About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T24: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Advanced Materials for Harsh Environments
|
| Presentation Title |
Stabilization Optimization of High Temperature Irradiation Resistant Thermocouples |
| Author(s) |
Scott Riley, Brandon King, Kyle Holloway, Allyssa Bateman , Richard Skifton, Brian Jaques |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Scott Riley |
| Abstract Scope |
The pursuit of safer, more economic energy production from both existing nuclear reactors and Generation IV reactor designs has pushed the development of in-core instrumentation. The INL has developed high-temperature irradiation-resistant thermocouples (HTIR-TCs) for temperature sensing inside Generation IV nuclear reactors. These thermocouples are composed of phosphorus-doped niobium (Nb-P) and lanthana-doped molybdenum (Mo-LaO) thermoelements, an alumina (Al2O3) insulation, and a niobium sheath. HTIR-TCs require an initial heat treatment exceeding the maximum service temperature to stabilize the generated electromotive force (EMF) signal. Herein, a study was conducted to evaluate multiple stabilizing heat treatments for long term operations: namely, a traditional thermal heat treatment and Joule heating. The traditional method results in a heterogeneous microstructure and takes days to perform, whereas Joule heating can be conducted in less than an hour. The impact of Joule heating on the microstructure, chemical morphology, and electrical properties will be discussed. |