Development of Cr cold spray–coated fuel cladding with enhanced accident tolerance

Martin Ševeček; Anil Gurgen; Arunkumar Seshadri; Yifeng Che; Malik Wagih; Bren Phillips; Victor Champagne; Koroush Shirvan

Nuclear Engineering and Technology (Mar 2018)

Development of Cr cold spray–coated fuel cladding with enhanced accident tolerance

Martin Ševeček,
Anil Gurgen,
Arunkumar Seshadri,
Yifeng Che,
Malik Wagih,
Bren Phillips,
Victor Champagne,
Koroush Shirvan

Affiliations

Martin Ševeček: Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic; Corresponding author. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Anil Gurgen: Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Arunkumar Seshadri: Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Yifeng Che: Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Malik Wagih: Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Bren Phillips: Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Victor Champagne: ARL Cold Spray Center, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen, MD, USA
Koroush Shirvan: Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 50, no. 2
pp. 229 – 236

Abstract

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Accident-tolerant fuels (ATFs) are currently of high interest to researchers in the nuclear industry and in governmental and international organizations. One widely studied accident-tolerant fuel concept is multilayer cladding (also known as coated cladding). This concept is based on a traditional Zr-based alloy (Zircaloy-4, M5, E110, ZIRLO etc.) serving as a substrate. Different protective materials are applied to the substrate surface by various techniques, thus enhancing the accident tolerance of the fuel. This study focuses on the results of testing of Zircaloy-4 coated with pure chromium metal using the cold spray (CS) technique. In comparison with other deposition methods, e.g., Physical vapor deposition (PVD), laser coating, or Chemical vapor deposition techniques (CVD), the CS technique is more cost efficient due to lower energy consumption and high deposition rates, making it more suitable for industry-scale production. The Cr-coated samples were tested at different conditions (500°C steam, 1200°C steam, and Pressurized water reactor (PWR) pressurization test) and were precharacterized and postcharacterized by various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), or nanoindentation; results are discussed. Results of the steady-state fuel performance simulations using the Bison code predicted the concept's feasibility. It is concluded that CS Cr coating has high potential benefits but requires further optimization and out-of-pile and in-pile testing. Keywords: Accident-Tolerant Fuel, Chromium, Cladding, Coating, Cold Spray, Nuclear Fuel

Published in Nuclear Engineering and Technology

ISSN: 1738-5733 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Korea, Republic of
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering: Nuclear engineering. Atomic power
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/nuclear-engineering-and-technology

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