Nuclear Materials

Introduction

Mark Daymond
daymond @ queensu.ca
http://me.queensu.ca/research/nuclear

Queen’s University
KINGSTON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

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 What are “nuclear materials”?

The environment inside the core of a

nuclear reactor has unique
characteristics
Nuclear materials are materials used in a
nuclear power plant or experimental
facility one or more properties of which
are uniquely dictated by the nuclear
environment

Nuclear Materials
• Certain “nuclear” characteristics are needed
• Fissionable (fuel)
• e.g. low thermal neutron capture cross section – core structural materials
• High thermal neutron capture cross‐section – shut‐off rods
• Radiation stopping  ‐ shielding
• The radiation environment can have a direct effect
• Irradiation induced deformation
• The radiation environment can have an indirect effect
• Radiolysis of coolant that makes it more corrosive out of core
• Properties not directly related to function
• Hard facing materials (valves seals) contain cobalt.  Wear and corrosion 
products activated during transport through core

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 Radiation damage in metals due to fast
neutrons

Radiation Damage in Zirconium

6 prismatic dislocation loops

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 Irradiation Growth of
Zirconium

•Zr-5wt%Pu alloy
•Metal irradiated by fission fragments; expansion
along rolling direction
•Length change of 400%
•Non-saturating
•Volume change only a few percent
• Same steady state rate as Zr alloys irradiated
with fast neutrons (~ 10-4/dpa)
Reference:
J. A. Horak and H. V. Rhude, “Irradiation Growth of Zirconium-Plutonium Alloys,” Journal of

Nuclear Materials, 3, (1961),pp. 111-112, .

CANDU PWHR Power Station

Electricity
Steam
Boiler

Steam Electricity
Turbine Generator

Reactor Fuel
heavy water
(Uranium)

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 CANDU Station

CANDU Calandria

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 CANDU Fuel Channel
positioning liner
feeder
assembly tube
shield
plug

pressure tube
bellows end-fitting
calandria
tube
11 spacer

Activity transport from hard-facing materials

• hard facing materials (e.g. stellite) often contain cobalt

• used in seals, valve seats, ball screws etc. in PHTS –
but outside the core
• corrosion and where debris (minute amounts)
circulates many times through the core
• 59Co has high thermal neutron cross-section
• transmutes to 60Co, hard emitter, 16 year half-life

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 CANDU Core Schematic
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 activated debris deposits
in out-reactor piping and SGs
debris from FM - expensive to maintain
passes through core

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In this course we will deal with:

• reactor core structural materials

• nuclear fuel
• primary heat transport system materials

the emphasis will be on CANDU

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 Course outline
• Introduction & outline
• Review of some key physical metallurgy concepts
• Reactor designs & material choices
• Radiation effects on materials - principles
• CANDU fuel channels – manufacture; aging in-
reactor; performance
• CANDU fuel
• Working & inspecting radioactive materials
• Out-of-core materials (feeder; steam generator)

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