Effects of 50/degree/C surveillance and test reactor irradiations on ferritic pressure vessel steel embrittlement
The results of surveillance tests on the High-Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) pressure vessel at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory revealed that a greater than expected embrittlement had taken place after about 17.5 effective full-power years of operation and an operational assessment program was undertaken to fully evaluate the vessel condition and recommend conditions under which operation could be resumed. A research program was undertaken that included irradiating specimens in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor. Specimens of the A212 grade B vessel shell material were included, along with specimens from a nozzle qualification weld and a submerged-arc weld fabricated at ORNL to reproduce the vessel seam weld. The results of the surveillance program and the materials research program performed in support of the evaluation of the HFIR pressure vessel are presented and show the welds to be more radiation resistant than the A212B. Results of irradiated tensile and annealing experiments are described as well as a discussion of mechanisms which may be responsible for enhanced hardening at low damage rates. 20 refs., 22 figs., 5 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 6298527
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-880613-30; ON: DE89010370
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 14. international symposium on effects of radiation on materials, Andover, MA, USA, 27 Jun 1988; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Radiation embrittlement of PWR vessel supports
Impact of radiation embrittlement on integrity of pressure vessel supports for two PWR plants
Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CARBON STEELS
EMBRITTLEMENT
HFIR REACTOR
REACTOR VESSELS
CHARPY TEST
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
MICROSTRUCTURE
NEUTRON FLUENCE
POINT DEFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION HARDENING
TENSILE PROPERTIES
WELDING
ALLOYS
CONTAINERS
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
FABRICATION
HARDENING
IMPACT TESTS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
IRRADIATION REACTORS
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION REACTORS
JOINING
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICAL TESTS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
STEELS
TANK TYPE REACTORS
TEST REACTORS
TESTING
THERMAL REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
220600* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
360106 - Metals & Alloys- Radiation Effects