Environmentally assisted cracking in light water reactors
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
This report summarizes work performed by Argonne National Laboratory on fatigue and environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) in light water reactors (LWRs) during the six months from April 1992 to September 1992. Topics that have been investigated include (1) fatigue and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of low-alloy steel used in piping, steam generators. and reactor pressure vessels. (2) EAC of cast stainless steels (SSs), and (3) radiation-induced segregation and irradiation-assisted SCC of Type 304 SS after accumulation of relatively high fluence. Data on fatigue of low-alloy steel in LWR environments have been reviewed. Based on fracture-mechanics models and engineering judgement, interim fatigue design curves were developed that are consistent with available fatigue-life data. Crack growth data were obtained on fracture-mechanics specimens of A533-Gr B and A106-Gr B ferritic steels and on cast austenitic SSs in the as-received and thermally aged conditions in simulated BWR water at 289[degrees]C. The data were compared with predictions based on crack growth correlations for ferritic steels in oxygenated water and correlations for wrought austenitic SS in oxygenated water developed at ANL and rates in air from Section M of the ASME Code. Microchemical and microstructural changes in high- and commercial-purity Type 304 SS specimens from control-blade absorber tubes and a control-blade sheath from operating BWRs were studied by Auger electron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Slow-strain-rate-tensile tests were conducted on irradiated specimens in air and simulated BWR water.
- Research Organization:
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Engineering; Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6283689
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CR-4667-Vol.15; ANL-93/2; ON: TI93016368
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Environmentally assisted cracking in Light Water Reactors. Volume 16: Semiannual report, October 1992--March 1993
Environmentally assisted cracking in Light Water Reactors: Semiannual report, April 1993--September 1993. Volume 17
Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
CRACK PROPAGATION
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
AUSTENITIC STEELS
FATIGUE
FERRITIC STEELS
FRACTURE MECHANICS
LOW ALLOY STEELS
MICROSTRUCTURE
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PIPES
PRESSURE VESSELS
PROGRESS REPORT
REACTOR CORES
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SERVICE LIFE
STAINLESS STEELS
STEAM GENERATORS
STRAIN RATE
STRESS CORROSION
TENSILE PROPERTIES
ALLOYS
BOILERS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTAINERS
CORROSION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
HIGH ALLOY STEELS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
LIFETIME
MECHANICS
MICROSCOPY
POWER REACTORS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTORS
SPECTROSCOPY
STEELS
THERMAL REACTORS
VAPOR GENERATORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
210100* - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
360103 - Metals & Alloys- Mechanical Properties