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Thermal Aging of Primary Circuit Piping Materials in PWR Nuclear Power Plant

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Xitao Wang
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of Science and Technology Beijing, State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, Beijing, China
Shilei Li
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of Science and Technology Beijing, State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, Beijing, China
Shuxiao Li
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of Science and Technology Beijing, State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, Beijing, China
Fei Xue
Affiliation:
[email protected], China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group, Shenzhen, China
Guogang Shu
Affiliation:
[email protected], China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group, Shenzhen, China
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Abstract

The reserved cast austenitic stainless steels (CASS) for primary circuit piping in Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant were studied. The changes of microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture behavior were investigated using SEM, EPMA, TEM and nanoindentation after accelerated aging at 400°C for up to 10000 h. Microhardness of ferrite increased rapidly in the early stage and then increased slowly later. The impact energy of materials declined with the aging time and reduced to a very low level after aging for 10000 hours. Fracture morphology displayed a mixture of cleavage in ferrite along with dimple and tearing in austenite. Two kinds of precipitations were observed in ferrite by TEM after long periods of aging. The fine Cr-enriched α′ phases precipitated homogeneously in ferrite, and a few larger G phases were observed as well. The precipitation of α′ phases was considered to be the primary mechanism of thermal aging embrittlement in CASS.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

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