• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2019

A high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) is recognized as the best candidate reactor for next generation nuclear reactors. Helium is used to be the coolant in the core of the HTGR with temperature expected to exceed $900^{\circ}C$ at the core outlet. Several iron- and nickel-based superalloys, including Alloy 800H, Hastelloy X, and Alloy 617, are potential structural materials for intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) in an HTGR. Oxidation behaviors of three selected alloys (Hastelloy X, Alloy 800H, and Alloy 617) were investigated at four different temperatures from $650^{\circ}C$ to $950^{\circ}C$ under helium environments with various concentrations of $O_2$ and $H_2O$. Preliminary results showed that chromium oxide as the primary protective layer was observed on surfaces of the three tested alloys. Based on results of mass gain and SEM analyses, Hastelloy X alloy exhibited the best corrosion resistance in all corrosion tests. Further details on the oxidation mechanism of these alloys are presented in this study.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.10
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• pp.613-620
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• 2009

The Kachanov-Rabotnov (K-R) creep model was proposed to accurately model the long-term creep curves above $10^5$ hours of Alloy 617. To this end, a series of creep data was obtained from creep tests conducted under different stress levels at $950^{\circ}C$. Using these data, the creep constants used in the K-R model and the modified K-R model were determined by a nonlinear least square fitting (NLSF) method, respectively. The K-R model yielded poor correspondence with the experimental curves, but the modified K-R model provided good agreement with the curves. Log-log plots of ${\varepsilon}^{\ast}$-stress and ${\varepsilon}^{\ast}$-time to rupture showed good linear relationships. Constants in the modified K-R model were obtained as ${\lambda}$=2.78, and $k=1.24$, and they showed behavior close to stress independency. Using these constants, long-term creep curves above $10^5$ hours obtained from short-term creep data can be modeled by implementing the modified K-R model.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2024

In this study, the influence of thermal aging on structural integrity is investigated for Gr. 91 steel. A commercial grade Gr. 91 steel is used for the virgin material, and service-exposed Gr. 91 steel is sampled from a steam pipe of a super critical plant. Time versus creep strain curves are obtained through creep tests with various stress levels at 600 ℃ for the virgin and service-exposed Gr. 91 steels, respectively. Based on the creep test results, the improved Omega model is characterized for describing the total creep strain curve for both Gr. 91 steels. The proposed parameters for creep deformation model are used for predicting the steady-state creep strain rate, creep rupture curve, and stress relaxation. Creep-fatigue damage is evaluated for the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) in a large-scale sodium test facility of STELLA-2 by using creep deformation model with proposed creep parameters and creep rupture curve for both Gr. 91 steels. Based on the comparison results of creep fatigue damage for the virgin and service-exposed Gr. 91 steels, the thermal aging effect has been shown to be significant.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.102-112
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• 2013

A very high-temperature gas reactor (VHTR) is one of the next generation nuclear reactors owing to its safety, high energy efficiency, and proliferation-resistance. Heat is transferred from the primary helium loop to the secondary helium loop through an intermediate heat exchanger (IHX). Under VHTR environment Alloy 617 is being considered a candidate Ni-based superalloy for the IHX of a VHTR, owing to its good creep resistance, phase stability and corrosion resistance at high temperature. In this study, high-temperature corrosion tests were carried out at 850 - $950^{\circ}C$ in air and impure helium environments. Alloy 617 specimens showed a parabolic oxidation behavior for all temperatures and environments. The activation energy for oxidation was 154 kJ/mol in helium environment, and 261 kJ/mol in an air environment. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) results revealed that there were a Cr-rich surface oxide layer, Al-rich internal oxides and depletion of grain boundary carbide after corrosion test. The thickness and depths of degraded layers also showed a parabolic relationship with the time. A corrosion rate of $950^{\circ}C$ in impure helium was higher than that in an air environment, caused by difference in the outer oxide morphology.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.178-185
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• 2014

