Stress relieved Zircaloy-4 recovery and recrystallization during fast anisothermal transients

ABSTRACT

Cold-work stress-relieved Zircaloy-4 kinetics of recovery-recrystallization has been studied under dynamic conditions. A specific furnace dilatometer was used to heat Zircaloy-4 specimens up to $430{}^{\circ }C\cdot s^{-1}$. Comparison of dynamic results with data of isothermal recovery and recrystallization showed that the process is delayed when the heating rate is increased. A model was proposed to describe the evolution of the material unrecrystallized fraction during rapid anisothermal transients. Comparisons showed a good agreement between the experimental results and the model predictions.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Recrystallization
• recovery
• RIA transients
• anisothermal conditions
• Zircaloy-4
• reactivity initiated accident
• fuel cladding

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Électricité de France [P117T].