HT cladding oxidation in SFP-LOCA conditions examined with microRaman imaging and 18O tracer techniques

Michel Mermoux (1) , Isabel Idarraga (2) , Mathieu Guerain (3) , Anne Kasperski (1) , Mathilde Gestin (4) , Christian Duriez (5)

1 LEPMI - Laboratoire d'Electrochimie et de Physico-chimie des Matériaux et des Interfaces
2 IRSN/PSN-RES/SEREX - Service d'Etude et de Recherche EXpérimentale
3 IRSN/PSN-RES - Pôle Sûreté Nucléaire - Recherche en sûreté
4 LPMG-EMSE - Laboratoire des Procédés en Milieux Granulaires
5 IRSN/PSN-RES/SEREX/LE2M - Laboratoire d'Expérimentation en Mécanique et Matériaux

Zircaloy-4 high temperature oxidation has been studied in mixed O2 + N2 + steam atmospheres and at temperatures in the 700-950°C range, conditions relevant to Spent Fuel Pool Loss-of-Coolant or Loss-of-Cooling (SFP-LOCA) scenarios. Two types of experiments using 18O as a tracer will be presented: 1-Diffusion experiments, to investigate the role of the pre-oxide barrier formed during in-reactor normal operation; 2-Oxidation experiments in mixed 18O2 + H216O + N2 atmospheres, allowing determining the respective contributions of di-oxygen and steam to the oxidation mechanisms. The zirconia scales are examined with micro-Raman imaging. Aside from the 18O distributions, the t-ZrO2 and ZrN phase repartition were also investigated.

Domaines: Physique [physics]

Michel Mermoux, Isabel Idarraga, Mathieu Guerain, Anne Kasperski, Mathilde Gestin, et al.. HT cladding oxidation in SFP-LOCA conditions examined with microRaman imaging and 18O tracer techniques. 25th International QUENCH Workshop, QUENCH, Oct 2019, KARLSRUHE, Germany. ⟨hal-02982045⟩