Alloy 617 is considered as a candidate Ni-based superalloy for the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) of a very high-temperature gas reactor (VHTR) because of its good creep strength and corrosion resistance at high temperatures. Helium is used as a coolant in a VHTR owing to its high thermal conductivity, inertness, and low neutron absorption. However, helium inevitably includes impurities that create an imbalance in the surface reactivity at the interface of the coolant and the exposed materials. As the Alloy 617 has been exposed to high temperatures at $950^{\circ}C$ in the impure helium environment of a VHTR, the degradation of material is accelerated and mechanical properties decreased. The high-temperature strength, creep, and corrosion properties of the structural material for an IHX are highly important to maintain the integrity in a harsh environment for a 60 year period. Therefore, an alloy superior to alloy 617 should be developed. In this study, the mechanical and high-temperature corrosion properties for Ni-Cr alloys fabricated in the laboratory were evaluated as a function of the grain boundary strengthening and alloying elements. The ductility increased and decreased by increasing the amount of Mo and Cr, respectively. Surface oxide was detached during the corrosion test, when Al was not added to alloy. However the alloy with Al showed improved oxide adhesive property without significant degradation and mechanical property. Aluminum seems to act as an anti-corrosive role in the Ni-based alloy.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.122-128
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• 2014

Generally, the mechanical components and structures are joined by many welding techniques, and therefore the welded joints are inevitable in the construction of structures. The Alloy 617 was initially developed for high temperature applications above $800^{\circ}C$. It is often considered for use in aircraft and gas turbines, chemical manufacturing components, and power generation structures. Especially, the Alloy 617 is the primary candidate for construction of intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) on a very high temperature reactor (VHTR) system. In the present paper, the low cycle fatigue (LCF) life of Alloy 617 base metal (BM) and the gas tungsten arc welded (GTAWed) weld joints (WJ) are evaluated by using the previous experimental results under strain controlled LCF tests. The LCF tests have been performed at room temperature with total strain ranges of 0.6, 0.9, 1.2 and 1.5%. The LCF lives for the BM and WJ have been evaluated from the Coffin-Manson and strain energy based life methods. For both the BM and WJ, the LCF lives predicted by both Coffin-Manson and strain energy based life methods was found to well coincide with the experimental data.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.193-198
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• 2017

Alloy 617 is one of the primary candidate materials to be used in a very high temperature reactor (VHTR) system as an intermediate heat exchanger (IHX). To investigate the low cycle fatigue behavior of Alloy 617 weldments at a high temperature of $850^{\circ}C$, fully reversed strain-controlled fatigue tests were conducted with the total strain values ranging from 0.6~1.5％. The weldment specimens were machined using the weld pads fabricated with a single V-grove configuration by gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process. The fatigue life is reduced as the total strain range increases. For all testing conditions, the cyclic stress response behavior of the Alloy 617 weldments exhibited the initial cyclic strain hardening phenomenon during the initial small number of cycles. Furthermore, the overall fatigue cracking and the propagation or cracks showed a transgranular failure mode.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2012.11a
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• pp.35-50
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• 2012

