Formation and characterization of hydride rim structures in Zircaloy-4 nuclear fuel cladding tubes

Kamerman, David W.; Bachhav, Mukesh; Yao, Tiankai; Pu, Xiaofei; Burns, Jatuporn

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154675

Formation and characterization of hydride rim structures in Zircaloy-4 nuclear fuel cladding tubes

Journal Article · Sun Aug 06 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154675· OSTI ID:2283323

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Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Zirconium alloy tubes used as nuclear fuel cladding are subject to oxidation and subsequent hydrogen pickup during their long service in commercial light water reactors. The hydrogen picked up in the cladding can precipitate as a brittle hydride rim feature on the cladding outer surface. Here, to better understand the effect of hydride rims on the fracture behavior of stress-relieved zirconium alloy cladding tubes, a procedure to produce these rim-like structures has been developed and is described herein. Extensive characterization of the ‘as hydrided’ tubes is performed. The hydrogen charging apparatus consists of a tube furnace with a quartz chamber that is connected to a vacuum pump as well as a bottle of pure hydrogen gas. The charging station uses a static charge of hydrogen as opposed to a flowing gas. The chief advantage of this approach is the ability to monitor the pressure drop in the hydriding chamber and correlate this pressure drop to a known rate of hydrogen pickup in the cladding tube. It was found that the hydrogen partial pressure, metal temperature, and surface treatment all clearly played a role in whether a hydride rim was formed. Extensive characterization of the hydride rims shows they consist of needle like platelets of δ phase hydrides (ZrH1.66) oriented in the circumferential direction with a radial spacing of several microns in a sandwich-like structure.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain. Advanced Fuel Campaign

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517

OSTI ID:: 2283323

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1994213

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU--23-71793-Revision-0

Journal Information:: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Vol. 586; ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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