Determination of oxidation rates and volatile oxidation products for HTGR graphite matrix material exposed to steam atmospheres

Abstract

High-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) in operation use tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particles embedded in graphite and carbonized resin matrix to form the fuel element. This graphite matrix material serves as a supportive structural element, heat transfer medium, and neutron moderator. In HTGR designs, fuel compacts are exposed to helium coolant, which facilitates high outlet temperatures (750°C<T<950°C) and subsequently greater thermal efficiency than current commercial power reactors. However, data pertaining to the oxidation resistance of graphite matrix material in HTGR accident or off-normal conditions (<50k kPa pH2O, 800°C<T<1600°C) is limited. In this study, both the oxidation behavior of matrix graphite material and its gas-phase products, including CO, CO2, and H2, are quantified in varied oxidant atmospheres using a coupled thermogravimetric analyzer and mass spectrometer. Oxidation rates reported here for varied steam (H2O [g]) atmospheres are predominantly linear and comparable with literature values in the range of tested temperatures (800–1200°C). Changes in dominant matrix oxidation products from primarily CO to a mixture of CO, CO2, and H2 were observed at higher temperatures (≥1000°C) and steam atmospheres (≥5 kPa pH2O). Kinetic data indicates that there was no shift in oxidation regime with chemical oxidation occurring at all temperatures and H2O (g) atmospheres tested. These data provide insight into the oxidation behavior of graphite matrix material and will inform future testing conditions, notably mixed atmospheric conditions, of HTGR fuel elements.