Abstract
The mechanism of zirconium alloy cladding corrosion in PWRs is briefly reviewed, and an engineering corrosion model is proposed. The basic model is intended to produce a best-estimate fit to circumferentially-average oxide thickness measurements obtained from inter-span positions, way from the effects of structural or flow mixing grids. The model comprises an initial pre-transition weight gain expression which follows cubic rate kinetics. On reaching a critical oxide thickness, a transition to linear rate kinetics occurs. The post-transition corrosion rate includes a term which is dependent on fast neutron flux, and an Arrhenius thermal corrosion rate which has been fitted to isothermal ex-reactor data. This thermal corrosion rate is enhanced by the presence of lithium in the coolant, and by the concentration of hydrogen in the cladding. Different cladding materials are accounted for in the selection of the model constants, and results for standard Zircaloy-4, low tin (or ``optimized``) Zircaloy-4, and the Westinghouse advanced alloy ZIRLO{sup TM} are presented. A method of accounting for the effects of grids is described, and the application of the model within the ENIGMA-B and ZROX codes is discussed. (author). 35 refs, 6 figs, 3 tabs.
Abram, T J
[1]
- Fuel Engineering Dept., British Nuclear Fuels plc, Salwick, Preston (United Kingdom)
Citation Formats
Abram, T J.
Modelling the waterside corrosion of PWR fuel rods.
IAEA: N. p.,
1997.
Web.
Abram, T J.
Modelling the waterside corrosion of PWR fuel rods.
IAEA.
Abram, T J.
1997.
"Modelling the waterside corrosion of PWR fuel rods."
IAEA.
@misc{etde_534361,
title = {Modelling the waterside corrosion of PWR fuel rods}
author = {Abram, T J}
abstractNote = {The mechanism of zirconium alloy cladding corrosion in PWRs is briefly reviewed, and an engineering corrosion model is proposed. The basic model is intended to produce a best-estimate fit to circumferentially-average oxide thickness measurements obtained from inter-span positions, way from the effects of structural or flow mixing grids. The model comprises an initial pre-transition weight gain expression which follows cubic rate kinetics. On reaching a critical oxide thickness, a transition to linear rate kinetics occurs. The post-transition corrosion rate includes a term which is dependent on fast neutron flux, and an Arrhenius thermal corrosion rate which has been fitted to isothermal ex-reactor data. This thermal corrosion rate is enhanced by the presence of lithium in the coolant, and by the concentration of hydrogen in the cladding. Different cladding materials are accounted for in the selection of the model constants, and results for standard Zircaloy-4, low tin (or ``optimized``) Zircaloy-4, and the Westinghouse advanced alloy ZIRLO{sup TM} are presented. A method of accounting for the effects of grids is described, and the application of the model within the ENIGMA-B and ZROX codes is discussed. (author). 35 refs, 6 figs, 3 tabs.}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1997}
month = {Aug}
}
title = {Modelling the waterside corrosion of PWR fuel rods}
author = {Abram, T J}
abstractNote = {The mechanism of zirconium alloy cladding corrosion in PWRs is briefly reviewed, and an engineering corrosion model is proposed. The basic model is intended to produce a best-estimate fit to circumferentially-average oxide thickness measurements obtained from inter-span positions, way from the effects of structural or flow mixing grids. The model comprises an initial pre-transition weight gain expression which follows cubic rate kinetics. On reaching a critical oxide thickness, a transition to linear rate kinetics occurs. The post-transition corrosion rate includes a term which is dependent on fast neutron flux, and an Arrhenius thermal corrosion rate which has been fitted to isothermal ex-reactor data. This thermal corrosion rate is enhanced by the presence of lithium in the coolant, and by the concentration of hydrogen in the cladding. Different cladding materials are accounted for in the selection of the model constants, and results for standard Zircaloy-4, low tin (or ``optimized``) Zircaloy-4, and the Westinghouse advanced alloy ZIRLO{sup TM} are presented. A method of accounting for the effects of grids is described, and the application of the model within the ENIGMA-B and ZROX codes is discussed. (author). 35 refs, 6 figs, 3 tabs.}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1997}
month = {Aug}
}