Protection of Zircaloy nuclear fuel rods using nanocrystalline diamond coatings

0456468 - FZÚ 2016 GB eng A - Abstract
Ashcheulov, Petr - Taylor, Andrew - Cháb, Vladimír - Fekete, Ladislav - Horáková, Kateřina - Klimša, Ladislav - Škoda, R. - Škarohlíd, J. - Kalvoda, L. - Vratislav, S. - Mortet, Vincent - Kopeček, Jaromír - Kratochvílová, Irena
Protection of Zircaloy nuclear fuel rods using nanocrystalline diamond coatings.
Diamond Conference. Coventry: University of Warwick, 2015 - (Newton, M.). O12.1-O12.3
[De Beers Diamond Conference 2015. 06.07.2015-09.07.2015, Warwick]
R&D Projects: GA TA ČR TA04020156; GA TA ČR TA01011165; GA ČR(CZ) GA14-10279S; GA ČR GA13-31783S
Institutional support: RVO:68378271
Keywords : zircaloy * LWR * nuclear * nanocrystalline diamond
Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism

Due to a combination of low thermal neutron absorption and corrosion resistance in water at 300 °C, zirconium alloys (widely known as Zircaloy) are used as nuclear fuel cladding (in the form of tubes) in commercial nuclear light water reactors (LWR), where uranium dioxide is used as a fuel. Each LWR typically requires up to seventy five thousand fuel rods with lengths up to 4 m. Currently, more than 350 LWRs are in operation worldwide, with more under construction. Since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident new emphasis has been put on discovering accident-tolerant fuel systems, as over prolonged use, a major problem in the use of Zircaloy is its oxidative reaction with water accompanied by a release of hydrogen gas and consequent nuclear rod embrittlement caused by diffusion of hydrogen into the alloy.

Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0256992