REMOTE FABRICATION OF BRAZED STRUCTURAL JOINTS IN RADIOACTIVE PIPING

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1963

OSTI ID:4143036

Hise, E C; Cooke, F W; Donnelly, R G

Techniques and equipment are developed that permit the piping system of the molten-salt reactor to be remotely disconnected for component replacement and connected again with a high degree of integrity. In particular, the 82 Au-18 Ni (wt%) alloy is found to have excellent strength, corrosion resistance, and wetting characteristics for this application. Joints of this type are not expected to be significantly weakened during long-term service, since metallographic examination and hardness traverses indicate little change in the brazed joint up to 10,000 hr at 1200 deg F. Consistently sound joints are obtainable in the field as well as the laboratory, using induction heating of the brazed joint in an argon atmosphere. Mechanical equipment for cutting, machining, and positioning the pipe work is fabricated for carrying out these operations remotely. Pipe joints of this type can be evaluated by the immersed, pulse-echo, ultrasonic technique, and a modification of this technique seems possible for remotely inspecting such joints. (auth)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• NSA Number: NSA-18-002212
• OSTI ID: 4143036
• Report Number(s): CONF-102-15
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ARGON
BRAZING
CORROSION
FUSED SALT FUEL
GOLD ALLOYS
HARDNESS
HEATING
INDUCTION
INSPECTION
JOINTS
MACHINING
MAINTENANCE
METALLOGRAPHY
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
NICKEL ALLOYS
PIPES
REACTORS
REMOTE HANDLING
SURFACE TENSION
TENSILE PROPERTIES
ULTRASONICS