Ultrasonic Estimation of Hydride Degradation of Zirconium Pressure Tubes of RBMK Fuel Channel

摘要

Fuel channels of nuclear reactors, which are major structural elements of a reactor core, have to meet strict requirements in terms of operational reliability. The middle part of the fuel channel, located in a graphite stack, is a tube made of a zirconium-2.5% niobium alloy. However, zirconium alloys can pick up hydrogen during operation as a consequence of corrosion reaction with water. Hydrogen redistributes easily at elevated temperatures migrating down a temperature or concentration gradient and up a stress gradient. When the terminal solid solubility is exceeded in a component such as a pressure tube that is highly stressed for long periods of time, delayed hydride cracking failures may occur. To estimate degradation of the zirconium alloy in the presence of hydrides, predetermined amounts of hydrogen were added to the sections of the fuel channel tubes by electrolytic deposition of a layer of hydride on the surface of the pressure tube material followed by dissolving the hydride layer by diffusion annealing at an elevated temperature. For estimation of the concentration of zirconium hydride platelets in the zirconium alloy test samples ultrasonic testing methods were proposed. The first method is based on precise measurement of velocity of longitudinal and shear wave at different directions and the second is based on the investigation of high frequency ultrasonic signals backscattered in a focal zone of an ultrasonic transducer. The experimental investigations were performed on the zirconium alloy samples of different concentration of hydrides in the immersion tank at a room temperature. The results obtained on testing samples using different excitation conditions and different types of ultrasonic waves are presented.