AGC-1 Sister Specimen Testing Data Report
The AGC-1 irradiation capsule will provide irradiation creep design data and data for the effects of irradiation creep on key physical properties of several candidate graphites for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). A further objective of the AGC-1 creep capsule is to provide design data for the effects of neutron irradiation on the properties of a range of NGNP candidate graphites, Characterization, both non-destructively and destructively, of AGC-1 graphite creep “sister” specimens for the major grades, i.e., NBG-17, NBG-18, H-451, PCEA, IG-110, and IG-430 has been performed and is reported here. The properties measured were: bulk density by mensuration and Hg-immersion; tensile properties, including strength, stress-strain behavior, static Young’s modulus, and strain to failure; compressive properties, including strength, stress-strain behavior, static elastic modulus, and strain to failure; elastic constants, including dynamic Young’s modulus (fundamental frequency method), and sonic elastic constants, including Young’s modulus, shear modulus, and Poisson’s ratio; pore size distribution (by Hg-intrusion); crystal structure (by x-ray diffraction, XRD); specific heat (elevated temperature), and thermal conductivity (elevated temperature). Significant differences were noted in the physical properties between the grades examined and are attributed to factors such as density, structure (filler particle size and pore size) and the forming method. Some difficulties were encountered with mechanical testing of small (sub-standard) size specimens due to volume and grain size-section size effects. These difficulties are well understood and are an inevitable consequence of conducting property evaluations on small irradiation specimens. These data are judged to be sufficient to yield adequate fractional change in properties when combined with post-irradiation characterization data. However, the complication associated with small specimen testing reinforces the need to conduct full characterization programs to establish the baseline design properties of the NGNP candidate graphites. A sufficient body of experimental data has been acquired from the AGC-1 creep “sister” specimens to fully characterize the properties of interest for the major grades included in the AGC-1 capsule. These data, in combination with the pre-irradiation characterization data packages for the actual AGC-1 creep and control specimens, provide a sound and sufficient pre-irradiation data set for determination of the effects of irradiation induced dimensional change and creep strain on the physical properties of the nuclear graphite grades in the AGC-1 capsule.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 2283844
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-2009/025
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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