Radiation embrittlement of nuclear reactor pressure vessel steels

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:6834850

Steele, L E

A critical issue in assuring the safety of nuclear power plants involves the integrity of the primary pressure vessel of light water reactors, which are the nuclear source of choice in most nations. Such integrity depends upon no serious degradation of the steel in the pressure vessel, which, in turn, depends upon the knowledge of neutron irradiation embrittlement and the means for minimizing such degradation of this key component. While research and operational surveillance of this phenomenon have been carried out for many years, it is essential that such efforts not stop until the authors have full assurance on an international basis that knowledge is adequate to provide the technical basis for preventing catastrophic vessel rupture. Further, in view of the Chernobyl accident, international collaboration in developing such knowledge should be condoned by all nations having or developing nuclear power.

• OSTI ID: 6834850
• Report Number(s): CONF-8705275--; ISBN: 0-8031-1187-8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
220900* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103 -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
360106 -- Metals & Alloys-- Radiation Effects
ABSTRACTS
ALLOYS
CHARPY TEST
CONTAINERS
DAMAGING NEUTRON FLUENCE
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
DOCUMENT TYPES
EMBRITTLEMENT
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
IMPACT TESTS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
IRRADIATION
LEADING ABSTRACT
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MECHANICAL TESTS
NEUTRON FLUENCE
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PRESSURE VESSELS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTOR VESSELS
SAFETY
STEELS
TESTING