Abstract
Incidences of stress corrosion cracking of a wide variety of structural materials used in light water reactors have caused significant forced outages, with associated high costs to utilities and ratepayers for replacement power. This paper focuses on stress corrosion cracking problems in fuel rods and other small core components, piping, steam generator tubes, and turbine discs. These problems have motivated intense research efforts to seek solutions and the resulting material remedies, involving either or both microstructure and alloy chemistry modification, are described.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
J. T. A. Roberts: “Structural Materials in Nuclear Power Systems,” Plenum Publishing Corp., New York, NY, June 1981.
J. T. A. Roberts and B. Syrett: “Corrosion,”EPRI Journal, September 1981.
J. T. A. Roberts and F. E. Gelhaus: “Zircaloy Performance in Light Water Reactors,” inProceedings of the 4th International Conference on Zirconium in the Nuclear Industry, T. Papazoglou, ed., Am. Soc. Test Mater. Spec-Tech., Publ. 681, 1979, pp. 19–39.
F. Garzarolli, P. Suchy, and P. G. Smerd: “Observations and Analyses of the Corrosion Behavior of PWR Fuel,”Proceedings Amer. Nucl. Soc. Topical Meeting on LWR Extended Burnup Fuel Performance and Utilization, April 1982, Williamsburg, VA, pp. 4–71 to 4–87.
D. G. Franklin: “Economic Impact of Nuclear Core Materials Limitations,”Nuclear Technology, December 1981, vol. 55, pp. 607–16.
J. T. A. Roberts, R. L. Jones, E. Smith, D. Cubicciotti, A. K. Miller, H. F. Wachob, and F. L. Yaggee: “An SCC Model for Pellet-Cladding Interaction Failures in LWR Fuel Rods,” inProceedings of the 4th International Conference on Zirconium in the Nuclear Industry, T. Papazoglou, ed., Am. Soc. Test Mater. Spec.-Tech. Publ. 681, 1979, pp. 285–305.
J. H. Davies, H. S. Rosenbaum, J. S. Armijo, E. Rosicky, E. L. Esch, and S. B. Wisner: “Irradiation Tests of Barrier Fuel in Support of a Large-Scale Demonstration,” inProceedings American Nuclear Society Topical Meeting on LWR Extended Burnup Fuel Performance and Utilization, April 1982, Williamsburg, VA, pp. 5–51 to 5–68.
A. McIlree: EPRI private communication on Ni-Cr-Fe, X-750 Alloy, March 1982.
G. Boisde, H. Coriou, L. Geall, and R. Mahut: “Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking on Inconel X750 in Pressurized Water at 300 °C and 350 °C,”Proceedings of the International Conference on Corrosion presented by the British Nuclear Energy Society, July 1–2, 1971, Institute of Civil Engineers, London, 1971, pp. 111–18.
H. Coriou and L. Grall: “Problèmes Posés par la Corrosion sous Contrainte des Aciers et Alliages Austenitiques dans les Circuits d’Eau pour la Production e’ Energie,” Chimie de l’eau et corrosion aqueuse dans les generateurs de vapeur, Conference-Ermenoville, March 13–17, 1972.
J. Blanchet, H. Coriou, L. Grall, C. Mahieu, C. Otter, and G. Turluer: “Influence de Divers Parametres sur la Fissuration Intergranulaire des Alliages Inconel 600 et X750 dans l’Eau pure à Haute Temperature,” Stress Corrosion Cracking and Hydrogen Embrittlement of Iron Base Alloys, Conference at Unieux-Firminy, France, June 12–16, 1973. Preprint No. G-13; published in conference proceedings as “Historical Review of the Principal Research Concerning the Phenomena of Cracking of Nickel Base Austenitic Alloys,”International Corrosion Conference Series, National Association of Corrosion Engineers, Houston, TX, 1977, vol. NACE-5, pp. 1149–60.
J. Blanchet,et al: “The Influence of Stress, Heat Treatment, and Coupling on Intergranular (sic) Stress Corrosion Cracking of Inconel 600 and X750,” ORNL-tr-4381, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (updated); translation from 17th Colloquium of Metallurgy, Saclay, 1974, pp. 519–57, CEN Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France, 1975.
J. Blanchet, H. Coriou, L. Grall, C. Mahieu, C. Otter, and G. Turluer: “Influence of Various Parameters on the Intergranular Cracking of Inconel 600 and X750 Alloys in High Temperature Pure Water,” 1974 Educational Seminar, Colloquium on Steam Generator Tubing Failures.
J. Blanchet,et al: “Influence de la Contrainte, des Traitements Thermiques et des Couplages sur la Fissuration Intergranulaire des Alliages Inconel 600 et X750,”J. Nucl. Mat., 1975, vol. 55, pp. 187–206.
T. R. Mager and R.G. Aspden: “Effects of Thermal History and Microstructure on the Stress Corrosion Cracking Behavior of Inconel X750 in Aqueous Systems at 650° to 680 °F (343° to 360 °C),” unpublished paper presented to EPRI Materials and Corrosion Committee, Charlotte, NC, June 1981.
S. Floreen: “Improving the Stress Corrosion Cracking Resistance of Inconel Alloy X-750,” paper presented to EPRI Materials and Corrosion Committee, Charlotte, NC, June 1981, to be published.
