Irradiation Plan in Commercial Reactor for New Zirconium Alloy Cladding

For a new zirconium alloy cladding material, the irradiation in commercial reactor which is subject to test the inpile performance, is an essential step in its development. Compared to the foreign zirconium alloy with rich irradiation experiences, the zirconium alloy independently developed in China has a limited number of irradiations with a relatively low burnup level. Based on the feedback from abroad experience and domestic practice in commercial reactor irradiation, some basic ideas and viewpoints were provided in plan design, safety evaluation and risk management in the paper. The results can offer a useful reference for the irradiation of domestic zirconium alloy in commercial reactor.