NE 409 - Nuclear Materials HOME WORK #1

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(Chapters 1 and 2a)

DUE : W 1/20/10

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Describe the control element materials and their importance with respect to reactor safety and control. What are the primary requirements for a control element material in a fission reactor and give examples of these materials? What are the advantages of a burnable poison compared to control element (ref. JTAR, pp.122-124? (a) What are the primary requirements for coolants in a fission reactor and give examples of these materials? (b) What are the primary requirements for moderators and reflectors in a fission reactor and give examples of these materials? (c) What are the compositions of Inconel 600 and 690 that are commonly used as tubing in heat exchangers? (a) What are fissile and fertile materials and give examples? (b) In LWRs, list the key materials used for core, pressure boundary, heat exchanger and turbine applications, major problems encountered and primary causes (Table 8.1 JTAR). a. What is Polymorphism and give 4 examples? b. What are the low and high temperature phases of Zirconium and what is the transition temperature? What are the lattice constants of Zr at low and high temperatures? Calculate the volume change accompanying this phase transition from low to high temperatures? List (make a table) with a neat sketch of the unit cell, the various parameters {no. of atoms/uc, CN, relation between a (lattice constant) and D (atomic diameter), APF} for the cubic crystals (SC, FCC, BCC) along with an example. The density of thorium (fcc) is 11.72 g/cc and the atomic weight is 232 g/mol. Calculate (a) the lattice parameter and (b) the atomic radius of thorium (Askeland, 3-4).

At 910 oC, iron transforms from bcc to fcc. a. What are the low (RT) and high temperature phases called? b. Assuming that the diameter of atoms [hard sphere model] remains constant, calculate the % change in volume accompanying the transformation ? c. Given the atomic radius of iron to be 1.24 , calculate the lattice parameters at low (RT) and high temperature phases.

(optional do not hand in) - Read Chapter 1 on various reactor systems (Ref. J.T.A. Roberts, Structural Materials in Nuclear Power Systems (i) Following are some of the factors that have limited fuel performance in LWRs: a. Hydriding b. Clad Collapse c. Pellet Densification d. Clad Corrosion and Fretting e. (Fuel) Rod Bow Describe briefly the problem and the remedies incorporated to alleviate it. (ii) One of the major concerns (in late 70s and early 80s) of the clad-breaching in BWRs was known as PCI. Describe the phenomenon and what did nuclear industry (GE primarily) did to minimize or eliminate this problem. While zirconium alloys are widely used in LWRs, the cladding material chosen for LMFBRs is 316SS (while majority of the piping is made of 304SS). What is the composition of 316SS and how does it differ from that of 304SS? What is the composition of A533B steel used for pressure boundary applications in LWRs? What are the compositions of Zircaloy-2 and Zircaloy-4? New generation (Gen-IV) reactors are currently being considered for future deployment. Summarize briefly the materials requirements and possible candidate materials for the next generation nuclear power (NGNP) plants. (online resource: Generation-IV Roadmap, JNM, vol.383, 189, 2008) Channel bulge is often quoted as a problem encountered in BWRs. What is the problem and why is it specific to BWRs only. Describe some ways of minimizing or eliminating the problem.

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Prof. K. L. Murty