Chemical analysis of fuel crud obtained from Korean nuclear power plants

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials Vol. 404; no. 2; pp. 160 - 164
• Main Authors: Yeon, Jei-Won, Choi, In-Kyu, Park, Kyoung-Kyun, Kwon, Hyoung-Mun, Song, Kyuseok
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.09.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Controled nuclear fusion plants; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Fuels; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Nuclear fuels; Iron; Nickel; Chemical analysis; Nuclear power plant; Pressurized water reactor; Nuclear reactor
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2010.07.024

Crud samples were obtained from two different kinds of used fuels in PWRs. The constituent elements were analysed according to the shapes of crud particles by SEM and EPMA. The principal elements of octahedral crystal particles were identified as Ni and Fe, where the ratio (Fe/Ni) was approximately 2. The major element of the observed needle-like structures was determined to be Ni. In addition, Zr composed the main element of particles shaped like broken fragments sized at 10–50 μm in diameter. The round particles less than 20 μm in diameter were identified as Si-containing compounds. We also found the Zn element in a series of fuel crud samples obtained from a plant. Zn was mainly detected in the hard crud, inner layer of crud, but not on the surface of crud. It was observed that there is an inverse relationship between the Ni and Zn contents in the hard crud.