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Title: Radiation embrittlement of nuclear reactor pressure vessel steels

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6834850

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; TRN: 90-021650
Resource Relation:
Conference: Symposium on irradiation embrittlement and aging of reactor pressure vessels, Philadelphia, PA (USA), 27-29 May 1987; Related Information: STP 1011
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English