Fracture-mechanics data deduced from thermal-shock and related experiments with LWR pressure-vessel material

Conference · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5163254

Cheverton, R D; Canonico, D A; Iskander, S K; Bolt, S E; Holz, P P; Nanstad, R K; Stelzman, W J

Pressurized water reactors (PWRs) are susceptible to certain types of hypothetical accidents that can subject the reactor pressure vessel to severe thermal shock, that is, a rapid cooling of the inner surface of the vessel wall. The thermal-shock loading, coupled with the radiation-induced reduction in the material fracture toughness, introduces the possibility of propagation of preexistent flaws and what at one time were regarded as somewhat unique fracture-oriented conditions. Several postulated reactor accidents have been analyzed to discover flaw behavior trends; seven intermediate-scale thermal-shock experiments with steel cylinders have been conducted; and corresponding materials characterization studies have been performed. Flaw behavior trends and related fracture-mechanics data deduced from these studies are discussed.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA); Combustion Engineering, Inc., Chattanooga, TN (USA); Union Carbide Corp., Oak Ridge, TN (USA). Nuclear Div.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5163254
• Report Number(s): CONF-820601-22; ON: DE82018162; TRN: 82-018885
• Resource Relation: Conference: ASME pressure vessel and piping conference, Orlando, FL, USA, 27 Jun 1982; Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
PRESSURE VESSELS
STRESS ANALYSIS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR ACCIDENTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
THERMAL STRESSES
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
STEEL-ASTM-A508
REACTOR SAFETY
THERMAL SHOCK
ACCIDENTS
ALLOYS
CONTAINERS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
REACTORS
SAFETY
STEELS
STRESSES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
210200 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
360103 - Metals & Alloys- Mechanical Properties