Corrosion Resistance of Experimental Fuel-Rod Cladding Tested in a Materials Science Research Reactor Under PWR Conditions

Experimental fuel rods were tested in the PV-2 loop facility of the MIR reactor under conditions close to operation of full-size fuel rods in a PWR core. In the tests, the external condition of the cladding of the experimental fuel rods and structural elements of FA was evaluated visually; the thickness of the oxide film on the outer surface of the cladding of some fuel rods was measured. At the completion of the tests, all fuel rods remained tight, and no defects were found on the surface of the cladding and structural elements of FA. The thickness of the oxide film on the surface of the fuel rods made from the alloy E-110 (ultrapure), E-125 did not exceed 10 μm with average fuel burnup 32 MW·days/kg.