are discussed. A quantitative model for the massive hydriding as a part of an effort to mitigate fuel degradation is briefly mentioned and necessary information and recommended future work for improvement of the model are outlined.