Part 2

Part 2
Structural Materials for

Thermal Reactors
8/18/2014 1
TYPICAL PHWR
In thermal nuclear reactors the coolant acts as a moderator which slows down the
neutrons before they are efficiently absorbed by the fuel.
8/18/2014 2
Parameters Thermal Reactors PWR FBR
(PHWR)
Neutron Energy 0.02-0.04eV 0.02-0.05eV >100keV
Neutron Flux n/cm2/s 2 x 10 14 10 14 10 15
Fuel Natural UO2 Enriched UO2 (Pu-U)O2
Fissile Content U235-0.7% U235 – 4-5% Pu239 25-30%
Clad Zircaloy Zircaloy Steels
Coolant Heavy Water Light Water Liquid Sodium
Core Outlet Temp. ~300C ~325C ~540C
Power Density W/cm3 40 100 400
Burn-up MWd/t 6700 ~40000 ~100000
Life of Core 200 days 1100days 540 days
Life Limiting factors Corrosion Corrosion Mechanical

Properties
FACTORS CONSIDERED FOR SELECTION OF
STRUCTURAL MATERIALS
MECH. PROP.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Yield Strength Density
Tensile Strength Melting Point
Ductility Coefficient of
Creep Strength Linear expansion
Fatigue Life Thermal
Toughness Conductivity
NEUTRONIC
PROPERTIES
Low Neutron
Capture Cross
Section
8/18/2014 4
CORE STRUCTURAL MATERIALS
Low neutron absorption X section

Compatibility with fuel and fission products
Coolant compatibility
Low cost
Adequate tensile strength
Adequate creep strength
Adequate ductility after irradiation
Corrosion resistance
CROSS SECTIONS
Element Thermal Element Thermal
Neutron Neutron
Capture Capture
X section X section
H 0.3326 Aluminium 0.232
Al 0.232 Zirconium 0.184
Sn 0.6 Iron 2.56
NEUTRON
Fe 2.56 Boron 767 ECONOMY
Cr 3.1 Indium 194 IS PRIMARY
CRITERION
Ni 4.49 Cadmium 2450 FOR CLADDING
Neutron
MATERIAL
Mo 2.6 Hafnium 72
poison
Cu 3.78 Dysprosium 920
Ti 22 Gadolinium 49000
Mn 70.5 Samarium 5922
W 79 Erbium 160
Zr 0.184 Europium 4600
6
THERMAL REACTORS
Low Abs. X Section

High T ~300 C
Low T ~100C Al
Low abs. X section alloys
Research Thermal
Reactors Reactors
Neutron energy < 1eV < 1eV
Neutron flux (n/cm2/s) 1012 1014 Zr
Enrichment (%) - 4 alloys
Coolant Pressure (MPa) - 15.5
Coolant inlet Temp. (˚C) RT ~300
Coolant outlet Temp. (˚C) ~40 ~350
Fuel burn up (GWd/t) 1.2 (max.) 80
Power density (MWt/m3) 2 102
Moderator, Coolant Light or Heavy water 7
CLADDING MATERIALS FOR THERMAL REACTORS
Thermal power reactors: Zirconium alloys; fuel cladding and core

components in water cooled power reactors
high melting point (1845C)

low thermal neutron absorption cross-section
resistance to high temp. aqueous environments
optimum mechanical properties
resistance to radiation damage
Light water and heavy water moderated and
cooled reactors use zirconium alloy cladding.
Heavy water reactors also use Zr alloys for
pressure tubes and calandria.
8/18/2014 8
Properties of Zirconium
Property Value
Atomic number 40
Atomic weight 91.224
Density 6.52 g·cm−3 (near r.t.) 5.8 g·cm−3 (at m.p.)
Melting point 2128 K
Boiling point 4682 K
Electrical resistivity(20 °C) 421 nΩ·m
Thermal conductivity(300 K) 22.6 W·m−1·K−1
Thermal expansion(25 °C) 5.7 µm·m−1·K−1
Oxidation states 4, 3,2,1
Abundance on earth’s crust 130 mg/kg (130 ppm)
Isotopes (stable) Zr90 , Zr91 , Zr92 , Zr94
Neutron absorption cross Zr91: 1.24 barns
section Zr92 : 0.22 barns
Zr93 : 2.70 barns
Allotropic forms hcp () , bcc ()
Properties of Zirconium
Discoverer: Martin H. Klaproth
Discovery Location: Berlin Germany
Discovery Year: 1789
-Zr
-Zr
1135K
Cell parameters: a= 3.6069 Å