H. R. Copson and W. E. Berry; “Corrosion of Inconel for Nuclear Power Plant Applications,”Corrosion, 1960, vol. 16, p. 79t.
H.R. Copson and W. E. Berry: “Corrosion of Inconel Nickel-Chromium Alloy in Primary Coolants of Pressurized Water Reactors,”Corrosion, 1962, vol. 18, p. 21t.
S. J. Green and J. P. N. Paine: “Materials Performance in Nuclear Pressurized Water Reactor Steam Generators,”Nuclear Technology, October 1981, vol. 55, pp. 10–29.
J. P. N. Paine: “Operating Experience and Intergranular Corrosion of Inconel Alloy 600 Steam Generator Tubing,” paper No. 204,Corrosion 82, NACE, Houston, TX, March 1982.
E. Serra: “Stress Corrosion Cracking of Alloy 600,” EPRI NP-2114-SR, Special Report, November 1981.
G. P. Airey: “Optimization of Metallurgical Variables to Improve the Stress Corrosion Resistance of Inconel 600,” EPRI NP-1354 Project 621-1, Final Report, March 1980.
G. P. Airey and A. R. Vaia: “A Caustic SCC Evaluation of Thermally Treated Inconel Alloy 600 Steam Generator Tubing.” Paper presented at MICON 82 Conference, Houston, TX, January 18–19, 1982.
A. J. Giannuzzi: EPRI private communication, March 2, 1982.
J. M. Hodge and I. L. Mogford: “UK Experience of Stress-Corrosion Cracking in Steam Turbine Discs,”Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng., 1979, vol. 193, pp. 93–109.
F.F. Lyle, Jr.: “Stress Corrosion Characterization of Turbine Rotor Materials Phase 1,” EPRI NP-2237 Project 1929–5 Interim Report, February 1982.
R. S. Shalvoy: “The Effect of Potential and Caustic Concentration on the Stress Corrosion Cracking of Ni Cr MoV Steel,” Paper No. 219,Corrosion 82, NACE, Houston, TX, March 1982.
B.W. Roberts and P. Greenfield: “Stress Corrosion of Steam Turbine Disk and Rotor Steels,”Corrosion NACE, 1979, pp. 402–09.
K. Yoshino and C. J. McMahon, Jr.: “The Cooperative Relation between Temper Embrittlement and Hydrogen Embrittlement in a High Strength Steel,”Metall. Trans., 1974, vol. 5, pp. 363–70.
K. L. Moloznik, C. L. Briant, and C. J. McMahon, Jr.: “The Effect of Grain Boundary Impurities on the Stress Corrosion Cracking of a Low Alloy Steel,”Corrosion NACE, 1979, pp. 331–32.
RP1343-1, “Advanced Melting Technology for High Temperature Cr-Mo-V Steam Turbine Rotors.” R. Jaffee, EPRI Project Manager.
C. J. McMahon, Jr.,et al: “Elimination of Impurity-Induced Embrittlement in Steel, Part 1: Impurity Segregation and Temper Embrittlement.” EPRI NP-1501 Part 1, Project 559, Interim Report September 1980.
B. Viswanathan and R.I. Jaffee: “Toughness of Cr-Mo-V Steels for Steam Turbine Rotors,” EPRI RD-2357-SR, Special Report, April 1982.
N. P. McLeod and J. Nutting: “The Influence of Manganese upon the Susceptibility of Low Alloy Steel to Overheating,” paper submitted to Metals Society, UK, 1982.
H. H. Klepfer,et al: “Investigations of Cause of Cracking in Austenitic Stainless Steel Piping,” General Electric Company Report, NEDO-21000, July 1975.
J. C. Danko, K. E. Stahlkopf, and A. D. Rossin: “An Overview of the Boiling Water Reactor Pipe Cracking,” paper presented at IAEA International Working Group on Reliability of Reactor Pressure Components Specialists Meeting on “Environmental Factors Causing Pipe Cracks and Degradation in Primary Systems Components,” Vienna, Austria, October 20–22, 1980.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Staff: “Technical Report, Investigation and Evaluation of Cracking in Austenitic Stainless Steel Piping of Boiling Water Reactor Plants,” US Nuclear Regulatory Report, NUREG-75/067, October 1975.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Staff: “Investigation and Evaluation of Stress Corrosion Cracking in Piping of Light Water Reactor Plants,” NUREG-0531, February 1979.
M. Fox: “An Overview of Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking in BWRs,” paper presented at Seminar on Countermeasures for BWR Pipe Cracking, Palo Alto, CA, January 22–24, 1980.
R. E. Hanneman and R. L. Cowan II: “Mitigation of Stress Corrosion Cracking in Boiling Water Reactors,” General Electric Corp. Res. and Devel., Report No. 80CRD123, June 1980.
J. Danko: “Alternative Alloys for BWR Piping,”EPRI Journal, July/August 1980.
Papers in Session 6, Alternate Materials, Seminar on Countermeasures for BWR Pipe Cracking, EPRI, January 22–24, 1980.
J. Danko: private communication, EPRI, March 1982.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roberts, J.T.A. Metallurgical improvements for enhanced stress corrosion performance of light water reactor structural materials. JMES 4, 142–153 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02833406
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02833406