The FULL SCALE CVD project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of synthesizing an anti-corrosion coating inside a zirconium alloy fuel cladding tube at full scale (4.5 meters long). This project is part of the CEA’s Surface Engineering Action Plan, which focuses on developing a limited number of high-potential coating technologies—from laboratory scale to pilot scale—for pre-industrial technological demonstration.
The internal coating of fuel cladding tubes is designed to limit pellet-cladding interaction. This enables faster ramp-up and ramp-down cycles, allowing for finer control of electricity production. It also helps mitigate the consequences of incidents similar to the Fukushima event.
To achieve a dense, homogeneous, and sufficiently thick coating, a dedicated system capable of coating six 4.5-meter tubes simultaneously has been developed at the CEA. The goal of the postdoctoral research is to develop coating processes that meet the targets in terms of composition, thickness, homogeneity, and density of the synthesized film. The targeted coatings are Cr2O3 and CrC?.
The success of this project could lead to a technology transfer to fuel cladding manufacturers or the creation of a start-up.