$900^{\circ}C$이상 초고온 He-gas 분위기 또는 용융불화염 (molten salts, FLINAK) 환경에서 사용될 VHTR(Very High Temperature Reactor)의 IHX(Intermediate heat exchanger)용 열수송 구조재료로 가장 가능성이 높은 합금인 Inconel 617 및 Hastelloy X 상에 습식화학적, 물리적기상합성법(Vacuum arc-plasma과 RF magnetron sputtering) 및 pack cementation에 의한 표면개질 및 마이크로 초내열(refractory ceramics) 코팅층(TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, $Al_2O_3$, $TiO_2$)을 형성시켰다. 고온 장기사용 시 문제가 될 수 있는 고온에서의 조직변화, 미세구조와 상(phase)형성, 고온 부식 및 그에 따른 마모(wear resistance) 손상 등 이들 소재의 내열, 내식 및 내마모 물성을 개선하는 연구를 수행하였다. TiAlN 박막의 경우 공기분위기에서 N이 분해되나 치밀한 산화물($TiO_2/Al_2O_3$ layer)을 형성하여 내식성 있는 보호피막을 형성함으로 기판과의 열팽창 계수로 인한 박리가 발생하지 않아 보호피막으로 적합하였다. Pack cementation법에 의한 aluminiding(Al-Ni합금)도 He 및 공기분위기에서 고온물성의 저하를 가져오는 $Cr_2O_3$의 생성을 충분히 억제하고 있었으며 He 및 air 분위기에서 사용이 가능한 박막으로 여겨진다. 내열 및 내식성에 대한 실험을 종합한 결과, 공기분위기에서 사용할 수 없는 박막은 He-gas 및 FLINAK(LiF-NaF-KF) 용융염 분위기에서도 사용할 수 없었으며, He-gas, FLINAK 및 air 분위기에서 모두 사용이 가능한 박막으로는 Inconel 617에서는 $(TiO_2-)Al_2O_3$, TiAlN 및 Al-Ni이었고 Hastelloy에서는 Al-Ni 및 $Al_2O_3$가 가장 적당하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.831-840
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• 2009

In order to evaluate the start-up behavior and to identify, through abnormal operation occurrences, the transient behaviors of the Sulfur Iodine(SI) process, which is a nuclear hydrogen process that is coupled to a Very High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (VHTR) through an Intermediate Heat Exchanger (IHX), a dynamic simulation of the process is necessary. Perturbation of the flow rate or temperature in the inlet streams may result in various transient states. An understanding of the dynamic behavior due to these factors is able to support the conceptual design of the secondary helium loop system associated with a hydrogen production plant. Based on the mass and energy balance sheets of an electrodialysis-embedded SI process equivalent to a 200 $MW_{th}$ VHTR and a considerable thermal pathway between the SI process and the VHTR system, a dynamic simulation of the SI process was carried out for a sulfuric acid decomposition process (Second Section) that is composed of a sulfuric acid vaporizer, a sulfuric acid decomposer, and a sulfur trioxide decomposer. The dynamic behaviors of these integrated reactors according to several anticipated scenarios are evaluated and the dominant and mild factors are observed. As for the results of the simulation, all the reactors in the sulfuric acid decomposition process approach a steady state at the same time. Temperature control of the inlet helium is strictly required rather than the flow rate control of the inlet helium to keep the steady state condition in the Second Section. On the other hand, it was revealed that the changes of the inlet helium operation conditions make a great impact on the performances of $SO_3$ and $H_2SO_4$ decomposers, but no effect on the performance of the $H_2SO_4$ vaporizer.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.9
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• pp.659-667
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• 2012

Alloy 617 is a Ni-base superalloy and a candidate material for the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX) of a very high temperature gas reactor (VHTR) which is one of the next generation nuclear reactors under development. The high operating temperature of VHTR enables various applications such as mass production of hydrogen with high energy efficiency. Alloy 617 has good creep resistance and phase stability at high temperatures in an air environment. However, it was reported that the mechanical properties decreased at a high temperature in an impure helium environment. In this study, high-temperature corrosion tests were carried out at $850^{\circ}C-950^{\circ}C$ in a helium environment containing the impurity gases $H_2$, CO, and $CH_4$, in order to examine the corrosion behavior of Alloy 617. Until 250 h, Alloy 617 specimens showed a parabolic oxidation behavior at all temperatures. The activation energy for oxidation in helium environment was 154 kJ/mol. The SEM and EDS results elucidated a Cr-rich surface oxide layer, Al-rich internal oxides and depletion of grain boundary carbides. The thickness and depths of degraded layers also showed a parabolic relationship with time. A normal grain growth was observed in the Cr-rich surface oxide layer. When corrosion tests were conducted in a pure helium environment, the oxidation was suppressed drastically. It was elucidated that minor impurity gases in the helium would have detrimental effects on the high-temperature corrosion behavior of Alloy 617 for the VHTR application.