Irradiation-Accelerated Corrosion of Reactor Core Materials. Final Report
- Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
- Univ. of Notre Dame, IN (United States)
This project aims to understand how radiation accelerates corrosion of reactor core materials. The combination of high temperature, chemically aggressive coolants, a high radiation flux and mechanical stress poses a major challenge for the life extension of current light water reactors, as well as the success of most all GenIV concepts. Of these four drivers, the combination of radiation and corrosion places the most severe demands on materials, for which an understanding of the fundamental science is simply absent. Only a few experiments have been conducted to understand how corrosion occurs under irradiation, yet the limited data indicates that the effect is large; irradiation causes order of magnitude increases in corrosion rates. Without a firm understanding of the mechanisms by which radiation and corrosion interact in film formation, growth, breakdown and repair, the extension of the current LWR fleet beyond 60 years and the success of advanced nuclear energy systems are questionable. The proposed work will address the process of irradiation-accelerated corrosion that is important to all current and advanced reactor designs, but remains very poorly understood. An improved understanding of the role of irradiation in the corrosion process will provide the community with the tools to develop predictive models for in-reactor corrosion, and to address specific, important forms of corrosion such as irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Univ. of Notre Dame, IN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-05ID14517
- OSTI ID:
- 1178442
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NEUP-10-677; 10-677; TRN: US1500399
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Neutron Irradiation of Nuclear Structural Materials Fabricated by Powder Metallurgy with Hot Isostatic Pressing
Report on Status of Shipment of High Fluence Austenitic Steel Samples for Characterization and Stress Corrosion Crack Testing