THE CHEMICAL FORM OF FISSION-PRODUCT TELLURIUM DURING REACTOR ACCIDENT CONDITIONS

The chemical form of the fission product tellurium during a reactor ac cident has been studied experimentally. Release experiments of telluri um were conducted under simulated LWR accident conditions. It is found that tellurium is retained by the Zircaloy cladding until oxidation o f the cladding is almost complete. During this oxidation, tin in the c ladding is segregated and reacts with tellurium. The release of tellur ium is found to be dependent on the oxygen potential. High oxygen pote ntials lead to a release as elemental tellurium, low oxygen potentials lead to a release as tin telluride.