Zircaloy oxidation studies

Conference · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5054978

Prater, J T; Beauchamp, R H; Saenz, N T

The oxidation kinetics of Zircaloy-4 in steam have been determined at 1300-2400/sup 0/C. Growth of the ZrO/sub 2/ and ..cap alpha..-Zr layers display parabolic behavior over the entire temperature range studied. A discontinuity in the oxidation kinetics at 1510/sup 0/C causes rates to increase above those previously established by the Baker-Just relationship. This increase coincides with the tetragonal-to-cubic phase transformation in ZrO/sub 2-x/. No discontinuity in the oxide growth rate is observed upon melting of Zr(0). The effects of temperature gradients have been taken into account and corrected values representative of near-isothermal conditions have been computed.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5054978
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-13372; CONF-8510160-3; ON: DE86001766
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360105* -- Metals & Alloys-- Corrosion & Erosion
ALLOYS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
KINETICS
OXIDATION
REACTION KINETICS
STEAM
TIN ALLOYS
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCALOY 4
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS