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Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cladding

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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Characterization Of Zirconium Oxides Part I: Raman Mapping And Spectral Feature Analysis, Corey M. Efaw, Jordan L. Vandegrift, Michael Reynolds, Samuel Mcmurdie, Brian J. Jaques, Hui Xiong, Michael F. Hurley Dec 2019

Characterization Of Zirconium Oxides Part I: Raman Mapping And Spectral Feature Analysis, Corey M. Efaw, Jordan L. Vandegrift, Michael Reynolds, Samuel Mcmurdie, Brian J. Jaques, Hui Xiong, Michael F. Hurley

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Raman mapping of sectioned zirconium cladding oxides was performed to analyze different spectral features before and after breakaway, as well as between zirconium and its alloys Zr-2.65Nb, Zry-3, and Zry-4. Oxide phase composition, or percent tetragonality, was defined to compare tetragonal to monoclinic zirconia. Percent tetragonality was spatially mapped to support distinction of zirconia phase distribution. A tetragonal-rich layer was seen at the metal/oxide interface, while post-breakaway samples exhibited increased amount of tetragonal phase in the bulk of their oxides. Spatial mapping of spectral peak location and half-width at half-maximum was accomplished to distinguish differences in stability mechanisms of tetragonal-rich …


Oxidation Behavior Of Welded Zry-3, Zry-4, And Zr–1nb Tubes, Jordan Vandegrift, Clemente J. Parga, Ben Coryell, Darryl P. Butt, Brian J. Jaques Dec 2019

Oxidation Behavior Of Welded Zry-3, Zry-4, And Zr–1nb Tubes, Jordan Vandegrift, Clemente J. Parga, Ben Coryell, Darryl P. Butt, Brian J. Jaques

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) facility is a research reactor designed to simulate rapid transients to test new fuel designs. TREAT's cladding is exposed to unique conditions compared to normal water reactors. These conditions include: exposure to air at high temperatures (≥600 °C), rapid heating (≈700 °C/s), and cladding geometry that includes chamfers and welds. This work investigates the effects of chamfering and welding on the oxidation behavior of zirconium alloys (Zircaloy-3, Zircaloy-4, and Zr–1Nb). Tube specimens were examined under isothermal and transient conditions in dry and humid air. The effect of weld type (tungsten inert …