Cyclic crack growth behavior of reactor pressure vessel steels in light water reactor environments
During normal operation light water reactor (LWR) pressure vessels are subjected to a variety of transients resulting in time varying stresses. Consequently, fatigue and environmentally assisted fatigue are growth mechanisms relevant to flaws in these pressure vessels. In order to provide a better understanding of the resistance of nuclear pressure vessel steels to flaw growth process, a series of fracture mechanics experiments were conducted to generate data on the rate of cyclic crack growth in SA508-2 and SA533b-1 steels in simulated 550/sup 0/F boiling water reactor (BWR) and 550/sup 0/F pressurized water reactor (PWR) environments. Areas investigated over the course of the test program included the effects of loading frequency and r ratio (Kmin-Kmax) on crack growth rate as a function of the stress intensity factor (deltaK) range. In addition, the effect of sulfur content of the test material on the cyclic crack growth rate was studied. Cyclic crack growth rates were found to be controlled by deltaK, R ratio, and loading frequency. The sulfur impurity content of the reactor pressure vessel steels studied had a significant effect on the cyclic crack growth rates. The higher growth rates were always associated with materials of higher sulfur content. For a given level of sulfur, growth rates were in a 550/sup 0/F simulated BWR environment than in a 550/sup 0/F simulated PWR environment. In both environments cyclic crack growth rates were a strong function of the loading frequency.
- Research Organization:
- Babcock and Wilcox, a McDermott Company, Alliance, OH 44601
- OSTI ID:
- 6052036
- Journal Information:
- J. Eng. Mater. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 108:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BWR TYPE REACTORS
PRESSURE VESSELS
CRACK PROPAGATION
MATERIALS TESTING
PWR TYPE REACTORS
STEELS
FATIGUE
FRACTURE MECHANICS
GRAPHS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IMPURITIES
STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS
STRESSES
SULFUR CONTENT
TRANSIENTS
ALLOYS
CONTAINERS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICS
REACTORS
TESTING
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
210100* - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
210200 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
360103 - Metals & Alloys- Mechanical Properties