Experimental investigation on boron oxidative vaporization processes from zirconium-boron and iron-boron alloys in a high temperature steam atmosphere

Imoto, Jumpei ; Miwa, Shuhei  ; Osaka, Masahiko  

Boron (B) oxidative vaporization processes from the representative alloys of Fe-B and Zr-B formed in the mixed melt of BWR control material boron carbide, stainless steel and Zircaloy were experimentally investigated toward the construction of B release model under severe accident. The results show that B oxidative vaporization from ZrB would proceed in the formation of ZrO and BO due to the oxidation of ZrB, followed by the formation of volatile H-B-O vapor species by the reaction of BO with steam. On the other hand, for FeB and FeB, the B oxidative vaporization processes would proceed in the same manner. Complex Fe-B-O compounds formation in addition to amorphous BO were observed by the oxidation of FeB and FeB. Then the B vaporization would occur by the formation of volatile H-B-O compound by the reaction of BO, which were derived from both oxidation of FeB and decomposition of Fe-B-O compounds.