Erosion damage on solid boundaries in contact with liquid metals by impulsive pressure injection

Futakawa, Masatoshi  ; Kogawa, Hiroyuki  ; Hino, Ryutaro; Date, Hidefumi*; Takeishi, Hiromasa*

JAERI is carrying out research & development to construct the a of spallation neutron source facility, which may bring us innovative science fields. A high power proton beam will be injected into a liquid mercury target to produce neutrons. The mercury vessel will consequently be subjected to the pressure waves generated by rapid thermal expansion. The pressure waves will propagate from the liquid mercury into the vessel solid metal, and back again. The pressure waves may induce erosion at the interface between the solid metal vessel and the liquid mercury under certain loading conditions, e.g. impact. In order to investigate the impact erosion damage due to the pressure wave, we have carried out impact experiments using a modified conventional split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus on mercury filling a small chamber. Surface degradation in the form of many pits was observed and the ranking order of damage was found to be A6061316SS@Inconel600Maraging steel, which is the same as that of hardness.