Measurement of irradiation effects in precipitate hardened aluminum using nonlinear ultrasonic principles (in-situ)

Journal Article · Thu May 17 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4716411· OSTI ID:22004028

Reinhardt, B T; Parks, D A; Tittmann, B R ^[1]

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1. Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16804 (United States)

Currently nuclear power plants are reaching the end of their initial design life. Yet, in order to meet the energy demands, twenty year extensions have been granted to many nuclear reactor facilities. These extensions will be ending by the year 2035, leaving a large gap in the available energy supply. In order to extend the life of these facilities it will imperative to develop techniques capable detecting damage in the aging nuclear facilities. However, the high temperature and high neutron flux environment limits the materials available for use in the nuclear reactor. Because of this limitation little NDE based inspection has been implemented in high radiation environments. Yet recent developments in the understanding of Aluminum Nitride (AlN) piezoelectric sensors high temperature and radiation dependent behavior have opened the door for in-situ experimentation. An experiment was designed to monitor the propagation of an ultrasonic wave in a precipitate hardened aluminum specimen while being subjected to radiation at the Pennsylvania State Universities Breazeale Reactor. Measurements of harmonic generation were made up to 1.85x10{sup 18} fluence with significant spectral difference between the pre-irradiated state and the post irradiated state. The connection between micro-structural material changes and harmonic measurements are addressed.

• OSTI ID: 22004028
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1430, Issue 1; Conference: 38. annual review of progress in quantitative nondestructive evaluation, Burlington, VT (United States), 17-22 Jul 2011; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
ALUMINIUM
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM NITRIDES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
HARMONIC GENERATION
INSPECTION
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS TESTING
MICROSTRUCTURE
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PIEZOELECTRICITY
PRECIPITATION HARDENING
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
SENSORS
ULTRASONIC WAVES