Shadow corrosion is reproduced in University of Michigan lab

摘要

A longstanding issue in boiling water reac- ' tors-shadow corrosion on zirconium alloy fuel rods and fuel channels-has been reproduced in the Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory as part of an effort to understand and prevent the phenomenon. Research led by Peng Wang, a University of Michigan assistant research scientist in nuclear engineering and radiological sciences, was published in the January 2022 issue of the Journal of Nuclear Materials and described in a recent' university news article. Shadow corrosion damages the surface of zirconium alloy (Zircaloy) fuel rods and fuel channels by creating a thicker layer of zirconium oxide that reproduces the outline of nearby structural parts, as if the shadow of the neighboring part had been imprinted on the Zircaloy. It can result in pinholes in the cladding, forcing replacement of the fuel.