Zirconium Alloys for Supercritical Water Reactor Applications: Challenges and Possibilities

摘要

A preliminary assessment reveals the possibilities and challenges of using zirconium alloys in the SCWR. In particular, in comparison with other alloys being considered for the SCWR, the Zr alloys showed higher corrosion rates than austenitic alloys, and somewhat lower corrosion rates than ferritic-martensitic alloys, at least up to the times that these steels have been tested in supercritical water (about 30 days). Issues related to mechanical properties and hydrogen uptake will still have to be resolved.