Abstract
The study of uranium dioxide (U02) oxidation behaviour in high temperature air and steam environments is part of an ongoing program in support of modelling fission product releases during postulated accidents in CANDU* nuclear reactors. This paper summai'izes the results of oxidation and volatilization experiments which have been conducted in controlled atmospheres of steam/hydrogen at 500-800°C and in air at 1700-2100°C. The formation of U3O8 was observed in steam conditions below 800°C. The rate controlling process in low-temperature steam is discussed. The high-temperature volatilization rates in air are compared with other data from lower temperatures in steam, and a simple model is proposed to describe volatilization rates as a function of temperature and oxygen potential and flow conditions.
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