FUEL ROD ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR REDUCING RADIATION-ENHANCED CORROSION OF ZIRCONIUM-BASED COMPONENT

• Main Authors: PATTERSON CHARLES BEATY, GRAY DENNIS MICHAEL, WHITE DAVID WILLIAM, LIN YANG-PI, KIM YOUNG JIN, CURTIS TODD CHARLES
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.04.2010
• Subjects: GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING; NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR REACTORS; PHYSICS; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel rod assembly and method for reducing the amount of radiation enhanced corrosion on the surface of a zirconium, based component in a high-temperature environment, such as, a boiling water reactor (BWR). SOLUTION: The fuel assembly including a first element 30 of a zirconium based substance is provided. The first element is disposed, in contact with or adjacent to a second element made of a substance different from the zirconium-based substance, e.g., a nickel base or iron based alloy. A coating 32 is disposed on the outer surface 34 of the first element, and the coating is effective to reduce the electrochemical corrosion potential difference between the first element and the second element related to the electrochemical corrosion potential difference between the first element and the second element which is not coated with the coating. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT