The effect of long-term annealing simulating the parameters of dry storage of VVER-1000 fuel rods on the mechanical properties of E110 alloy shells in the longitudinal direction

Abstract

Presented are the results of mechanical tensile tests of longitudinal (segmental) samples cut from the midsection of claddings spent as VVER-1000 FA during one- and six-year campaigns and subject to thermal tests in helium at 480 °С during 468 full days. An average burnup of these fuel rods achieved ~ 20 and ~ 70 (MW·day)/kg U, respectively. The tests followed the examinations for cladding mechanical properties performed using the tests results for ring samples cut from the specified fuel rods. These fuel rods were tested in the experiments to determine impact of long-term thermal tests that model dry storage conditions on mechanical properties of Zr E110 claddings. Based on mechanical tests results at room temperature and at 380 °С there was determined as follows: ultimate strength sв, yield strength s0,2 and total relative elongation d0 of claddings length-wise on the fuel rod segments at the fuel column midsection. The obtained characteristics were compared to corresponding values for initial (unirradiated) cladding tubes and mechanical test results of the ring samples in the transverse direction. Long-term thermal tests have led to partial return to initial (before operation) values sв, s0,2 and d0 of radiation-hardened claddings; this return was more prominent in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse one. A radiation hardening decrease was accompanied with an increase in total relative elongation values in both cladding directions. Anisotropy of yield strength has changed as well. These changes can be explained by partial annealing of radiation defects, which are obstacles to dislocation movements during cladding strain. The morphology of above radiation defects is different in various sliding planes in texturized grains of cladding material.