Oxidation and embrittlement behavior of FeCrAl-ODS cladding tube under loss-of-coolant accident conditions

Narukawa, Takafumi; Kondo, Keietsu; Fujimura, Yuki; Kakiuchi, Kazuo; Udagawa, Yutaka; Nemoto, Yoshiyuki

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 587, p.154736_1 - 154736_8, 2023/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154736

Microstructure and texture evolution and ring-tensile properties of recrystallized FeCrAl ODS cladding tubes

Aghamiri, S. M. S.*; Sowa, Takashi*; Ukai, Shigeharu*; Ono, Naoko*; Sakamoto, Kan*; Yamashita, Shinichiro

Materials Science & Engineering A, 771, p.138636_1 - 138636_12, 2020/01

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2019.138636

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) FeCrAl ferritic steels are being developed as potential accident tolerance fuel cladding materials for the light water reactors (LWRs) due to significant improvement in steam oxidation by alumina forming scale and good mechanical properties up to high temperatures. In this study, the microstructural characteristics and tensile properties of the two FeCrAl ODS cladding tubes with different extrusion temperatures of 1100C and 1150C were investigated during processing conditions. While the hot extruded sample showed micron sized elongated grains with strong -fiber in 110 texture, cold pilger rolling process change the microstructure to submicron/micron size grain structure along with texture evolution to both -fiber (110 texture) and -fiber ({111} texture) via crystalline rotations. Subsequently, final annealing resulted in evolution of microstructure to large grain recrystallized structure starting at recrystallization temperature of 810-850C. Two distinct texture development happened in recrystallized cladding tubes, i.e., only large elongated grains of (110) 211 texture following extrusion temperature of 1100C; and two texture components of (110) 211 and {111} 112 following higher extrusion temperature of 1150C. The different texture development and retarding of recrystallization progress in 1100C-extruded cladding tubes were attributed to higher distribution of oxide particles.

Benchmark of fuel performance codes for FeCrAl cladding behavior analysis

Pastore, G.*; Gamble, K. A.*; Cherubini, M.*; Giovedi, C.*; Marino, A.*; Yamaji, Akifumi*; Kaji, Yoshiyuki; Van Uffelen, P.*; Veshchunov, M.*

Proceedings of International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference / Light Water Reactor Fuel Performance Conference (Global/Top Fuel 2019) (USB Flash Drive), p.1038 - 1047, 2019/09

Oxidation-resistant iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) steels have been proposed for application as cladding materials in light water reactor fuel rods with improved accident tolerance. Within the Coordinated Research Project ACTOF of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a fuel performance modeling benchmark for FeCrAl cladding behavior was conducted. During this effort, calculations were performed with various fuel performance codes for a set of fuel rod problems with FeCrAl steel as cladding material, and results were compared to each other.

Japanese R&D program for development of accident tolerant fuel materials

Yamashita, Shinichiro

no journal, , 

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has conducted and coordinated a Japanese R&D project of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) for establishing technical basis of ATF under a program sponsored and organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). ATF candidate materials under consideration in the METI program are silicon carbide (SiC) composite and FeCrAl steel strengthened by dispersion of fine oxide particles (FeCrAl-ODS). SiC composite is a highly attractive material because of its lower hydrogen generation rate and lower reaction heat in comparison with conventional Zircaloy. Therefore, practical uses for a fuel cladding of pressurized water reactor (PWR) and for the fuel cladding, channel box of boiling water reactor (BWR) are expected. On the other hand, FeCrAl-ODS steel is a promising material and is considered to apply to the fuel cladding of BWR.

Japanese R&D program for establishing technical basis of accident tolerant fuel materials

Yamashita, Shinichiro; Ioka, Ikuo; Nemoto, Yoshiyuki; Kawanishi, Tomohiro; Kaji, Yoshiyuki; Fukahori, Tokio; Nozawa, Takashi*; Watanabe, Seiichi*; Murakami, Nozomu*; Sato, Hisaki*; et al.

no journal, , 

Current status and future prospect of light water reactor accident-tolerant fuels R&D in Japan

Yamashita, Shinichiro; Ioka, Ikuo; Nemoto, Yoshiyuki; Kawanishi, Tomohiro; Kurata, Masaki; Kaji, Yoshiyuki; Fukahori, Tokio; Nozawa, Takashi*; Sato, Daiki*; Murakami, Nozomu*; et al.

no journal, , 

Research and development (R&D) program for establishing technical basis of ATFs for light water reactor (LWR) started in 2015. Since then the R&D is being conducted in cooperation with power plant providers, fuel venders, research institutes and universities for making the most use of the experiences in R&D, practical design, and evaluations of fuels and cores of commercial LWRs. Among currently explored ATF candidate materials in the program, silicon carbide composite reinforced by SiC fiber (SiC/SiC) and FeCrAl steel strengthened by dispersion of fine oxide particles (FeCrAl-ODS) offer several attractive features including the remarkable high temperature capabilities and the slow kinetics of steam oxidation reactions. This presentation will give an overview of the progress in ATF development and review the current status of data availability and integrity for the properties and behaviors of ATF candidate materials, followed by discussion on the primary differences from zirconium alloy in the behaviors in the severe accident scenarios. Finally, subjects to be solved for practical use of ATF will be summarized.