About this Abstract |
Meeting |
2023 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
Symposium
|
Mechanical Behavior of Nuclear Reactor Materials and Components III
|
Presentation Title |
Impact of Electrolytic Hydrogen Charging on Fatigue Crack Propagation in Reactor Steels |
Author(s) |
Melissa Weihrauch, Maulik Patel, Eann Patterson |
On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Melissa Weihrauch |
Abstract Scope |
In pressurised water reactors, coolant pipes are exposed to hydrogen and irradiation, both of which cause embrittlement. Thus, investigations into their synergistic effects are required to support advances in design concepts. 316LN stainless steel samples were electrolytically charged and the release rate of hydrogen from samples was monitored. Subsequently, compact tension specimens, intended for fatigue testing, were hydrogen-charged for 48 hours and neutron damage was emulated via irradiation with 30 MeV Ni ions. Specimens were fatigue tested in either virgin, hydrogen precharged, irradiated and hydrogen precharged + irradiated states. The fatigue crack growth and plastic zone size were monitored using thermoelastic stress analysis (TSA). TSA is a full field measurement technique which can uniquely measure the extent of plasticity and the level of elastic stresses in specimens. A reduction of fatigue life in irradiated specimens was observed. Furthermore, hydrogen precharging prior to irradiation adversely effected fatigue life. |
Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
Keywords |
Iron and Steel, Nuclear Materials, Mechanical Properties |