NSUF BOILER Pre-Irradiation Characterization and High Flux Isotope Reactor Experiment Design

Nick Russell, Yukinori Yamamoto, Zain Karriem, Jose Salcedo Perez, Kory Linton, Tim Graening Seibert, Tim Lach, Bruce Pint, Janelle P. Wharry

Research output: Book/ReportCommissioned report

Abstract

Alumina-forming austenitic (AFA) stainless steels have emerged as a candidate alloy because of their high-temperature strength, formability, cost, and compatibility with primary coolants for lead-cooled fast reactors (LFRs). This class of steels has exceptional high-temperature oxidation performance; however, a high concentration of Ni is required to stabilize the austenite phase and to provide sufficient creep strength. AFA stainless steels are also susceptible to liquid metal embrittlement (LME). Additionally, under neutron irradiation, Ni will enrich at grain boundaries due to radiation-induced segregation (RIS). Nickel RIS can increase the LME under these coupled effects. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the NSUF program have leveraged its High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) and experience with complex irradiation experiments to design experiment capsules that test the aforementioned coupled effects. These capsules are designed for insertion in the central flux trap, the highest flux region, of HFIR. The experiment capsules will be filled with Pb, designed to passively melt from the gamma heating in HFIR. The specimens were fabricated into miniature tensile specimens from two different alloys, GA05-25Ni and GA05-20Ni, varying Ni concentrations. The experiment capsules are designed to achieve target temperatures of 400 °C and 650 °C with accumulated dosage of 3 dpa. This report documents the specimen alloy characterization, experimental design, and expected performance of the capsules.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationUnited States
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2024

Keywords

  • 21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
  • 42 ENGINEERING

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