Session: FSI-02-09 FSI Applications III

Paper Number: 154563

154563 - Impact-Sliding Fretting Wear of Zirconium Alloy Cladding Tube in Simulated Primary Water of Pressurized Water Reactor 

Abstract: 

In the nuclear industry, fretting wear is one of the primary causes of nuclear fuel leakage and presents a significant safety concern. Therefore, investigating the fretting wear mechanisms of zirconium alloy fuel cladding tubes is crucial for ensuring the safe and stable operation of nuclear power plants during service. The wear damage of fuel cladding tubes caused by foreign objects is one of the typical failure modes and has attracted extensive attention from numerous scholars. In this study, the impact-sliding fretting wear experiments between zirconium alloy and 316L stainless steel foreign objects were conducted in a simulated primary water environment of a pressurized water reactor (PWR). The experimental environment consisted of a boric acid-lithium hydroxide aqueous solution, with the experimental temperature and pressure set at 311°C and 15.5 MPa, respectively. During the experiment, fretting data were recorded, and the damage surfaces were characterized and analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). In addition, the wear coefficient was calculated using the Archard model. The results indicate that, under constant frequency and normal load, the wear volume and wear coefficient increase with increasing displacement amplitude (wear power). As the displacement amplitude increased from 50 μm to 100 μm, the wear volume increased from 3.5×10⁷ μm³ to 8.5×10⁷ μm³, and the wear coefficient increased from 1.8×10^-14 Pa^-1 to 2.1×10^-14 Pa^-1. This paper proposes a new energy-related model based on the existing Archard and energy models. Based on the above experimental results, further understanding of material wear behavior under actual operating conditions can facilitate the optimization of material selection and design, thereby extending equipment lifespan and enhancing operational efficiency.

Presenting Author: Guorui Zhu Tianjin University

Presenting Author Biography: She received her Ph.D degree in School of Chemical Engineering and technology in Tianjin University in 2015. Her current position is an associate professor. Her research area covers the flow induced vibration, fretting wear and tribological testing technique.

Authors:

Guiyu Mei School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University
Hui Chen School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University
Guangzhao Wang School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University
Xin Liu School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University
Guorui Zhu Tianjin University