You need JavaScript to view this

Compatibility problems of canning materials with carbon dioxide at high temperatures; Problemes de comptabilite des materiaux de gainage avec le gaz carbonique aux temperatures elevees

Abstract

The adoption in France of carbon dioxide under pressure as a heat carrying fluid in advanced reactors of the gas-graphite and gas heavy water types has led to the necessity of finding a canning material capable of replacing magnesium alloys. Actually these latter can no longer be used above about 500 C, because of the proximity to their melting points and of their mechanical properties which become under these conditions insufficient, although their oxidation resistance in the presence of carbon dioxide is still acceptable. Beryllium which is particularly attractive because of its low neutron capture cross-section, has a very big disadvantage, amongst others: its use in the presence of carbon dioxide et 600 C is only possible if the gas is perfectly dry, the water-vapour partial pressure being the determining factor calling for a degree of drying which increases with increasing absolute pressure. In the opposite case after a short incubation period, the oxidation accelerates and leads to an intergranular corrosion which is rapidly destructive. Nevertheless, beryllium-calcium or beryllium-magnesium alloys containing 0,5 p 100 of the addition element make it possible to overcome this difficulty; they may be used in the presence of a few hundred vpm of water vapour  More>>
Authors:
Darras, R; Loriers, H [1] 
  1. Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires
Publication Date:
Jul 01, 1964
Product Type:
Technical Report
Report Number:
CEA-R-2670
Resource Relation:
Other Information: 17 refs
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; BERYLLIUM; BERYLLIUM ALLOYS; CANNING; CARBON DIOXIDE; CORROSION; FUEL CANS; OXIDATION; STAINLESS STEELS; TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE; ZIRCONIUM; ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
OSTI ID:
20668364
Research Organizations:
CEA Saclay, 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France)
Country of Origin:
France
Language:
French
Other Identifying Numbers:
TRN: FR05R2670107065
Availability:
Available from INIS in electronic form
Submitting Site:
FRN
Size:
22 pages
Announcement Date:
Dec 19, 2005

