Prediction and Monitoring Systems of Creep-Fracture Behavior of 9Cr-1Mo Steels for Teactor Pressure Vessels

Technical Report · Tue Nov 26 00:00:00 EST 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1110643· OSTI ID:1110643

Potirniche, Gabriel ^[1]; Barlow, Fred D. ^[1]; Charit, Indrajit ^[1]; Rink, Karl ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID (United States)

A recent workshop on next-generation nuclear plant (NGNP) topics underscored the need for research studies on the creep fracture behavior of two materials under consideration for reactor pressure vessel (RPV) applications: 9Cr-1Mo and SA-5XX steels. This research project will provide a fundamental understanding of creep fracture behavior of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel welds for through modeling and experimentation and will recommend a design for an RPV structural health monitoring system. Following are the specific objectives of this research project: Characterize metallurgical degradation in welded modified 9Cr-1Mo steel resulting from aging processes and creep service conditions; Perform creep tests and characterize the mechanisms of creep fracture process; Quantify how the microstructure degradation controls the creep strength of welded steel specimens; Perform finite element (FE) simulations using polycrystal plasticity to understand how grain texture affects the creep fracture properties of welds; Develop a microstructure-based creep fracture model to estimate RPVs service life; Manufacture small, prototypic, cylindrical pressure vessels, subject them to degradation by aging, and measure their leak rates; Simulate damage evolution in creep specimens by FE analyses; Develop a model that correlates gas leak rates from welded pressure vessels with the amount of microstructural damage; Perform large-scale FE simulations with a realistic microstructure to evaluate RPV performance at elevated temperatures and creep strength; Develop a fracture model for the structural integrity of RPVs subjected to creep loads; and Develop a plan for a non-destructive structural health monitoring technique and damage detection device for RPVs.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1110643
• Report Number(s): DOE/NEUP-09-835; TRN: US1600899
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
CHROMIUM-MOLYBDENUM STEELS
CREEP
FRACTURES
PRESSURE VESSELS
WELDED JOINTS
MICROSTRUCTURE
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
MONITORING
DAMAGE
CYLINDERS
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
SERVICE LIFE
AGING
FORECASTING
LEAKS
PLASTICITY
SIMULATION
DESIGN
PERFORMANCE
TEXTURE
DYNAMIC LOADS