Evaluation of tensile and creep properties on 9Cr-ODS steel claddings

Yano, Yasuhide; Hashidate, Ryuta; Tanno, Takashi; Imagawa, Yuya; Kato, Shoichi; Onizawa, Takashi; Ito, Chikara; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Otsuka, Satoshi; Kaito, Takeji

JAEA-Data/Code 2021-015, 64 Pages, 2022/01

JAEA-Data-Code-2021-015.pdf:2.6MB

From a view point of practical application of fast breeder reactor cycles, which takes advantage of safety and economic efficiency and makes a contribution of volume reduction and mitigation of degree of harmfulness of high-level radioactive waste, it is necessary to develop fuel cladding materials for fast reactors (FRs) in order to achieve high-burnup. Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel have been studied for use as potential fuel cladding materials in FRs owing to their excellent resistance to swelling and their high-temperature strength in Japan Atomic Energy Agency. It is very important to establish the materials strength standard in order to apply ODS steels as a fuel cladding. Therefore, it is necessary to acquire the mechanical properties such as tensile, creep rupture strength tests and so on. In this study, tensile and creep rupture strengths of 9Cr-ODS steel claddings were evaluated using by acquired these data. Because of the phase transformation temperature of 9Cr-ODS steel, temperature range for the evaluation was divided into two ones at AC1 transformation temperature of 850C.

Tensile properties on dissimilar welds between 11Cr-ferritic/martensitic steel and 316 stainless steel after thermal aging

Yano, Yasuhide; Tanno, Takashi; Oka, Hiroshi; Otsuka, Satoshi; Kaito, Takeji

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 555, p.153105_1 - 153105_8, 2021/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153105

The aim of this study was to evaluate the tensile properties and microstructures of dissimilar welds between 11Cr-ferritic/martensitic steel and 316 stainless steel after thermal aging at temperatures between 400 and 600C up to 30,000 h. Characterization of microstructure was carried out by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Microstructural analysis showed that the microstructure in the weld metals consisted of lath martensite containing a small amount of residual austenite. Thermal aging hardening of WMs occurred at 400 and 450C due to the effects of both a-a' phase separation and G-phase precipitation. However, there was no significant change in the total elongation, and fracture surfaces indicated that very fine dimpled rupture was predominant rather than the cleavage rupture. It was suggested that lath martensite phases enhanced the tensile strength due to phase separation, while residual austenite played a role in keeping elongation as a soft phase.

Microstructural stability of ODS steel after very long-term creep test

Oka, Hiroshi; Tanno, Takashi; Yano, Yasuhide; Otsuka, Satoshi; Kaito, Takeji; Tachi, Yoshiaki

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 547, p.152833_1 - 152833_7, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.152833

In order to evaluate the stability of nano-sized oxide particles and matrix structure of ODS cladding tube, which are the determinants of their high temperature strength, the microstructural observation was carried out after internal pressurized creep test at 700C for over 45,000 hours. The specimens were the as-received and crept specimens of 9Cr-ODS steel with tempered martensite and 12Cr-ODS steel with recrystallized ferrite. Small platelet was cut out from the crept pressurized tube, then thinned to foil. Microstructural observation was conducted with TEM JEOL 2010F. As a result of the observation, it was confirmed that the size and number density of the nano-sized particles were almost unchanged even after the creep test. In addition, the tempered martensite structure, which is one of the determinants of the creep strength of 9Cr-ODS steel, was not significantly different between the as-received and crept specimen, indicating the stability of their matrix structure.

Ultra-high temperature creep rupture and transient burst strength of ODS steel claddings

Yano, Yasuhide; Sekio, Yoshihiro; Tanno, Takashi; Kato, Shoichi; Inoue, Toshihiko; Oka, Hiroshi; Otsuka, Satoshi; Furukawa, Tomohiro; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Kaito, Takeji; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 516, p.347 - 353, 2019/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.01.052

9Cr-ODS steel claddings consisting of tempered martensitic matrix, showed prominent creep rupture strength at 1000 C, which surpassed that of heat-resistant austenitic steels although creep rupture strength of tempered martensitic steels is generally lower than that of austenitic steels at high temperatures. The measured creep rupture strength of 9Cr-ODS steel claddings at 1000 C was higher than that from extrapolated creep rupture trend curves formulated using data at temperatures from 650 to 850 C. This superior strength seemed to be owing to transformation of the matrix from the -phase to the -phase. The transient burst strengths for 9Cr-ODS steel were much higher than those for 11Cr-ferritic/martensitic steel (PNC-FMS). Cumulative damage fraction analyses suggested that the life fraction rule can be used for the rupture life prediction of 9Cr-ODS steel and PNC-FMS claddings in the transient and accidental events with a certain accuracy.

