Materials Issues For Generation Iv Systems

Materials Issues for Generation IV Systems

Global warming, shortage of low-cost oil resources and the increasing demand for energy are currently controlling the world's economic expansion while often opposing desires for sustainable and peaceful development. In this context, atomic energy satisfactorily fulfills the criteria of low carbon gas production and high overall yield. However, in the absence of industrial fast-breeders the use of nuclear fuel is not optimal, and the production of high activity waste materials is at a maximum. These are the principal reasons for the development of a new, fourth generation of nuclear reactors, minimizing the undesirable side-effects of current nuclear energy production technology while increasing yields by increasing operation temperatures and opening the way for the industrial production of hydrogen through the decomposition of water. The construction and use of such reactors is hindered by several factors, including performance limitations of known structural materials, particularly if the life of the projected systems had to extend over the periods necessary to achieve low costs (at least 60 years). This book collects lectures and seminars presented at the homonymous NATO ASI held in autumn 2007 at the Institut d’Etudes Scientifiques in Cargèse, France. The adopted approach aims at improving and coordinating basic knowledge in materials science and engineering with specific areas of condensed matter physics, the physics of particle/matter interaction and of radiation damage. It is our belief that this methodology is crucially conditioning the development and the industrial production of new structural materials capable of coping with the requirements of these future reactors.

NUREG/CR.

Nuclear Corrosion Science and Engineering

Corrosion of nuclear materials, i.e. the interaction between these materials and their environments, is a major issue for plant safety as well as for operation and economic competitiveness. Understanding these corrosion mechanisms, the systems and materials they affect, and the methods to accurately measure their incidence is of critical importance to the nuclear industry. Combining assessment techniques and analytical models into this understanding allows operators to predict the service life of corrosion-affected nuclear plant materials, and to apply the most appropriate maintenance and mitigation options to ensure safe long term operation.This book critically reviews the fundamental corrosion mechanisms that affect nuclear power plants and facilities. Initial sections introduce the complex field of nuclear corrosion science, with detailed chapters on the different types of both aqueous and non aqueous corrosion mechanisms and the nuclear materials susceptible to attack from them. This is complemented by reviews of monitoring and control methodologies, as well as modelling and lifetime prediction approaches. Given that corrosion is an applied science, the final sections review corrosion issues across the range of current and next-generation nuclear reactors, and across such nuclear applications as fuel reprocessing facilities, radioactive waste storage and geological disposal systems.With its distinguished editor and international team of expert contributors, Nuclear corrosion science and engineering is an invaluable reference for nuclear metallurgists, materials scientists and engineers, as well as nuclear facility operators, regulators and consultants, and researchers and academics in this field. - Comprehensively reviews the fundamental corrosion mechanisms that affect nuclear power plants and facilities - Chapters assess different types of both aqueous and non aqueous corrosion mechanisms and the nuclear materials susceptible to attack from them - Considers monitoring and control methodologies, as well as modelling and lifetime prediction approaches