Zirconium starts to make hydrogen from steam at 1000c. Air is not steam and spent fuel will not get to 1000c. https://www.nuclear-power.com/nuclear-power-pl

Zirconium starts to make hydrogen from steam at 1000c. Air is not steam and spent fuel will not get to 1000c. https://www.nuclear-power.com/nuclear-power-plant/nuclear-fuel/fuel-assembly/fuel-cladding-cladding-tube/high-temperature-steam-oxidation-of-zirconium-alloys/ https://www.nuclear-power.com/nuclear-power-plant/nuclear-fu...