A perspective on thermal annealing of reactor pressure vessel materials from the viewpoint of experimental results

Technical Report · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/230566· OSTI ID:230566

Iskander, S K; Sokolov, M A; Nanstad, R K

It is believed that in the next decade or so, several nuclear reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) may exceed the reference temperature limits set by the pressurized thermal shock screening criteria. One of the options to mitigate the effects of irradiation on RPVs is to thermally anneal them to restore the toughness properties that have been degraded by neutron irradiation. This paper summarizes recent experimental results from work performed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to study the annealing response, or ``recovery`` of several irradiated RPV steels. The fracture toughness is one of the important properties used in the evaluation of the integrity of RPVs. Optimally, the fracture toughness is measured directly by fracture toughness specimens, such as compact tension or precracked Charpy specimens, but is often inferred from the results of Charpy V-notch impact specimens. The experimental results are compared to the predictions of models for embrittlement recovery which have been developed by Eason et al. Some of the issues in annealing that still need to be resolved are discussed.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-96OR22464
• OSTI ID: 230566
• Report Number(s): CONF-960306--30; ON: DE96008611; CNN: Agreement DOE 1886-8109-8L
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANNEALING
CHARPY TEST
EMBRITTLEMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE VESSELS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
STANDARDS
STEELS
TENSILE PROPERTIES
THERMAL SHOCK