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Investigating Potential Accident Tolerant Fuel Cladding Materials and Coatings

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Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems – Water Reactors

Part of the book series: The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series ((MMMS))

Abstract

Thermal energy release and hydrogen generation due to breakaway oxidation of Zr fuel cladding materials are of concern in accident scenarios involving extreme temperature increase (up to 1200 °C). As a result, potential accident tolerant fuel cladding (ATFC) materials and coatings are being investigated. Physical vapor deposited CrN coatings are considered as possible protective barrier materials for Zircaloys. In addition, Fe–Cr-Al alloys are considered potential candidate materials for ATFC due the formation of protective alumina at high temperatures which maintains resistance by preventing oxide breakdown. Both CrN-coated Zircaloys and a Fe–Cr-Al model alloy were exposed to 300 °C water and steam environments up to 1200 °C to evaluate their resistance to corrosion under normal reactor operating conditions and to high temperature steam oxidation. Surface analytical techniques are used to evaluate the effectiveness of oxides and/or coatings over the 300 °C water to 1000 °C steam temperature regime.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, 286 Plant Road, Chalk River, ON, K0J 1J0, Canada

    K. Daub, S. Y. Persaud & H. Nordin

  2. GE Global Research, 1 Research Circle, Schenectady, NY, 12309, USA

    R. B. Rebak

  3. Institutt for Energiteknikk, Halden, Norway

    R. Van Nieuwenhove

  4. Surface Science Western, Western University, London, ON, Canada

    S. Ramamurthy

Authors
  1. K. Daub
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  2. S. Y. Persaud
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  3. R. B. Rebak
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  4. R. Van Nieuwenhove
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  5. S. Ramamurthy
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  6. H. Nordin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. Daub .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID, USA

    John H. Jackson

  2. Naval Nuclear Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Denise Paraventi

  3. Chalk River Laboratories, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, ON, Canada

    Michael Wright

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© 2019 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society

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Daub, K., Persaud, S.Y., Rebak, R.B., Van Nieuwenhove, R., Ramamurthy, S., Nordin, H. (2019). Investigating Potential Accident Tolerant Fuel Cladding Materials and Coatings. In: Jackson, J., Paraventi, D., Wright, M. (eds) Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Environmental Degradation of Materials in Nuclear Power Systems – Water Reactors. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04639-2_95

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