[ RadSafe ] Zirconium Cladding of Fuel Rods - Reaction With Water

[Brent Rogers]

I keep reading/hearing about advancements in reactor design.  Does anyone know if ABWRs are designed such that, in the event of a similar emergency, would prevent the H2 from moving into the secondary (turbine) system?  My understanding is that the H2 explosions that occurred wouldn't be likely in a PWR, as the primary system is all contained within the primary shield.

Brent Rogers
Sydney Australia

Sent from my iPad

On 13/03/2011, at 13:07, Jeff Terry <terryj at iit.edu> wrote:

> Hi Roger, 
> 
> At temperatures exceeding 1000 C, Zr reacts exothermically with water producing ZrO2 and H2. 
> This is a well known risk of emergency quenching. 
> 
> A detailed paper on this effect can be found at:
> 
> http://bibliothek.fzk.de/zb/berichte/FZKA6208.pdf
> 
> Jeff
> 
> Jeff Terry
> Asst. Professor of Physics
> Life Science Bldg Rm 166
> Illinois Institute of Technology
> 3101 S. Dearborn St. 
> Chicago IL 60616
> 630-252-9708
> terryj at iit.edu
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Mar 12, 2011, at 7:33 PM, Roger Helbig wrote:
> 
>> The NEI advised that the Hydrogen gas that is the probable cause of the
>> explosion at Fukushima #1 Reactor was generated when the Zirconium cladding
>> of the fuel rod was exposed - how did this exposure generate the Hydrogen
>> gas?
>> 
>> "It appears that as the level of coolant in the reactor vessel lowered, a
>> portion of the top of the uranium fuel rods was exposed. This may have
>> caused zirconium cladding of the fuel rods to react with water to create
>> hydrogen. This hydrogen was vented, then somehow ignited, causing the
>> explosion."
>> 
>> Web Elements says that Zirconium does not react with water under normal
>> conditions
>> 
>> Reaction of zirconium with water
>> 
>> "Zirconium does not react with water under normal conditions."
>> 
>> Roger
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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