High-temperature strength of modified type 316 steel for fast reactor fuel before and after neutron irradiation

Miyazawa, Takeshi; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Yano, Yasuhide; Tanno, Takashi; Otsuka, Satoshi; Onizawa, Takashi; Ando, Masanori; Kaito, Takeji

JAEA-Technology 2024-009, 140 Pages, 2024/10

JAEA-Technology-2024-009.pdf:8.03MB

For the purpose of enhancing the reliability of fast reactor fuel designing using modified type 316 steel, the out-of-pile and in-pile mechanical data of modified type 316 steel cladding tubes and wrapper tubes were statistically analyzed with the knowledge on material science and engineering; the high-temperature strength equations of modified type 316 steel, which can be applied to high-dose neutron irradiation environment, were derived. The out-of-pile high-temperature tensile and creep data of modified type 316 steel cladding tubes and wrapper tubes were derived up to 900C, which is higher than the upper limit temperature of anticipated transient event of fast reactor. Using the extended database, the best-fit equation and the lower limit equation were derived for out-of-pile 0.2% proof strength, ultimate tensile strength and creep rupture strength while the best-fit equation and the upper and lower limit equations for creep strain. Furthermore, the degradation factors for tensile and creep strength, which will be produced by in-reactor environment (i.e., neutron irradiation in liquid sodium), were evaluated using the existing neutron irradiation data of modified type 316 steel, which were derived using the experimental fast reactor Joyo, the French proto-type fast reactor Phenix, the American experimental fast reactor FFTF. The derived equations were validated by the comparison with the experimental data.

Chapter 9, Advanced materials; Oxide-dispersion strengthened steels

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

Materials and Processes for Nuclear Energy Today and in the Future, p.279 - 297, 2024/10

https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394325870.ch9

The oxide dispersion strengthening is an effective technique for improving the mechanical strength of the steel. The dispersed oxides prevent the gliding motion of dislocations, thus remarkably enhancing the resistance to high-temperature deformation and rupture of steels. Extensive efforts have been made to develop ODS steels in the fields of nuclear and fusion engineering. Research has been done to improve their performance and meet the requirements such as irradiation resistance, high-temperature strength, and corrosion resistance. Based on recent research, the high-density dispersion of nanosized oxides could improve the irradiation resistance of the steels in addition to high-temperature strength because the interface between oxide and matrix could act as sink sites for point defects. This section overviews the ODS steel development for nuclear application.

Tensile properties of modified 316 stainless steel (PNC316) after neutron irradiation over 100 dpa

Yano, Yasuhide; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Tanno, Takashi; Yoshitake, Tsunemitsu; Otsuka, Satoshi; Kaito, Takeji

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 61(4), p.521 - 529, 2024/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2023.2243943

The effects of fast neutron irradiation on tensile properties of modified 316 stainless steel (PNC316) claddings and wrappers for fast reactors were investigated. PNC316 claddings and wrappers were irradiated in the experimental fast reactor Joyo at irradiation temperatures between 400 and 735 C to fast neutron doses ranging from 21 to 125 dpa. The post-irradiation tensile tests were carried out at room and irradiation temperatures. Elongations of PNC316 measured by the tensile tests were maintained at an engineering level, although the material incurred significant irradiation hardening and softening. The maximum swelling of PNC316 wrappers was about 2.5 vol.% at irradiation temperature between 400 and 500C up to 110 dpa. Japanese 20% cold-worked austenitic steels, PNC316 and 15Cr-20Ni, had sufficient ductility and work-hardenability even after above 10 vol.% swelling, while they had very weak plastic instabilities.

High temperature mechanical properties and microstructure in 9Cr or 12Cr oxide dispersion strengthened steels

Mitsuhara, Masatoshi*; Kurino, Koichi*; Yano, Yasuhide; Otsuka, Satoshi; Toyama, Takeshi*; Onuma, Masato*; Nakashima, Hideharu*

Tetsu To Hagane, 109(3), p.189 - 200, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.2355/tetsutohagane.TETSU-2022-080

Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) ferritic steel, a candidate material for fast reactor fuel cladding, has low thermal expansion, good thermal conductivity, and excellent resistance to irradiation damage and high temperature strength. The origin of the excellent high-temperature strength lies in the dispersion of fine oxides. In this study, creep tests at 700 or 750C, which are close to the operating temperatures of fast reactors, and high-temperature tensile tests at 900 to 1350 C, which simulate accident conditions, were conducted on 9Cr ODS ferritic steels, M11 and MP23, and 12Cr ODS ferritic steel, F14, to confirm the growth behavior of oxides. In the M11 and F14 creep test samples, there was little oxide growth or decrease in number density from the initial state, indicating that dispersion strengthening by oxides was effective during deformation. After creep deformation of F14, the development of dislocation substructures such as dislocation walls and subgrain boundaries was hardly observed, and mobile dislocations were homogeneously distributed in the grains. The dislocation density increased with increasing stress during the creep test. In the high-temperature ring tensile tests of MP23 and F14, the strength of both steels decreased at higher temperatures. In MP23, elongation decreased with increasing test temperature from 900 to 1100 C, but increased at 1200 C, decreased drastically at 1250 C, and increased again at 1300 C. In F14, elongation decreased with increasing temperature. It was inferred that the formation of the -ferrite phase was responsible for this complex change in mechanical properties of MP23 from 1200 to 1300 C.

Development and issues of fast reactor core materials

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

Nuclear Materials Letters (Internet), p.29 - 43, 2022/12

no abstracts in English

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.

Effects of thermal aging on the mechanical properties of FeCrAl-ODS alloy claddings

Yano, Yasuhide; Tanno, Takashi; Otsuka, Satoshi; Kaito, Takeji; Ukai, Shigeharu*

Materials Transactions, 62(8), p.1239 - 1246, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.2320/matertrans.MT-M2021057

The FeCrAl-ODS alloy claddings were manufactured and Vickers hardness, ring tensile tests and TEM observations of these claddings were performed to investigate the effects of thermal aging at 450 C for 5,000 and 15,000 h. The age-hardening of all FeCrAl-ODS alloy cladding was found. In addition, the significant increase in tensile strength was accompanied by much larger loss of ductility. It was suggested that this age-hardening behavior was attributed to the (Ti, Al)-enriched phase (' phase) and the ' phase precipitates (content of Al is 7 wt%). In comparison with FeCrAl-ODS alloys with almost same chemical compositions, there was significant age-hardening in both alloys. However, the extrusion bar with no-recrystallized structures was keeping good ductility. It was suggested that this different behavior of reduction ductility was attributed to the effects of grain boundaries, dislocation densities and specimen preparation direction.

Measurement of niobium reaction rate for material surveillance tests in fast reactors

Ito, Chikara; Maeda, Shigetaka; Inoue, Toshihiko; Tomita, Hideki*; Iguchi, Tetsuo*

Radiation Protection, 40(6), p.491 - 495, 2020/11

A highly accurate and precise technique for measurement of the Nb(n,n')Nb reaction rate was established for the material surveillance tests, etc. in fast reactors. The self-absorption effect on the measurement of the characteristic X-rays emitted by Nb was decreased by the solution and evaporation to dryness of niobium dosimeter. A highly precise count of the number of Nb atoms was obtained by measuring the niobium solution concentration using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. X-rays of Nb were measured accurately by means of comparing the X-ray intensity of irradiated niobium solution with that of the solution in which stable Nb was added. The difference between both intensities indicates the effect of Ta, which is generated from an impurity tantalum, and the intensity of X-rays from Nb was evaluated. Measurement error of the Nb(n,n')Nb reaction rate was reduced to be less than 4%, which was equivalent to the other reaction rate errors of dosimeters used for Joyo dosimetry. In addition, an advanced technique using Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry was proposed for the precise measurement of Nb yield, and Nb will be resonance-ionized selectively by discriminating the hyperfine splitting of the atomic energy levels between Nb and Nb at high resolution.

Concerning aging of nuclear fuel material use facilities Examination of measures to improve safety assessment methods

Sakamoto, Naoki; Fujishima, Tadatsune; Mizukoshi, Yasutaka

Hozengaku, 19(2), p.125 - 126, 2020/07

The five post-irradiation examination facilities in JAEA's Oarai research and development institute have been operated for over 40 years in order to investigate the irradiation performance of fast reactor fuel materials. The equipment associated with these facilities has been managed to maintain secure from the problems occurred in the process of aging. Therefore, we established a safety assessment method for aging facilities in 2002, and we have been conducting maintenance management of facilities since then. In this study, improvement plans of the safety assessment method are considered in order to solve the issues detected as a result of analysis of past maintenance information.

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.