Control of degradation of spent LWR (light-water reactor) fuel during dry storage in an inert atmosphere
Dry storage of Zircaloy-clad spent fuel in inert gas (referred to as inerted dry storage or IDS) is being developed as an alternative to water pool storage of spent fuel. The objectives of the activities described in this report are to identify potential Zircaloy degradation mechanisms and evaluate their applicability to cladding breach during IDS, develop models of the dominant Zircaloy degradation mechanisms, and recommend cladding temperature limits during IDS to control Zircaloy degradation. The principal potential Zircaloy cladding breach mechanisms during IDS have been identified as creep rupture, stress corrosion cracking (SCC), and delayed hydride cracking (DHC). Creep rupture is concluded to be the primary cladding breach mechanism during IDS. Deformation and fracture maps based on creep rupture were developed for Zircaloy. These maps were then used as the basis for developing spent fuel cladding temperature limits that would prevent cladding breach during a 40-year IDS period. The probability of cladding breach for spent fuel stored at the temperature limit is less than 0.5% per spent fuel rod. 52 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 5750580
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-6364; ON: DE88003982
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Low-temperature rupture behavior of Zircaloy-clad pressurized water reactor spent fuel rods under dry storage conditions
High temperature postirradiation materials performance of spent pressurized water reactor fuel rods under dry storage conditions
Related Subjects
Handling
& Storage
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210100 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
210200 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103 -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
ALLOYS
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CORROSION
CRACKS
CREEP
DECOMPOSITION
DRY STORAGE
ELEMENTS
EMBRITTLEMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUATIONS
FUEL CANS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUELS
HYDROGEN
INERT ATMOSPHERE
MATERIALS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
OXIDATION
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
SPENT FUEL ELEMENTS
SPENT FUEL STORAGE
SPENT FUELS
STORAGE
STRESS CORROSION
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TIN ALLOYS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
ZIRCALOY
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS