Evaluating alternate test techniques to characterize mechanical properties in nuclear-grade graphites - 18421

Conference · Tue Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 2016

OSTI ID:23032633

Carroll, Mark C.; Rohrbaugh, David T.; Chakraborty, Pritam; David Swank, W. ^[1]

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1. Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, M/S 2213, Idaho Falls, ID 83415 (United States)

The deployment of graphite as a core structural material in the very high temperature reactor (VHTR) design presents a number of challenges with regard to accurate property and performance assessments. In the United States Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) program, candidate VHTR graphite grades are being evaluated not only with respect to irradiated property values, but also with a focus on comprehensive data sets that explicate the property variability inherent to nuclear-grade graphites. The large data sets being compiled on baseline physical and mechanical properties provide a means not only to quantify variability within and between major graphite grades, but also to evaluate test techniques utilized on irradiated specimens that are severely limited in size and geometry. Detailed appraisals of emerging mechanical test techniques that either (a) fall outside of the prescribed test size and configuration constraints in order to be assembled into irradiation capsule such as the three-point bend test on sub-sized cylinders or (b) are not yet fully evaluated and standardized by ASTM International such as the Brazilian disc splitting tensile strength test can be more accurately generated when a broad comparison is possible that leverages multiple mechanical tests on full-size specimens using approved standards. (authors)

• Research Organization: American Nuclear Society - ANS, 555 North Kensington Avenue, La Grange Park, IL 60526 (United States)
• OSTI ID: 23032633
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
COST ESTIMATION
CYLINDERS
GEOMETRY
GRAPHITE
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
IRRADIATION CAPSULES
MECHANICAL TESTS
PERFORMANCE
REACTOR DESIGN
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
SAFETY STANDARDS
TENSILE PROPERTIES