Postirradiation examination of pressure tubes 2954 and 3053: Corrosion, hydriding and fluence measurements
Pressure Tubes 2954 and 3053 were removed from N Reactor in March 1987 for postirradiation examinations (PIE) including hydriding, corrosion, fluence and mechanical property measurements. The results of the corrosion, hydriding, and fluence measurements are the subject of this report. These data will be used to evaluate the trends in corrosion and hydriding behavior which are important to the structural integrity of these tubes. The trend evaluations as well as the mechanical property data are or will be reported elsewhere. Both tubes operated at high power accumulating 101,800 hours of service since reactor startup in 1964. Fabricated by the Harvey Aluminum Company, Tube 2954 was cold drawn to 30% reduction of area as were 86% of the reactor tubes. Tube 3053 was also a Harvey Tube but was cold worked 18% representing 2.5% of the reactor tubes. Corrosion measurements were made from metallographic sections. The inner surface oxide thickness peaks at 2 to 5 ft downstream of the center of the fueled zone. This profile is typical of previous examined N Reactor pressure tubes. The maximum measured oxide thickness on tube 2954 was 64 microns, 17% greater than for tubes removed in 1984. The corrosion product hydrogen that is absorbed by the tube has distribution gradients in the azimuthal, axial, and radial directions. Radical surveys confirmed previous observations that most of the hydrogen is concentrated near the tube ID surfaces. For Tubes 2954 and 3053, 50% to 80% of the hydrogen is found in 20% of the tube wall. The radial as well as the azimuthal gradients are caused by thermal gradients in the tubes, with the hydrogen redistributing to the cooler parts of the tube wall. 6 refs., 50 figs., 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-87RL10930
- OSTI ID:
- 719169
- Report Number(s):
- WHC-SP--0210; ON: TI88013406
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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