Temperature and fluence limits for a type 316 stainless-steel controlled thermonuclear reactor first wall

Journal Article · Fri Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976 · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7142779

Bloom, E E; Wiffen, F W; Maziasz, P J; Stiegler, J O

Results of a series of neutron irradiation experiments conducted on annealed and 20 percent cold-worked Type 316 stainless steel in a high-flux mixed-spectrum fission reactor to simulate a controlled thermonuclear reactor (CTR) first wall displacement per atom (dpa) and helium production are reviewed. Estimates of temperature and fluence limits for this alloy are made. Cold working effectively suppressed swelling up to 550 to 600/sup 0/C. Using a criterion of 10 percent swelling and limited data on the fluence dependence of swelling, a first wall life of 16.5 (MW-y)/m/sup 2/ (at 530/sup 0/C) for 20 percent cold-worked Type 316 stainless steel is estimated. Embrittlement may be the property that limits first wall life. At 350/sup 0/C acceptable ductility was retained in the cold-worked steel to very high damage levels (49 dpa, 3320 appM helium), and it appears that the 0.5 percent uniform strain criterion will not be limiting. At higher temperatures, however, this is not the situation. At 650/sup 0/C the uniform and total plastic strain were zero in samples irradiated to 61 dpa and 4140 appM helium. At 575/sup 0/C, 0.5 percent uniform strain was retained in the cold-worked material to relatively high damage levels; however, the fractures were intergranular. The creep-rupture life at 550 and 45,000 psi was reduced by 5 x 10/sup 4/ compared to the unirradiated property. Generally greater embrittlement in the solution-annealed material suggests that cold-worked material would be preferred for CTR first wall structures.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN
• OSTI ID: 7142779
• Journal Information: Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 31:1; ISSN NUTYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360106* -- Metals & Alloys-- Radiation Effects
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
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ALLOYS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM STEELS
CHROMIUM-NICKEL STEELS
COLD WORKING
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
CREEP
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DUCTILITY
ELEMENTS
EMBRITTLEMENT
FABRICATION
FAILURES
FIRST WALL
FLUIDS
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
HELIUM
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MATERIALS WORKING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NONMETALS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RARE GASES
RUPTURES
STAINLESS STEEL-316
STAINLESS STEELS
STEELS
SWELLING
TENSILE PROPERTIES
THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR WALLS