Hydrogen generation by water radiolysis with immersion of oxidation products of zircaloy-4

Matsumoto, Yoshinobu*; Do, Thi-Mai-Dung*; Inoue, Masao; Nagaishi, Ryuji ; Ogawa, Toru

Effects of zirconium oxides and oxidation products of zircaloy-4 on water radiolysis were investigated to predict the hydrogen generation from the water-immersed debris after a severe accident of a nuclear power plant. Observed yields of hydrogen in water containing the oxides were measured as a function of their weight fractions. Assuming that energies of Co-60 -ray deposited to water and the oxides brought about the water radiolysis to generate hydrogen independently, the radiolysis showed an additional term of hydrogen generation due to the energy deposition to the oxides. This term seemed to be dependent on the specific surface area or particle size of oxides, but not on the crystal structure of oxides in our experimental results. The oxides in distilled water gave the strong enhancement of term. The enhancement tended to saturate with increasing the weight fraction of oxides and was not apparent in the seawater.