Investigation of corrosion an high temperature oxidation of promising ATF cladding materials in the framework of the IL TROVATORE project

Mirco M. Grosse, Koba Van Loo, Erkka L. Frankberg, Tang Chonchong, Konstantza Lambrinou, Fabio Di Fonzo, Martin Steinbrueck

    Research outputpeer-review

    Abstract

    The aim of the IL TROVATORE project is the development, characterization and testing of potential materials for nuclear fuel rod claddings with enhanced accident tolerance. One main task of the ongoing investigations are testing of the cladding/coolant interactions under operational as well as accident conditions. A wide range of materials was already tested: oxides, MAX phases, SiC and iron based alloys. The paper gives a rough overview about the results of autoclave tests simulating operational conditions and steam oxidation tests at 1200°C covering transient design basis accident conditions. The results of corrosion tests demonstrates the excellent performance of protective zirconia layers under operational conditions. Whereas chromia shows a low corrosion rate too, the water corrosion of alumina is problematic. The reaction rates obtained for Cr2AlC MAX phase depends strongly on the porosity of the material. Dense material behaves well whereas the corrosion of porous material is fast. The best performance in the steam oxidation tests at 1200°C shows SiC followed by dense Cr2AlC MAX phase, FeCrAl and high entropy alloys. Additional information concerning the reaction rates were obtained by measuring the hydrogen release. For several materials it could be shown that not only processes occur resulting in mass gain but simultaneous reactions take place resulting in a mass loss,
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationInternational Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference and TOP FUEL 2019
    Subtitle of host publicationLight Water Reactor Fuel Performance conference
    PublisherAmerican Nuclear Society
    Pages274-279
    Number of pages6
    StatePublished - 22 Sep 2019
    Event2019 - Global/Top Fuel: Light water reactor fuel performance conference - The Westin Seattle, Seattle
    Duration: 22 Sep 201926 Sep 2019
    Conference number: 157481
    http://globaltopfuel.ans.org/

    Conference

    Conference2019 - Global/Top Fuel
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    CitySeattle
    Period2019-09-222019-09-26
    Internet address

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