Kinetics of the isothermal decomposition of zirconium hydride: terminal solid solubility for precipitation and dissolution

Denisov, E. A.; Kompaniets, T. N.; Voyt, A.P.

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.03.007

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 8 publications

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“…Recent literature [23,24] support a kinetic hindrance being the main reason for the formation of a TSSp as a variation of the TSSd defined by thermodynamics. The effect of strain-energy misfit becomes less influential.…”

Section: Summary and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of kinetic effects on terminal solid solubility of hydrogen in zirconium alloys

Kaufholz

Stuke

Boldt

et al. 2018

Journal of Nuclear Materials

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The integrity of irradiated zirconium based nuclear fuel cladding is related to the precipitation of hydrides which is closely connected with the solubility of hydrogen. A review on the development of measurement technologies is given and the resulting terminal solid solubilities are reflected with respect to the established model of hydrogen solubility in zirconium alloys. The results often allow for a different interpretation than the established model. An alternative qualitative approach is proposed in which the fixed TSSp for the precipitation of zirconium hydrides is replaced by a kinetic model based on thermal history, total hydrogen content and the cooling rate. The influence of the modification of the model from a fixed TSSp to a kinetically limited TSSd is discussed with respect to the understanding of hydride embrittlement processes in long term storage.

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Section: Summary and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of kinetic effects on terminal solid solubility of hydrogen in zirconium alloys

Kaufholz

Stuke

Boldt

et al. 2018

Journal of Nuclear Materials

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Implementation of Hydrogen Solid Solubility Data and Precipitation Threshold Stresses in the Fuel Rod Code TESPA-ROD

Boldt

2019

Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science

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During operation of light water reactors, the Zircaloy fuel rod cladding is susceptible for hydrogen uptake. When the local solubility limit of hydrogen in Zircaloy is reached, additional hydrogen precipitates as zirconium hydride, which affects the ductility of the fuel rod cladding. Especially, the radially aligned hydrides enhance embrittlement, while circumferential (azimuthal) hydrides have a less detrimental effect. In this work, the influence of high temperatures during the dry storage period on hydride dissolution and precipitation is demonstrated. Therefore, in a descriptive example scenario being discussed, the simulation of a limited heat removal from the cask will heat up the dry storage cask for days and causes dissolution of hydrides in the cladding. Depending on the threshold stress for reorientation, the following cooldown results on different hydride precipitation behavior. The threshold stress leads to an enhanced or delayed precipitation of radial hydrides. The GRS fuel rod code TESPA-ROD is equipped with a new model for hydrogen solubility and applied to long-term storage transients. In this article, hydride refers to zirconium hydrides formed inside the fuel rod cladding.

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Research activities at GRS on fuel rod behaviour during extended dry storage

et al. 2018

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As a common part of nuclear waste management strategies, used nuclear fuel is dry stored in casks. After a sufficient time of wet cooling in fuel pools, the fuel assemblies in Germany are dry stored in dual purpose casks mostly on-site until a deep geological repository will be available in the future. In the light of the extended and preliminary not foreseen timescales of up to 100 years of dry storage, open questions arise concerning the long term fuel rod behaviour. Most of these questions are linked to safety criteria e.g. the integrity and fuel encapsulation. Due to the variety of used nuclear fuels and cladding materials in Germany and the additional use of MOX fuels and very high burn-up values of 65 GWd/tHM averaged over a fuel assembly, some of the boundary conditions are unique and specific to the German situation. The GRS has a strong research program to investigate the long term behaviour of fuel assemblies under the German specific conditions of dry storage. Some aspects are presented in the following article.

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Kinetics of the isothermal decomposition of zirconium hydride: terminal solid solubility for precipitation and dissolution

Cited by 3 publications

References 8 publications

Influence of kinetic effects on terminal solid solubility of hydrogen in zirconium alloys

Influence of kinetic effects on terminal solid solubility of hydrogen in zirconium alloys

Implementation of Hydrogen Solid Solubility Data and Precipitation Threshold Stresses in the Fuel Rod Code TESPA-ROD

Research activities at GRS on fuel rod behaviour during extended dry storage

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