Zinc corrosion after loss-of-coolant accidents in pressurized water reactors - Thermo- and fluid-dynamic effects

As near-plant core components, a 3 × 3 configuration of heating rods (HRC) and a shortened, partially heatable PWR fuel assembly dummy were applied into cooling circuits. The HRC module includes segments of spacers for a suitable representation of a heating channel geometry. Formations of different solid zinc compounds (mainly borates) were observed at the heatable zircaloy surfaces and characterized in detail during the heating-up to several coolant temperatures. As a strict consequence of their proven influence on heat removal and coolant flow behavior in the PWR core, preventive water-chemical methods were defined and tested.