Oxidation behavior of welded Zry-3, Zry-4, and Zr–1Nb tubes
The Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility is a research reactor designed to simulate rapid transients to test new fuel designs. TREAT's cladding is exposed to unique conditions compared to normal water reactors. These conditions include: exposure to air at high temperatures (≥600 °C), rapid h...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Nuclear Materials and Energy |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179119300596 |
| _version_ | 1818294411137646592 |
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| author | Jordan Vandegrift Clemente J. Parga Ben Coryell Darryl P. Butt Brian J. Jaques |
| author_facet | Jordan Vandegrift Clemente J. Parga Ben Coryell Darryl P. Butt Brian J. Jaques |
| author_sort | Jordan Vandegrift |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility is a research reactor designed to simulate rapid transients to test new fuel designs. TREAT's cladding is exposed to unique conditions compared to normal water reactors. These conditions include: exposure to air at high temperatures (≥600 °C), rapid heating (≈700 °C/s), and cladding geometry that includes chamfers and welds. This work investigates the effects of chamfering and welding on the oxidation behavior of zirconium alloys (Zircaloy-3, Zircaloy-4, and Zr–1Nb). Tube specimens were examined under isothermal and transient conditions in dry and humid air. The effect of weld type (tungsten inert gas or electron beam), the number of welds, and alloying elements are compared. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to collect mass gain data during isothermal oxidation and the data was used to quantify the oxidation rate constant and the activation energy of oxidation. Oxide behavior in the weld region, chamfered region, and bulk tube was measured and compared. The microstructure and secondary phase precipitates in EBW tubes before and after breakaway were characterized. The electron beam welded Zr–1Nb specimen was found to have the most favorable oxidation behavior under both isothermal and transient conditions. Zry-4 oxidized the most readily and was the most affected by mechanical deformation. Keywords: Zirconium alloys, Cladding, Breakaway, Transient, Oxidation |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T03:31:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b3cb478cdb624af19774679f1d3a0e8d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2352-1791 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T03:31:19Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nuclear Materials and Energy |
| spelling | doaj.art-b3cb478cdb624af19774679f1d3a0e8d2022-12-22T00:01:09ZengElsevierNuclear Materials and Energy2352-17912019-12-0121Oxidation behavior of welded Zry-3, Zry-4, and Zr–1Nb tubesJordan Vandegrift0Clemente J. Parga1Ben Coryell2Darryl P. Butt3Brian J. Jaques4Boise State University, 1910 W. University Dr., Boise, ID 83725, United States; Center for Advanced Energy Studies, 995 University Blvd, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, United States; Corresponding author at: Boise State University, 1910 W. University Dr., Boise, ID 83725, United States.Idaho National Laboratory, 2525 Fremont Ave, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, United StatesIdaho National Laboratory, 2525 Fremont Ave, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, United StatesBoise State University, 1910 W. University Dr., Boise, ID 83725, United States; Center for Advanced Energy Studies, 995 University Blvd, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, United StatesBoise State University, 1910 W. University Dr., Boise, ID 83725, United States; Center for Advanced Energy Studies, 995 University Blvd, Idaho Falls, ID 83401, United StatesThe Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility is a research reactor designed to simulate rapid transients to test new fuel designs. TREAT's cladding is exposed to unique conditions compared to normal water reactors. These conditions include: exposure to air at high temperatures (≥600 °C), rapid heating (≈700 °C/s), and cladding geometry that includes chamfers and welds. This work investigates the effects of chamfering and welding on the oxidation behavior of zirconium alloys (Zircaloy-3, Zircaloy-4, and Zr–1Nb). Tube specimens were examined under isothermal and transient conditions in dry and humid air. The effect of weld type (tungsten inert gas or electron beam), the number of welds, and alloying elements are compared. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to collect mass gain data during isothermal oxidation and the data was used to quantify the oxidation rate constant and the activation energy of oxidation. Oxide behavior in the weld region, chamfered region, and bulk tube was measured and compared. The microstructure and secondary phase precipitates in EBW tubes before and after breakaway were characterized. The electron beam welded Zr–1Nb specimen was found to have the most favorable oxidation behavior under both isothermal and transient conditions. Zry-4 oxidized the most readily and was the most affected by mechanical deformation. Keywords: Zirconium alloys, Cladding, Breakaway, Transient, Oxidationhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179119300596 |
| spellingShingle | Jordan Vandegrift Clemente J. Parga Ben Coryell Darryl P. Butt Brian J. Jaques Oxidation behavior of welded Zry-3, Zry-4, and Zr–1Nb tubes Nuclear Materials and Energy |
| title | Oxidation behavior of welded Zry-3, Zry-4, and Zr–1Nb tubes |
| title_full | Oxidation behavior of welded Zry-3, Zry-4, and Zr–1Nb tubes |
| title_fullStr | Oxidation behavior of welded Zry-3, Zry-4, and Zr–1Nb tubes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Oxidation behavior of welded Zry-3, Zry-4, and Zr–1Nb tubes |
| title_short | Oxidation behavior of welded Zry-3, Zry-4, and Zr–1Nb tubes |
| title_sort | oxidation behavior of welded zry 3 zry 4 and zr 1nb tubes |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179119300596 |
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