Studying the Effect of Fuel Elements Structural Materials Corrosion on their Operating Life

Abstract

The paper deals with experimental data regarding the effect of internal and external factors on the corrosion decay of Zr1Nb alloy fuel elements. Based on the analysis results, losses of zirconium that transfers to oxide or coolant as per the fuel element wall weight and thickness as well as economic losses from their corrosion decay have been theoretically calculated. To avoid a state-level emergency occurrence, an increase in the fuel element wall thickness up to 660 μm is proposed, which can increase the operating life under the conditions of trouble-free coolant mass transfer hydrodynamic mode.