Mitigating LWR IronClad Fuel Cladding Dissolution Using Zinc Water Chemistry

Iron-chromium-aluminum (FeCrAl) alloys are being characterized to be used in light water reactors for the cladding of the fuel. The use of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) such as FeCrAl alloys would allow for reactors operating safer, more economically, and for an extending life beyond 60 years. It was shown before that the lower or 12%Cr alloy such as C26M may have higher corrosion rate than the higher 21%Cr APMT. This article shows that the addition of a small amount of zinc (Zn) into the water reduces by more than 60% the dissolution rate of the FeCrAl. Zn incorporates into the external layer of the oxide film making the alloy more resistant to dissolution.