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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

LMR cladding and duct materials development

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6583146
The alloys used for cladding and ducts for Liquid Metal Reactors (LMR) have undergone a dramatic change in the past few years. All LMR core components were originally fabricated from austenitic stainless steels primarily because of high temperature strength and good corrosion resistance. Operation of the various LMRs brought forth several problems with these steels, the most notable being dimensional instability produced by internal void formation. Efforts to mitigate this problem centered on compositional modifications and different thermomechanical treatments. Recently, a number of LMR programs have placed a major emphasis on ferritic/martensitic stainless steels. Studies have shown that these steels with the body centered cubic structure are more resistant to swelling than those of the face centered cubic lattice. Steels in the 9 to 12% chromium range are now being used in the tempered condition. High exposures have been obtained without measurable swelling. Future core materials research is directed towards improving the high temperature strength of this class of materials. The most promising approach is that of using a fine dispersion of an inert oxide.
Research Organization:
Hanford Engineering Development Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-76FF02170
OSTI ID:
6583146
Report Number(s):
HEDL-SA-3477-FP; CONF-860931-20; ON: DE87009508
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English