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Title: Characterization of Type 304L stainless steel solid-state closure welds for radioactive waste containment

Abstract

Radioactive wastes, generated during years of nuclear materials production, will be vitrified in glass and sealed in canisters. These cylindrical canisters are fabricated from 0.375 inches (9.5 mm) thick Type 304L stainless steel plate and are 24 inches (61 cm) in diameter and 118 inches (3 m) tall with a forged nozzle. The canisters will be sealed by resistance upset welding a 5 inch (12.7 cm) diameter, 0.5 inch (1.27 cm) thick, slightly oversized plug into the nozzle. A parametric study recommended a range of production welding variables based on mechanical tests and metallography. Intentionally ``cold`` welds produced with low currents and short times exhibited insufficient interface length and lack-of-bonding. At very high currents, long weld times and low force, maximum heating occurred with significant melting at the top, which makes process stability a concern. All welds made between these extremes exhibited predominantly solid-state bonding. Little variation in microstructure between welds was found along much of the interface with changes in current, force and time. Hardness traverses across the welds showed higher values at the interface, indicative of the worked microstructure. Crevices formed at the top and bottom during plastic flow of the material, and grain sizes varied along themore » interface from differences in dynamic recrystallization and grain growth. The degree of melting at the top was the most significant difference among welds made within the recommended parameter range.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10174815
Report Number(s):
WSRC-MS-94-0149; CONF-940793-2
ON: DE94016539;; TRN: AHC29501%%102
DOE Contract Number:  
AC09-89SR18035
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Conference: 27. annual international metallographic society (IMS)/ASM convention,Montreal (Canada),24-27 Jul 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE; CONTAINERS; WELDED JOINTS; STAINLESS STEEL-304L; RESISTANCE WELDING; MICROSTRUCTURE; MECHANICAL PROPERTIES; PARAMETRIC ANALYSIS; EXPERIMENTAL DATA; 052002; 360101; 360102; 360103; WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE; PREPARATION AND FABRICATION; STRUCTURE AND PHASE STUDIES

Citation Formats

West, S L. Characterization of Type 304L stainless steel solid-state closure welds for radioactive waste containment. United States: N. p., 1994. Web. doi:10.2172/10174815.
West, S L. Characterization of Type 304L stainless steel solid-state closure welds for radioactive waste containment. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/10174815
West, S L. 1994. "Characterization of Type 304L stainless steel solid-state closure welds for radioactive waste containment". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/10174815. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10174815.
@article{osti_10174815,
title = {Characterization of Type 304L stainless steel solid-state closure welds for radioactive waste containment},
author = {West, S L},
abstractNote = {Radioactive wastes, generated during years of nuclear materials production, will be vitrified in glass and sealed in canisters. These cylindrical canisters are fabricated from 0.375 inches (9.5 mm) thick Type 304L stainless steel plate and are 24 inches (61 cm) in diameter and 118 inches (3 m) tall with a forged nozzle. The canisters will be sealed by resistance upset welding a 5 inch (12.7 cm) diameter, 0.5 inch (1.27 cm) thick, slightly oversized plug into the nozzle. A parametric study recommended a range of production welding variables based on mechanical tests and metallography. Intentionally ``cold`` welds produced with low currents and short times exhibited insufficient interface length and lack-of-bonding. At very high currents, long weld times and low force, maximum heating occurred with significant melting at the top, which makes process stability a concern. All welds made between these extremes exhibited predominantly solid-state bonding. Little variation in microstructure between welds was found along much of the interface with changes in current, force and time. Hardness traverses across the welds showed higher values at the interface, indicative of the worked microstructure. Crevices formed at the top and bottom during plastic flow of the material, and grain sizes varied along the interface from differences in dynamic recrystallization and grain growth. The degree of melting at the top was the most significant difference among welds made within the recommended parameter range.},
doi = {10.2172/10174815},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/10174815}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994},
month = {Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994}
}