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BWR pipe crack and weld clad overlay studies

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6478620

This paper presents results on (a) the influence of simulated BWR environments and temperature on the intergranular-stress-corrosion cracking (IGSCC) susceptibility of sensitized stainless steels (SS), (b) the stress-corrosion susceptibility of alternative piping materials, (c) analysis of field components to assess the effectiveness of in-service inspection techniques and the in-reactor performance of weld overlay repairs, and (d) finite-element analyses and experimental measurement of residual stresses in weldments with weld overlays. Fracture-mechanics crack-growth data are presented to confirm correlations between the critical corrosion potentials required to inhibit IGSCC and the level of impurities in the environment. Slow-strain-rate tests show that very low levels of impurities (25 ppb of sulfate) can produce suseptibility to transgranular-stress-corrosion cracking (TGSCC) in Type 316NG SS and that nitrogen levels is SS above 0.1 wt. % appear to increase susceptibility to TGSCC. Preliminary results on a German Type 347NG SS suggest that it is at least as resistant to TGSCC in impurity environments as Type 316NG SS. Measurements on overlay weldments removed from the Hatch-2 reactor confirm that compressive residual stresses are produced on the inner surface of the weldments by the overlay.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., IL (USA); Rybicki (E.F.), Inc., Tulsa, OK (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
6478620
Report Number(s):
CONF-8510173-40; ON: TI86004032
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English