Materials Assessment for the Canadian SCWR Core Concept

As part of the development effort of the Generation IV Forum, Canada has undertaken research to support the conceptual design of a pressure-tube-based supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR). With an outlet temperature of 625°C and a coolant pressure of 25 MPa, this concept requires fuel-cladding materials that can sustain very harsh in-core conditions. After reviewing the worldwide efforts in SCWR materials since the 1950s, a materials program was created to identify and assess candidate alloys that have potential to operate for 3.5 years as a fuel cladding. An overview of the key aspects and the overall results of this program are presented in this paper, while detailed discussions of individual projects in this program are provided in the accompanying papers of this issue. Further materials R&D work should focus on improving the resistance to stress corrosion cracking, high-temperature strength and ductility as well as microstructural stability.

[1]  L. Walters,et al.  Development of High-Performance Pressure Tube Material for the Canadian SCWR Concept , 2016 .

[2]  K. Sridharan,et al.  Material Performance in Supercritical Water , 2012 .

[3]  G. M. Brown,et al.  CHLORIDE DEPOSITION FROM STEAM ONTO SUPERHEATER FUEL CLAD MATERIALS , 1963 .

[4]  D. Guzonas,et al.  Cycle chemistry and its effect on materials in a supercritical water-cooled reactor: A synthesis of current understanding , 2012 .

[5]  Z. Jiao,et al.  Irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking of austenitic alloys in supercritical water , 2009 .

[6]  F. Garner.  Recent insights on the swelling and creep of irradiated austenitic alloys , 1984 .

[7]  G. Was.  Irradiation Creep and Growth , 2017 .

[8]  C. N. Spalaris,et al.  Comparison of Radiation Damage Studies and Fuel Cladding Performance for lncoloy-800 , 1969 .

[9]  W. G. Johnston,et al.  An experimental survey of swelling in commercial Fe-Cr-Ni alloys bombarded with 5 MeV Ni Ions , 1974 .

[10]  L. Tribouilloy,et al.  Stress corrosion cracking on cold-worked austenic stainless steels in PWR environment , 2007 .

[11]  G. Smith,et al.  Multi-scale characterization of stress corrosion cracking of cold-worked stainless steels and the influence of Cr content , 2009 .

[12]  J. Santucci,et al.  Evaluation of stainless steel cladding for use in current design LWRs. Final report , 1982 .

[13]  E. Han,et al.  Effects of cold working degrees on grain boundary characters and strain concentration at grain boundaries in Alloy 600 , 2011 .

[14]  I. Emel'yanov,et al.  Strength of construction elements in the fuel channels of the Beloyarsk power station reactors , 1972 .

[15]  W. G. Wolfer,et al.  Vacancy cluster evolution and swelling in irradiated 316 stainless steel , 2004 .

[16]  Jean-Paul Jay-Gerin,et al.  Water Chemistry in a Supercritical Water-Cooled Pressure Tube Reactor , 2012 .

[17]  K. Ehrlich,et al.  An assessment of tensile, irradiation creep, creep rupture, and fatigue behavior in austenitic stainless steels with emphasis on spectral effects , 1990 .

[18]  R. K. Hart,et al.  Corrosion Behavior of Steels and Nickel Alloys in Superheated Steam , 1966 .

[19]  Z. Jiao,et al.  Impact of localized deformation on IASCC in austenitic stainless steels , 2011 .

[20]  F. Garner,et al.  4.02 – Radiation Damage in Austenitic Steels , 2012 .

[21]  Yinan Jiao,et al.  Microstructure Instability of Candidate Fuel Cladding Alloys: Corrosion and Stress Corrosion Cracking Implications , 2016 .

[22]  A. S. Kumar,et al.  Radiation-induced changes in microstructure: ASTM 13th international symposium (Part I) , 1987 .

[23]  A. Hojná.  Irradiation-Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking and Impact on Life Extension , 2013 .

[24]  Z. Jiao,et al.  Irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking of austenitic alloys in supercritical water , 2006 .

[25]  B. S. Amirkhiz,et al.  Mechanical Properties of Fuel Cladding Candidate Alloys for Canadian SCWR Concept , 2016 .

[26]  Gaurav Gupta,et al.  Corrosion and stress corrosion cracking in supercritical water , 2007 .