Hydrogen-enhanced degradation and oxide effects in zirconium alloys for nuclear applications
✍ Scribed by Andrzej Zieliński; Sylwia Sobieszczyk
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 2011
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 216 KB
- Volume
- 36
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0360-3199
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✦ Synopsis
The zirconium alloys used in nuclear industry include mainly ZreSn and ZreNb alloys of different chemical composition, microstructure and susceptibility to both hydrogen degradation and oxidation. The hypothetic nuclear accidents can create a real danger to the Zr alloys and stability of parts made of these alloys, and especially such as loss of coolant accident (LOCA) and reactivity initiated accidents (RIA). The hydrogen degradation can manifest itself in an appearance of hydride phases resulting in a substantial loss of plasticity, an increase in ductileebrittle transition, sometimes in a decrease in mechanical strength. The oxidation can prevent the hydrogen entry but at high temperatures the cracking of the oxide layer can form the easy hydrogen diffusion channels. Based on a substantial number of tests made so far and well-known thermodynamic and kinetic parameters, the general microstructure-dependent and temperature-dependent degradation model considering both hydrogen and oxidation could be elaborated.