Zircaloy-water autocatalytic well below 2200 degrees F

Earlier entries include the following; read the red print.

Following are conclusions and recommendations from the Epstein report GEAP-3279. Note Item 3 under Conclusions, "The heat evolved from the zircaloy-water reaction at temperatures above 2000 degrees Fahrenheit is significant and produces an autocatalytic effect."

Here is another.

OECD LOFT-T-3804, "OECD LOFT Project, Quick-Look Report

...http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML0719/ML071940358.pdf

Anyway, the following is page 30 of that report (also page 50 of 298) which you unfortunately cannot easily read because BLOGSPOT.COM again has screwed up it enlarging capability. However, the URL immediately above brings up the report and you can get page 50 of 298 although several earlier pages do not show up. Here is the key sentence, the last sentence in the second paragraph:"It can be concluded from examination of the recorded temperatures that the oxidation of zircaloy by steam becomes rapid at temperatures in excess of 1400 K (2060 degrees Fahrenheit)."