Model calculation of Cr dissolution behavior of ODS ferritic steel in high-temperature flowing sodium environment

Otsuka, Satoshi; Tanno, Takashi; Oka, Hiroshi; Yano, Yasuhide; Kato, Shoichi; Furukawa, Tomohiro; Kaito, Takeji

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 505, p.44 - 53, 2018/07

AA2017-0603.pdf:1.7MB

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.03.054

A calculation model was constructed to systematically study the effects of environmental conditions (i.e. Cr concentration in sodium, test temperature, axial temperature gradient of fuel pin, and sodium flow velocity) on Cr dissolution behavior. Chromium dissolution was largely influenced by small changes in Cr concentration (i.e. chemical potential of Cr) in liquid sodium in the model calculation. Chromium concentration in sodium coolant, therefore, should be recognized as a critical parameter for the prediction and management of Cr dissolution behavior in the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) core. Because the fuel column length showed no impact on dissolution behavior in the model calculation, no significant downstream effects possibly take place in the SFR fuel cladding tube due to the much shorter length compared with sodium loops in the SFR plant and the large axial temperature gradient. The calculated profile of Cr concentration along the wall-thickness direction was consistent with that measured in BOR-60 irradiation test where Cr concentration in sodium bulk flow was set at 0.07 wt ppm in the calculation.

Ultra-high temperature tensile properties of ODS steel claddings under severe accident conditions

Yano, Yasuhide; Tanno, Takashi; Oka, Hiroshi; Otsuka, Satoshi; Inoue, Toshihiko; Kato, Shoichi; Furukawa, Tomohiro; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Kaito, Takeji; Ukai, Shigeharu*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 487, p.229 - 237, 2017/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.02.021

Ultra-high temperature ring tensile tests were carried out to investigate the tensile behavior of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel claddings and wrapper materials under severe accident conditions; temperatures ranged from room temperature to 1400C which is near the melting point of core materials. The experimental results showed that tensile strength of 9Cr-ODS steel claddings was highest in the core materials at the ultra-high temperatures between 900 and 1200C, but that there was significant degradation in tensile strength of 9Cr-ODS steel claddings above 1200C. This degradation was attributed to grain boundary sliding deformation with / transformation, which was associated with reduced ductility. On the other hand, tensile strength of recrystallized 12Cr-ODS and FeCrAl-ODS steel claddings retained its high value above 1200 C unlike the other tested materials. Present study includes the result of "R&D of ODS ferritic steel fuel cladding for maintaining fuel integrity at the high temperature accident condition" entrusted to Hokkaido University by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT).

Higher harmonic imaging of small defects in ODS steel cladding tubes and characterization of the defects with SEM

Kawashima, Koichiro*; Yano, Yasuhide; Tanno, Takashi; Kaito, Takeji

Dai-24-Kai Choompa Ni Yoru Hihakai Hyoka Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (USB Flash Drive), p.99 - 104, 2017/01

no abstracts in English

Effect of thermo-mechanical treatments on nano-structure of 9Cr-ODS steel

Oka, Hiroshi; Tanno, Takashi; Otsuka, Satoshi; Yano, Yasuhide; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Kaito, Takeji; Onuma, Masato*

Nuclear Materials and Energy (Internet), 9, p.346 - 352, 2016/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2016.10.007

Strength anisotropy of rolled 11Cr-ODS steel

Tanno, Takashi; Yano, Yasuhide; Oka, Hiroshi; Otsuka, Satoshi; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Kaito, Takeji

Nuclear Materials and Energy (Internet), 9, p.353 - 359, 2016/12

BB2015-1727.pdf:6.74MB

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2016.02.009

Materials for core components of fusion reactors and fast reactors, such as blankets and fuel cladding tubes, must be excellent in high temperature strength and irradiation resistance because they will be exposed to high heat flux and heavy neutron irradiation. Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels have been developing as the candidate material. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) have been developing 9 and 11 Chromium (Cr) ODS steels for advanced fast reactor cladding tubes. The JAEA 11Cr-ODS steels were rolled in order to evaluate their anisotropy. Tensile tests and creep tests of them were carried out at 700 C in longitudinal and transverse orientation. The anisotropy of tensile strength was negligible, though that of creep strength was distinct. The observation results and chemical composition analysis suggested that the cause of the anisotropy in creep strength was prior powder boundary including Ti-rich precipitates.

Effects of manufacturing process on impact properties and microstructures of ODS steels

Tanno, Takashi; Otsuka, Satoshi; Yano, Yasuhide; Kaito, Takeji; Tanaka, Kenya

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 455(1-3), p.480 - 485, 2014/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2014.07.075

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels are noticed as an advanced alloy durable to high-temperature and high-dose neutron irradiation environment. Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 9-12Cr-ODS martensite steels have been developed as the primary candidate material for fast reactor fuel cladding tube. They would be also good candidates for fusion reactor blanket material. In this work, two types of 11Cr-ODS steels were manufactured: pre-mix and full pre-alloy ODS steels. Tensile tests, creep tests, 1/3 sized Charpy impact tests and metallurgical observations were carried out on these steels. The impact properties of full pre-alloy ODS steel was shown to be much superior than that of pre-mix ODS steels. It was demonstrated that the full pre-alloy process noticeably improved the microstructure homogeneity (i.e. reduction of inclusions and pores). The ductility of full pre-alloy ODS steels were better than that of pre-mix ODS steels.