Investigating new materials and devices for improved protection of the vessel from the neutron flux in Light Water Reactors (LWR), nuclear engineers are currently considering the introduction of uncladded hafnium absorber rods at the periphery of the reactor core. The French Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety Institute (IRSN) and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) conducted a joint study to evaluate the oxidation behavior of hafnium in accidental situations.
For good understanding of the rod oxidation processes, oxygen concentration variations in the metal below the oxide layer was quantified using CAMECA EPMA, a tool of choice for quantitative analyses of light elements thanks to its Wavelength Dispersive Spectrometers (WDS) which offer excellent sensitivity and spectral resolution.
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Investigating Absorber Rod Oxidation" to learn more!
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