TY - JOUR
T1 - Discerning the effect of various irradiation modes on the corrosion of Zircaloy-4
AU - Wang, Peng
AU - Kammenzind, Bruce
AU - Smith, Richard
AU - Motta, Arthur
AU - Aumand, Matthieu
AU - Kaczorowski, Damien
AU - Bachhav, Mukesh
AU - Was, Gary
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2025/1
Y1 - 2025/1
N2 - Using proton irradiation, this study investigates the individual influence of several factors on the corrosion kinetics of Zircaloy-4 in a hydrogenated water environment simulating a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). Using both simultaneous irradiation-corrosion and autoclave corrosion, we separately examine (i) the effect of pre-irradiation on modifying the structure of the material, (ii) the impact of irradiation on creating defects in the growing oxide layer during corrosion, and (iii) the influence of irradiation on increasing the corrosion potential through radiolysis during corrosion. To replicate the neutron-irradiated microstructure, two proton pre-irradiation schedules were employed: Schedule 1 (isothermal irradiation at 350 °C to 5 dpa) to simulate high-temperature PWR conditions, and Schedule 2 (two-step process: irradiation to 2.5 dpa at -10 °C followed by 2.5 dpa at 350 °C) to simulate lower temperature PWR and Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) conditions. Long-term autoclave corrosion testing for 360 days at 320 °C revealed no significant difference between unirradiated samples and those pre-irradiated according to either schedule, with all samples exhibiting sub-cubic kinetics within the pre-transition regime. Pre-irradiated samples underwent Simultaneous Irradiation Corrosion (SIC) tests, corroding in 320 °C water while being irradiated with protons. Corrosion was found to accelerate in all SIC-tested samples relative to autoclave conditions, with the greatest increase observed in non-pre-irradiated regions of the samples. Pre-irradiation with either schedule resulted in a slower corrosion rate compared to non-pre-irradiated regions under SIC conditions. The degree of radiolysis observed in the SIC tests surpassed typical PWR conditions, approaching levels found in BWRs. Radiolysis products were identified as a primary contributors to accelerated corrosion, corroborated by radiolysis bar tests. These findings underscore the intricate interactions between irradiation, corrosion, and water chemistry in determining Zircaloy-4 corrosion kinetics within nuclear reactor environments.
AB - Using proton irradiation, this study investigates the individual influence of several factors on the corrosion kinetics of Zircaloy-4 in a hydrogenated water environment simulating a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR). Using both simultaneous irradiation-corrosion and autoclave corrosion, we separately examine (i) the effect of pre-irradiation on modifying the structure of the material, (ii) the impact of irradiation on creating defects in the growing oxide layer during corrosion, and (iii) the influence of irradiation on increasing the corrosion potential through radiolysis during corrosion. To replicate the neutron-irradiated microstructure, two proton pre-irradiation schedules were employed: Schedule 1 (isothermal irradiation at 350 °C to 5 dpa) to simulate high-temperature PWR conditions, and Schedule 2 (two-step process: irradiation to 2.5 dpa at -10 °C followed by 2.5 dpa at 350 °C) to simulate lower temperature PWR and Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) conditions. Long-term autoclave corrosion testing for 360 days at 320 °C revealed no significant difference between unirradiated samples and those pre-irradiated according to either schedule, with all samples exhibiting sub-cubic kinetics within the pre-transition regime. Pre-irradiated samples underwent Simultaneous Irradiation Corrosion (SIC) tests, corroding in 320 °C water while being irradiated with protons. Corrosion was found to accelerate in all SIC-tested samples relative to autoclave conditions, with the greatest increase observed in non-pre-irradiated regions of the samples. Pre-irradiation with either schedule resulted in a slower corrosion rate compared to non-pre-irradiated regions under SIC conditions. The degree of radiolysis observed in the SIC tests surpassed typical PWR conditions, approaching levels found in BWRs. Radiolysis products were identified as a primary contributors to accelerated corrosion, corroborated by radiolysis bar tests. These findings underscore the intricate interactions between irradiation, corrosion, and water chemistry in determining Zircaloy-4 corrosion kinetics within nuclear reactor environments.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155505
DO - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155505
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85208781836
SN - 0022-3115
VL - 604
JO - Journal of Nuclear Materials
JF - Journal of Nuclear Materials
M1 - 155505
ER -