Initial experimental evaluation of crud-resistant materials for light water reactors

Autor: Michael P. Short, Naiqiang Zhang, Alexandra R. Delmore, Ittinop Dumnernchanvanit, Carlson Max B, Dennis Hussey, Sean Robertson
Přispěvatelé: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Short, Michael Philip
Rok vydání: 2018
Předmět:
Zdroj: Prof. Short
ISSN: 0022-3115
Popis: The buildup of fouling deposits on nuclear fuel rods, known as crud, continues to challenge the worldwide fleet of light water reactors (LWRs). Crud causes serious operational problems for LWRs, including axial power shifts, accelerated fuel clad corrosion, increased primary circuit radiation dose rates, and in some instances has led directly to fuel failure. Numerous studies continue to attempt to model and predict the effects of crud, but each assumes that it will always be present. In this study, we report on the development of crud-resistant materials as fuel cladding coatings, to reduce or eliminate these problems altogether. Integrated loop testing experiments at flowing LWR conditions show significantly reduced crud adhesion and surface crud coverage, respectively, for TiC and ZrN coatings compared to ZrO2. The loop testing results roughly agree with the London dispersion component of van der Waals force predictions, suggesting that they contribute most significantly to the adhesion of crud to fuel cladding in out-of-pile conditions. These results motivate a new look at ways of reducing crud, thus avoiding many expensive LWR operational issues.
Electric Power Research Institute (Contract 10002739)
Electric Power Research Institute (Contract 10004433)
Electric Power Research Institute (Contract 10005086)
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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