Embrittlement recovery due to annealing of reactor pressure vessel steels

Book · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:203752

Eason, E D; Wright, J E; Nelson, E E ^[1]; Odette, G R; Mader, E V ^[2]

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1. Modeling and Computing Services, Boulder, CO (United States)
2. Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States). Dept. of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering

The irradiation embrittlement of nuclear reactor pressure vessels (RPV) can be reduced by thermal annealing at temperatures higher than the normal operating conditions. The objective of this work was to analyze the pertinent data and develop quantitative models for estimating the recovery in 30 ft-lb (41 J) Charpy transition temperature and Charpy upper shelf energy due to annealing. An analysis data base was developed, reviewed for completeness and accuracy, and documented as part of this work. Models were developed based on a combination of statistical techniques, including pattern recognition and transformation analysis, and the current understanding of the mechanisms governing embrittlement and recovery. The quality of models fitted in this project was evaluated by considering both the Charpy annealing data used for fitting and a surrogate hardness data base. This work demonstrates that microhardness recovery is i good surrogate for shift recovery and that there is a high level of consistency between he observed annealing trends and fundamental models of embrittlement and recovery processes.

• OSTI ID: 203752
• Report Number(s): CONF-950816--; ISBN 1-877914-95-9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PRESSURE VESSELS
PROBABILISTIC ESTIMATION
STEELS
THEORETICAL DATA
WATER COOLED REACTORS