a: 3.232 Å; b: 3.232 Å; c: 5.147 Å;
α: 90.000° ; β: 90.000° ; γ: 120.000°
Fabrication flow sheets of Zirconium components
Fabrication flow sheets of Zirconium components
Important corrosion problems encountered
by Zr alloy cladding:
Oxidation
Stress corrosion cracking
Hydriding
OXIDATION
• Zircaloy reacts with oxygen, forming a passive layer.
• Layer is Corrosion-resistant, better neutron transparency than steel.
• Corrosion resistance may degrade significantly when some impurities (eg. more
than 300 ppm of carbon or more than 40 ppm of nitrogen) are present.
• Corrosion resistance of zircaloy is enhanced by intentional development of thicker

passivation layer of black lustrous zirconium oxide
Stress Corrosion Cracking
Corrosion on the inside of the cladding:
• Zirconium alloys can undergo stress corrosion

cracking when exposed to iodine.
• Iodine is formed as a fission product which depending on
the nature of the fuel can escape from the pellet.
• It has been shown that iodine causes the rate of cracking
in pressurised zircaloy-4 tubing to increase.
Stress Corrosion Cracking
Hydriding Problem in zirconium alloys
Solubility of hydrogen in  - Zr low at RT; ~ 150ppm at 150C
Excessive hydriding of zircaloy clad can lead to performance
limiting embrittlement.
Internal hydriding
Characterised by bulges and blisters on the surface of the
clad known as ‘sun bursts’. These, with their associated
cracks can lead to local penetration of the cladding.
Hydride failures have been largely eliminated by use of very

dry atmospheres during post sintering operations to bring
residual moisture in the fuel down to 1ppm or less.
External hydriding
Occurs due to hydrogen absorption by the metal during
corrosion in water and steam.
HYDROGEN ATTACK
Hydriding problem in zirconium alloys
Extent of embrittlement depends on orientation of hydrides –
Circumferential or radial
Radial hydrides is undesirable as it reduces the ductility, while
circumferentially oriented hydrides have small effect
Crystallographic texture of Zr alloy has important effect in

determining the orientation of hydrides
Favourable orientation is obtained when grains are oriented

with basal plane normal close to radial direction.
This texture is achieved by adopting suitable methods during

cold pilgering process in the final stages of zircaloy tube
fabrication
Method to overcome hydriding problem
Strongly dependant -
-ZrH2 Hydride platelet
orientation - Zr tube
Radial hydrides
Circumferential hydrides
Tube Fabrication
(Pilgering)
Preferred texture
The tube moves forward and it Basal plane – Circumferential -

preferred habit plane ZrH2
rotates while the ring dies move
- -ZrH2 formation
back and forth and rotate Improvement in
ductility
8/18/2014 20
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
Element Zr Sn Fe Ni Cr Hf Nb
Zry 1 97.5 2.5

Zry 2 98.25 1.45 0.135 0.055 0.10 < 0.01
Zry 4 98.23 1.45 0.21 0.007 0.1 < 0.01
Zr-Nb 99 < 0.01 1
Zr-2.5Nb 97.5 < 0.01 2.5
Zircaloy: General specifications: Zr with 1.20-1.70% tin, 0.07-0.20%

Fe, 0.05-0.15% Cr and 0.03-0.08% Ni, with tin content at lower and
Fe/Cr/Ni at higher end of the specification.
Fe, Cr and Ni help in corrosion resistance

