Study of the oxidation mechanisms between impurities and surfaces applied to the future gas-cooled nuclear reactors

Inconel 617, main candidate for the heat exchangers of the gas-cooled next generation of nuclear reactors has been investigated. Two different problems occurring in the cooling system splits the study into two parts. Oxidizing impurities contained in the coolant can cause severe corrosion at 850 C. Radioactive impurities, coming from the fission reaction of the core can, in another hand contaminate the cooling loop and cause radioprotection problem for the maintenance and dismantling operations. Firstly, oxidizing gas partial pressure influence on oxidation of IN 617 at 850 C was investigated varying oxygen and water vapour partial pressure between 1.10-5 mbar and 200 mbar. Oxide layers were characterized using XPS, SEM, EDX, GD-OES, XRD. Influence of partial pressure on layers structure and composition was determined. Effect of water vapour and partial pressure on growth mechanisms were also investigated. The second part of this study is focused on diffusion of Ag, stable isotope of Ag-110m in IN617 alloy and in the oxide layer forming at its surface at 850 C. Concentration profiles were obtained by GD-OES calibrated analysis. Diffusion coefficient could be obtained from these diffusion profiles: volume diffusion and grain boundary diffusion coefficients for the diffusion in the alloy, and an apparent diffusion coefficient for the diffusion in the oxide, due to the porosity of the structure. (author)