Abstract
An analysis has been undertaken of the various cases of local enhancement of corrosion rate of zirconium alloys under irradiation. It is observed that in most cases a strong emission of energetic {beta}{sup -} is present leading to a local energy deposition rate higher than the core average. This suggests that the local transient radiolytic oxidizing species produced in the coolant by the {beta}{sup -} particles could contribute to corrosion enhancement, by increasing the local corrosion potential. This process is applicable to the local enhanced corrosion found in front of stainless steels structural parts, due to the contribution of Mn, and in front of Pt inserts or Cu-rich cruds. It explains also the irradiation corrosion enhancement of Cu-Zr alloys. Enhanced corrosion around neutron absorbing material is explained similarly by pair production from conversion of high energy capture photons in the cladding, leading to energetic electrons. The same process was found to be active with other highly ionizing species like {alpha} from Ni-rich alloys and fission products in homogeneous reactors. Due to the changes induced by the irradiation intensity on the concentration of the radiolytic species, the coolant chemistry, that controls the boundary conditions for oxide growth, has to be analyzed
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Citation Formats
Lemaignan, C, and Salot, R.
Corrosion of zirconium alloys in nuclear reactors: A model for irradiation induced enhancement by local radiolysis in the porous oxide.
IAEA: N. p.,
1997.
Web.
Lemaignan, C, & Salot, R.
Corrosion of zirconium alloys in nuclear reactors: A model for irradiation induced enhancement by local radiolysis in the porous oxide.
IAEA.
Lemaignan, C, and Salot, R.
1997.
"Corrosion of zirconium alloys in nuclear reactors: A model for irradiation induced enhancement by local radiolysis in the porous oxide."
IAEA.
@misc{etde_462425,
title = {Corrosion of zirconium alloys in nuclear reactors: A model for irradiation induced enhancement by local radiolysis in the porous oxide}
author = {Lemaignan, C, and Salot, R}
abstractNote = {An analysis has been undertaken of the various cases of local enhancement of corrosion rate of zirconium alloys under irradiation. It is observed that in most cases a strong emission of energetic {beta}{sup -} is present leading to a local energy deposition rate higher than the core average. This suggests that the local transient radiolytic oxidizing species produced in the coolant by the {beta}{sup -} particles could contribute to corrosion enhancement, by increasing the local corrosion potential. This process is applicable to the local enhanced corrosion found in front of stainless steels structural parts, due to the contribution of Mn, and in front of Pt inserts or Cu-rich cruds. It explains also the irradiation corrosion enhancement of Cu-Zr alloys. Enhanced corrosion around neutron absorbing material is explained similarly by pair production from conversion of high energy capture photons in the cladding, leading to energetic electrons. The same process was found to be active with other highly ionizing species like {alpha} from Ni-rich alloys and fission products in homogeneous reactors. Due to the changes induced by the irradiation intensity on the concentration of the radiolytic species, the coolant chemistry, that controls the boundary conditions for oxide growth, has to be analyzed with respect to the local value of the energy deposition rate. An analysis has been undertaken which shows that, in a porous media, the water is exposed to a higher intensity than bulk water. This leads to a higher concentration of oxidizing radiolytic species at the root of the cracks of the porous oxide, and increases the corrosion rate under irradiation. This mechanism, deduced from the explanation proposed for localized irradiation enhanced corrosion, can be extended to the whole reactor core, where the general enhancement of Zr alloys corrosion under irradiation could be attributed to the general radiolysis in the porous zirconia. (author). 18 refs, 3 figs, 3 tabs.}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1997}
month = {Feb}
}
title = {Corrosion of zirconium alloys in nuclear reactors: A model for irradiation induced enhancement by local radiolysis in the porous oxide}
author = {Lemaignan, C, and Salot, R}
abstractNote = {An analysis has been undertaken of the various cases of local enhancement of corrosion rate of zirconium alloys under irradiation. It is observed that in most cases a strong emission of energetic {beta}{sup -} is present leading to a local energy deposition rate higher than the core average. This suggests that the local transient radiolytic oxidizing species produced in the coolant by the {beta}{sup -} particles could contribute to corrosion enhancement, by increasing the local corrosion potential. This process is applicable to the local enhanced corrosion found in front of stainless steels structural parts, due to the contribution of Mn, and in front of Pt inserts or Cu-rich cruds. It explains also the irradiation corrosion enhancement of Cu-Zr alloys. Enhanced corrosion around neutron absorbing material is explained similarly by pair production from conversion of high energy capture photons in the cladding, leading to energetic electrons. The same process was found to be active with other highly ionizing species like {alpha} from Ni-rich alloys and fission products in homogeneous reactors. Due to the changes induced by the irradiation intensity on the concentration of the radiolytic species, the coolant chemistry, that controls the boundary conditions for oxide growth, has to be analyzed with respect to the local value of the energy deposition rate. An analysis has been undertaken which shows that, in a porous media, the water is exposed to a higher intensity than bulk water. This leads to a higher concentration of oxidizing radiolytic species at the root of the cracks of the porous oxide, and increases the corrosion rate under irradiation. This mechanism, deduced from the explanation proposed for localized irradiation enhanced corrosion, can be extended to the whole reactor core, where the general enhancement of Zr alloys corrosion under irradiation could be attributed to the general radiolysis in the porous zirconia. (author). 18 refs, 3 figs, 3 tabs.}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1997}
month = {Feb}
}