Changes in the mechanical properties of Hastelloy X when exposed to a typical gas-cooled reactor environment

Conference · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6079296

McCoy, Jr, H E

The helium used in a gas-cooled reactor will contain small amounts of H/sub 2/, CO, CH/sub 4/, H/sub 2/O, and N/sub 2/ which can lead to oxidation and carburization/decarburization of structural materials. Long-term creep tests were run on Hastelloy X to 30,000 h at 649 to 871/sup 0/C. It was found that extensive carburization occurred, the minimum creep rate and time to rupture were equal in air and impure helium environments, and the fracture strain was less in helium than in air. Thermal exposure in the temperature range of 538 to 871/sup 0/C resulted in the reduction of ductility in impact and tensile tests at ambient temperature, and this reduction was greater when the exposure was in impure helium rather than in air. A modified alloy with lower chromium and 2% titanium resisted carburization.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6079296
• Report Number(s): CONF-810913-8; ON: DE81030918; TRN: 82-000379
• Resource Relation: Conference: International conference on environmental degradation of engineering materials, Blacksburg, VA, USA, 21 Sep 1981; Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
HASTELLOY X
CORROSION
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
HELIUM COOLED REACTORS
MATERIALS TESTING
CARBURIZATION
CREEP
DUCTILITY
FRACTURES
HELIUM
IMPURITIES
RUPTURES
ALLOYS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
COBALT ALLOYS
ELEMENTS
FAILURES
FLUIDS
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GASES
HARDENING
HASTELLOYS
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
IRON ALLOYS
MATERIALS
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NONMETALS
RARE GASES
REACTORS
SURFACE HARDENING
SURFACE TREATMENTS
TENSILE PROPERTIES
TESTING
TUNGSTEN ALLOYS
210300* - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Graphite Moderated
360106 - Metals & Alloys- Radiation Effects