Citation Formats

Darras, R, and Loriers, H. Compatibility problems of canning materials with carbon dioxide at high temperatures; Problemes de comptabilite des materiaux de gainage avec le gaz carbonique aux temperatures elevees. France: N. p., 1964. Web.
Darras, R, & Loriers, H. Compatibility problems of canning materials with carbon dioxide at high temperatures; Problemes de comptabilite des materiaux de gainage avec le gaz carbonique aux temperatures elevees. France.
Darras, R, and Loriers, H. 1964. "Compatibility problems of canning materials with carbon dioxide at high temperatures; Problemes de comptabilite des materiaux de gainage avec le gaz carbonique aux temperatures elevees." France.
@misc{etde_20668364,
title = {Compatibility problems of canning materials with carbon dioxide at high temperatures; Problemes de comptabilite des materiaux de gainage avec le gaz carbonique aux temperatures elevees}
author = {Darras, R, and Loriers, H}
abstractNote = {The adoption in France of carbon dioxide under pressure as a heat carrying fluid in advanced reactors of the gas-graphite and gas heavy water types has led to the necessity of finding a canning material capable of replacing magnesium alloys. Actually these latter can no longer be used above about 500 C, because of the proximity to their melting points and of their mechanical properties which become under these conditions insufficient, although their oxidation resistance in the presence of carbon dioxide is still acceptable. Beryllium which is particularly attractive because of its low neutron capture cross-section, has a very big disadvantage, amongst others: its use in the presence of carbon dioxide et 600 C is only possible if the gas is perfectly dry, the water-vapour partial pressure being the determining factor calling for a degree of drying which increases with increasing absolute pressure. In the opposite case after a short incubation period, the oxidation accelerates and leads to an intergranular corrosion which is rapidly destructive. Nevertheless, beryllium-calcium or beryllium-magnesium alloys containing 0,5 p 100 of the addition element make it possible to overcome this difficulty; they may be used in the presence of a few hundred vpm of water vapour up to at least 700 C. The metallurgical problems convected with the applicability of beryllium or its alloys have led however to the consideration of possibly using provisionally austenitic stainless steels These materials are intrinsically very resistant to oxidation, but, as only small thicknesses can be used because of their high capture cross-section, it is necessary to choose the grades which are least prone to oxidation. Above 300 C, the niobium stabilised grades, without addition of molybdenum are the most acceptable. Above 700 C, the 20 Cr - 25 Ni + Nb grade appears more suitable than the conventional 18 Cr - 10 Ni + Nb grade, especially as it is less liable to local oxide penetrations. Beryllium and iron-aluminium alloys should increase as a result of the research carried out with a view to improving their technological and mechanical properties. (authors) [French] L'adoption, en France, du gaz carbonique sous pression comme fluide caloporteur dans les reacteurs avances des filieres graphite-gaz et eau lourde-gaz, a impose la recherche de materiaux de gainage susceptibilite prendre la releve des alliages de magnesium. En effet, ces derniers deviennent inutilisables au dessus de 500 C environ, en raison de la proximite de leur point de fusion et de leurs proprietes mecaniques alors defaillantes, quoique leur compatibilite avec le gaz carbonique reste relativement bonne. Le beryllium, particulierement seduisant en raison de sa faible section de capture pour les neutrons thermiques, presente, entre autres, un inconvenient grave: son utilisation dans le gaz carbonique n'est possible, des 600 C, que si ce gaz est rigoureusement desseche, la pression partielle de vapeur d'eau etant le facteur determinant imposant une dessication d'autant plus poussee que la pression nominale est plus elevee. Dans le cas contraire, apres une courte periode d'incubation, l'oxydation s'accelere, conduisant a une corrosion intergranulaire rapidement destructrice. Neanmoins, les alliages beryllium-calcium ou beryllium-magnesium, a 0,5 pour cent environ d'element d'addition, permettent de surmonter cette difficulte; ils restent utilisables en presence de quelques centaines de vpm de vapeur d'eau jusqu'a 700 C au moins. Les problemes metallurgiques lies a la mise en oeuvre du beryllium ou de ses alliages ont cependant conduit a envisager provisoirement l'utilisation d'aciers inoxydables austenitiques. Ces materiaux sont intrinsequement tres resistants a l'oxydation; mais, comme ils ne peuvent etre employes qu'en faible epaisseur, etant donne leur section de capture importante, il y a lieu de choisir les nuances comparativement les moins oxydables. Au dessus de 600 C, les nuances stabilisees au niobium, sans addition de molybdene, s'averent les plus recommandables. A partir de 700 C, la nuance 20 Cr - 25 Ni + Nb semble meme s'imposer par rapport a la nuance classique 18 Cr - 10 Ni + Nb, surtout en raison d'une tendance moins accentuee aux penetrations locales d'oxyde. Par ailleurs, l'alliage fer-aluminium a 25 pour cent d'aluminium en poids, presente une resistance a l'oxydation remarquable, tout en permettant une economie appreciable de neutrons, mais sa mise en oeuvre technologique reste delicate. Enfin, des etudes recentes ont permis d'etablir que certains alliages a base de zirconium, renfermant 1 a 4 pour cent de cuivre en poids, pourraient constituer une solution valable jusqu'a des temperatures de l'ordre de 600 C. Ces alliages s'oxydent en effet beaucoup moins rapidement que le zirconium non allie et d'autres alliages classiques, qui avaient ete elimines precedemment pour cette raison. Finalement, parmi les materiaux capables de supporter les conditions physicochimiques auxquelles seraient soumises les gaines d'elements combustibles dans les reacteurs a moyenne temperature, les plus susceptibles d'application immediate seraient les aciers inoxydables austenitiques et les alliages zirconium-cuivre, dont la metallurgie est relativement bien connue. Dans le futur, l'interet pratique des alliages de beryllium et des alliages fer-aluminium devrait croitre, compte tenu des etudes poursuivies en vue de l'amelioration de leurs proprietes mecaniques et de leur mise en oeuvre. (auteurs)}
place = {France}
year = {1964}
month = {Jul}
}