8/18/2014 21
Zirconium alloy claddings for thermal reactors
Zr-Sn Zr-Sn-Nb Zr-Nb
Zircaloy -2 ZIRLO Zr-1Nb
Zircaloy -4 Alloy 635 Alloy M-5
Opt. Zircaloy-4 Low Sn Zirlo
o Corrosion properties of Zircaloy improved by small amount of nickel.

o Zircaloy - 4 absorbs ~ one - third of hydrogen as compared to Zircaloy - 2. This is
due to less Ni in Zr - 4 (70 ppm max. Ni) as compared to Zr-2 (300 - 800 ppm Ni)
o `H’ atoms combine to form H2 molecules and provide easy diffusion path in
oxide.
o Zr-2.5Nb alloys absorb less hydrogen than Zircaloy. Presence of Nb2O5 in zirconia
results in reduction of hydrogen solubility and low `H’ pick up.
o Formation of intermetallics viz. Zr (Fe, Cr)2 & Zr2 (Fe, Ni) in Zircaloy and their
absence in Zr-2.5Nb.
Materials Used for Thermal Reactor Structurals & SG
Zircaloy – clad tubes (PWR, PHWR)

Zr alloys (Zr-2.5Nb) (PHWR -Pressure tubes and
calandria)
Carbon Steels ( C: 0.10 to 0.20 %)

Pressure Vessels, Pipings - Steels
Low Alloy (Bainitic) Steels (Turbine Rotors, Discs)
1Cr-1Mo-0.25V
2.25Cr-1Mo (Grade 22)
Ni-Cr-MoV (A469, Class 8)

Ferritic (Martensitic) Steel (turbine blades, end
fittings in PHWR) (Creep Strength, Oxidation and
Corrosion Resistance)
AISI 403 (S40300)

AISI 410 (S41000)
Sandvick Sweden HT9
French EM12
Japanese HCM9M

Part 2 - STR Materials - Thermal Reactors (Saroja Saibaba)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Part 2 - STR Materials - Thermal Reactors (Saroja Saibaba)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Part 2 - STR Materials - Thermal Reactors (Saroja Saibaba)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Structural Materials for

Life Limiting factors Corrosion Corrosion Mechanical

Low neutron absorption X section

Low Abs. X Section

Thermal power reactors: Zirconium alloys; fuel cladding and core

high melting point (1845C)

Cell parameters: a= 3.6069 Å

Stress corrosion cracking

• Zircaloy reacts with oxygen, forming a passive layer.

• Layer is Corrosion-resistant, better neutron transparency than steel.

• Corrosion resistance of zircaloy is enhanced by intentional development of thicker

Corrosion on the inside of the cladding:

• Zirconium alloys can undergo stress corrosion

Hydride failures have been largely eliminated by use of very

Crystallographic texture of Zr alloy has important effect in

Favourable orientation is obtained when grains are oriented

This texture is achieved by adopting suitable methods during

The tube moves forward and it Basal plane – Circumferential -

Zry 1 97.5 2.5

Zry 4 98.23 1.45 0.21 0.007 0.1 < 0.01

Zr-Nb 99 < 0.01 1

Zr-2.5Nb 97.5 < 0.01 2.5

Zircaloy: General specifications: Zr with 1.20-1.70% tin, 0.07-0.20%

Fe, Cr and Ni help in corrosion resistance

o Corrosion properties of Zircaloy improved by small amount of nickel.

Zircaloy – clad tubes (PWR, PHWR)

Carbon Steels ( C: 0.10 to 0.20 %)

Low Alloy (Bainitic) Steels (Turbine Rotors, Discs)

2.25Cr-1Mo (Grade 22)

Ni-Cr-MoV (A469, Class 8)

Ni-Cr-MoV (A470, Class 8)

Ni-Cr-MoV (A471, Class 8)

AISI 403 (S40300)

You might also like