Assessment of the long-term storage of zircaloy fuel rods in water

Technical Report · Sat Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:5966186

Munir, Z A

This report is a preliminary assessment of corrosion mechanisms which might affect the integrity of zircaloy-clad fuel rods during long periods of underwater storage. Potential corrosion mechanisms are discussed, and those which merit further investigation are identified. These are the principal recommendations. Current methods of degradation assessment of spent fuel are inadequate; other methods must also be used. The general corrosion of zircaloy under water storage is believed to be too low to justify concern over periods of 10 to 20 years. Additional experimental work is needed to establish the roles of the following variables on zircaloy corrosion: degree of residual stress; fission product uptake and the degree of prior embrittlement; galvanic coupling with other metals of the fuel rod storage assembly; and the nature and concentrations of surface layer contaminants accumulated during reactor residence.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Davis (USA). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
• OSTI ID: 5966186
• Report Number(s): CAEC-012
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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LEVELS
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ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
ZIRCONIUM BASE ALLOYS