Coated Zirconium Alloy Fuel Rod Cladding for Accident Tolerance

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Following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, resulting tsunami, and subsequent damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant complex, enhancing the accident tolerance of PWRs became a topic of serious discussion. The safety of the nuclear power reactors has always been a top priority for operators and continual improvement of technology, including advanced materials and nuclear fuels, remains central to the industry's success. Decades of research combined with continual operation have produced steady advancements in technology and have yielded an extensive base of data, experience, and knowledge on pressure water reactor (PWR) fuel performance under both normal and accident conditions. Modern light water reactors (LWRs) are based on mature technology and have an excellent safety and operational record. Since the current UO2 - zirconium alloy fuel system meets all performance and safety requirements the goal of accident tolerant fuel (ATF) development is to identify alternative fuel system technologies to further enhance the safety. A leading solution proposed for ATF is the addition of a chromium coating to existing zirconium alloy cladding, further enhancing performance while building on existing knowledge. The aim of this project is to gain a better understanding of the comparative benefits of different methods of producing Cr coatings on Zr alloy cladding, in terms of the mechanical performance of this ATF cladding particularly at elevated temperatures. The project is jointly supported by Westinghouse (fuel vendor) and EDF (operator), based primarily in Manchester but will include the opportunity to perform experiments at EDF's experimental facility in Les Renardières, France. It is also part of MIDAS program, enabling interaction with a wide range of researchers working on related projects.