Phase field modeling of irradiation-enhanced corrosion of Zircaloy-4 in PWRs

摘要

A phase field model (HOGNOSE) has been developed to address the incomplete understanding of early stage irradiation-enhanced corrosion of Zircaloy-4 in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). HOGNOSE uses an effective charge density to represent space charge in the oxide, which is effectively removed under irradiation by iron doping after secondary phase particle amorphization. Accounting for the temperature and neutron flux dependence on amorphization and showing the large impact of doping on both electron and oxygen transport, HOGNOSE models irradiation-enhanced corrosion up to ten microns over 270-330 degrees C and prototypical PWR neutron fluxes.