The degree of hydride-induced embrittlement depends on the hydride network. Although this problem has been studied for many years, its relation to microstructure remains unclear. Hydride-induced ductile-to-brittle transition is an important feature for the failure of hydride-forming materials. Within this range, the distance was influenced by the oxidation temperature and steam flow rate. Peaks were found in the distribution of hydrogen absorbed on the inner surface, at a distance of 15~45 mm upward and downward of the rupture opening. Hydrogen absorbed by the Zircaloy precipitated in the form of fine hydride crystals formed along previous β-phase grain boundaries. In the range of oxidation temperature 932 to 972☌, brittleness did not appear below 500-750 wt.ppm absorbed hydrogen. Ring compression tests conducted at 100☌ on test pieces constituted of sliced sections of oxidized specimen showed that Zircaloy containing more than 200~300 wt.ppm of absorbed hydrogen became brittle when oxidized at temperatures above 1,000☌. The embrittlement of the specimen due to inner surface oxidation is influenced primarily by the amount of hydrogen absorbed by the Zircaloy-4. This exposed the inner surface of the cladding to the environmental atmosphere, provided by steam flowing at a constant rate in the range of 0.13~1.6 g/cm².min. This simulated fuel rod was heated from outside until the isothermal oxidation temperature between 880 and 1,167☌ was obtained after the cladding burst. This series of experimental tests was performed at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in the framework of the new QUENCH-LOCA program.Įmbrittlement of Zircaloy-4 cladding by oxidation of the inner surface occurring in an LWR loss-of-coolant accident was studied using simulated fuel containing of A1203 pellets sheathed in Zircaloy-4 specimen cladding, filled with Ar gas, and sealed. Change in lattice parameters " a " and " c " of hexagonal close-packed α zirconium lattice and the presence of δ-and γ-hydrides were measured after each hydrogenation test by means of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The Scanning Electron Microscopy of the ruptured surface was performed to observe the fracture behaviour with respect to hydrogen content. These questions affect: hydride origination and development evolution of microstructure and microtexture material properties degradation the application of already known hydrogen embrittlement mechanisms (due to hydride formation, hydrogen-enhanced decohesion, hydrogen-enhanced localised plasticity) a hydrogen-induced crack initiation and propagation phenomena detected inside the furnace at constant temperature of 10 K. Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternalīased on the results of electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) analysis of samples hydrogenated at temperatures from 900 to 1200 K (which is a typical temperature range for loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA)) some questions related to hydrogen embrittlement of zirconium and Zircaloy-4 are being discussed in the present work. Seven variants of δ-hydride accommodation in the zirconium matrix were summarised in the table of possible orientation relationships.Ĭopyright © 2016 by ASME Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature It was found that almost all authors, who criticised each other for years, have established the correct relationships. On the basis of the grain boundary spectra and the analysis of microtexture, the orientation relationships between δ-hydrides and the α-Zr matrix were refined. Formation of zirconium δ-hydrides and their bulk distribution in zirconium and Zircaloy-4 were investigated. For the studies, electron back scattered diffraction analysis (EBSD) was used. The fundamental investigation reported here was motivated by the controversial and incomplete data for zirconium δ-hydride orientation relationships.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |