• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2000

Safety and integrity are required for reactor pressure vessels because they are operated in high temperature. There are single specimen method multiple specimen method and load ratio analysis method which used as evaluation of safety and integrity for reactor pressure vessels. In this study the fracture resistance curve(J-R curve) elastic-plastic fracture toughness($J_{IC}$) and material tearing modulus ($T_{mat}$) of SA 508 class 3 alloy steel used as reactor pressure vessel steel are measured and evaluated at room temperature 20$0^{\circ}C$ and 30$0^{\circ}C$ according to unloading compliance method and load ration analysis method. And then the comparison with experimental $J_{IC}$ and theoretical$J_{IC}$ by local fracture strain is managed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 1999

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the fracture resistance characteristics of SA508 CL.1a carbon steel, TP347 stainless steel and their associated welds manufactured for primary coolant system of Ulchin 3,4 nuclear power plants. The effect of various parameters such as pipe size, welding method, chemical composition, crack plane orientation, metallography and fractography on the material properties were discussed. Test results showed that the effect of pipe size on fracture toughness is negligible while the effect of welding method on fracture toughness is significant. In addition, the drop of fracture toughness in the field fabrication weld of TP347 stainless steel is probably due to the large amount of $\sigma$-phase precipitated on the $\delta$-ferrite boundary and the large size dimples.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.190-195
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• 2019

SA508 low-alloy steel for a reactor vessel was exposed to primary water in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) plant because the cladding layer of type 309 stainless steel for the RPV was removed, due to an accident in which the detachment of the thermal sleeve occurred. The major advantage of the electrochemical deposition (ECD) Ni plating technique is that the reactor pressure vessel can be repaired without significant thermal effects, and Ni has solid corrosion resistance that can withstand boric acid. The corrosion rate assessment of the damaged part was performed, and its trend was analyzed. Essential variables of the Ni plating for repair of the damaged part were derived. These conditions are applicable variables for the repair plating device, and have been carefully adjusted using the repair plating device. The process for establishing ASME technical standards called Code Case N-840 is described. The process of developing Ni-plating devices, and the electroplating procedure specification (EPS) are described.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.05b
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• pp.17-22
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• 1997

ASME SA508 Class 3 원자로압력용기강을 대상으로, 용접열영향부(heat affected zone, HAZ)의 최고온도(peak temperature) 등온분포도(isothermal diagram)를 작성 및 해석하였고, 재현(simulated) 열영향부 시험편을 제작하여 미세조직검사 및 기계적특성 시험을 실시하였다. 그 결과, 최고온도 등온분포도를 이용하여, 미소열영향부(subzone of HAZ)의 미세조직(microstructure)에 미치는 예열(preheat)온도와 용접입열량(weld heat input)의 크기 효과를 예측할 수 있었다. 또한, 재현 HAZ 의 기계적특성 시험결과, 용접용융선(fusion line) + 1 mm 이내의 위치로 대표되는 열 cycle 조건에서는 모재보다 양호한 강도와 인성을 보였고, 용접용융선 + 2~3mm부근에서 가장 미세한 조직(fine tempered lower bainite)과 우수한 충격인성을 나타냈다. 한편, 용접용융선 + 약 5mm 위치에서의 열 cycle 을 재현한 시험편에서는 미세조직의 변화(spheroidization of carbides)와 함께 인성 및 기계적 특성이 저하하여 모재보다 낮은 값을 보이는 것을 발견할 수 있었다.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.628-634
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• 2011

SA508 Gr.4N Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel, in which Ni and Cr contents are higher than in commercial SA508 Gr.3 Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steels, may be a candidate reactor pressure vessel (RPV) material with higher strength and toughness from its tempered martensitic microstructure. The inner surface of the RPV is weld-cladded with stainless steels to prevent corrosion. The goal of this study is to evaluate the microstructural properties of the clad interface between Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel and stainless weldment, and the effects of post weld heat treatment (PWHT) on the properties. The properties of the clad interface were compared with those of commercial Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel. Multi-layer welding of model alloys with ER308L and ER309L stainless steel by the SAW method was performed, and then PWHT was conducted at $610^{\circ}C$ for 30 h. The microstructural changes of the clad interface were analyzed using OM, SEM and TEM, and micro-Vickers hardness tests were performed. Before PWHT, the heat affected zone (HAZ) showed higher hardness than base and weld metals due to formation of martensite after welding in both steels. In addition, the hardness of the HAZ in Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel was higher than that in Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel due to a comparatively high martensite fraction. The hardness of the HAZ decreased after PWHT in both steels, but the dark region was formed near the fusion line in which the hardness was locally high. In the case of Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel, formation of fine Cr-carbides in the weld region near the fusion line by diffusion of C from the base metal resulted in locally high hardness in the dark region. However, the precipitates of the region in the Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel were similar to that in the base metal, and the hardness in the region was not greatly different from that in the base metal.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2010

The fracture toughness for the LBB analysis of piping is generally determined by the J-integral according to ASTM E1820. However, since this evaluates a base metal, the fracture toughness for narrow gap welding can be differently than the real value. This study evaluated the plastic  factor of the narrow gap welding part of a nuclear piping with SA508 Cl.1a and SA312 TP316. Also, it performed the fracture toughness test for the narrow gap welding part and applied the new plastic $\eta$ factor equation by Huh, et al. and then compared the results with those according with the ASTM standard.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.244-249
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• 2007

In several locations of the pressurized water reactors, dissimilar metal welds using inconel welding wires are used to join the low alloy steel nozzles to stainless steel pipes. To evaluate the integrity and design the dissimilar welds, tensile and fracture properties variations are needed. In this study, dissimilar metal welds composed of SA508 Gr.3 LAS, inconel 82/182 weld, and TP316 stainless steel were prepared by gas tungsten arc welding and shielded metal arc welding technique. Microstructures were observed using optical and electron microscopes. Different tensile and fracture properties were observed depending on the specimen sampling position at room temperature and $320^{\circ}C,$ and that was discussed based on the microstructure characteristics. It was found that the strength at the bottom of weld was greater than at the top of the weld. Also, from the test data using small punch specimen, more detailed tensile property variations were evaluated.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.526-538
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• 2001

Fatigue tests in air and in room temperature water were performed to obtain comparable data and stable crack measuring conditions. In air environment, fatigue crack growth rate was increased with increasing temperature due to an increase in crack tip oxidation rate. In room temperature water, the fatigue crack growth rate was faster than in air and crack path varied on loading conditions. In simulated light water reactor (LWR) conditions, there was little environmental effect on the fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) at low dissolved oxygen or at high loading frequency conditions. While the FCGR was enhanced at high oxygen condition, and the enhancement of crack growth rate increased as loading frequency decreased to a critical value. In fractography, environmentally assisted cracks, such as semi-cleavage and secondary intergranular crack, were found near sulfide inclusions only at high dissolved oxygen and low loading frequency condition. The high crack growth rate was related to environmentally assisted crack. These results indicated that environmentally assisted crack could be formed by the Electrochemical effect in specific loading condition.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.1E
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• pp.7-12
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• 1999

In relation to a non-destructive evaluation of irradiation damages, the changes in the hysteresis loop and Barkhausen noise amplitude and the harmonics frequency due to a neutron irradiation were measured and evaluated. The Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel of RPV was irradiated to a neutron fluence of 2.3 ×10/sup 19/ n/㎠ (E ≥1 MeV) at 288℃. The saturation magnetization of neutron irradiated metal did not change. The neutron irradiation caused the coercivity to increase, whereas susceptibility to decrease. The amplitude of Barkhausen noise parameters associated with the domain wall motion were decreased by a neutron irradiation. The spectrum of Barkhausen noise is analysed with an applied frequency of 4 Hz and 8 Hz, sampling time of 50 μ sec and 20 μ sec. The harmonic frequency shows 4 Hz, 8 Hz, 12 Hz and 16 Hz reflected from an unirradiated specimen. On the contrary, the harmonic frequency disappeared on the irradiated specimen. In addition to the amplitude, the harmonic frequency of Barkhausen noise is taken into accounts as a promising tool for monitoring the irradiation induced degradation of the reactor materials such as a SA508 of PWR-RPV steel and a Zr₄ of HANARO-CNH.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.78-86
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• 2002

A metallurgical model for the prediction of prior austenite grain size considering the dissolution kinetics of M$_3$C precipitates at the heat affected zone of SA508-cl.3 was proposed. The isothermal kinetics of grain growth and dissolution were respectively described by well-known equation, $dD/dT=M({\Delta}F_{eff})^M$ and Whelan's analytical model. The isothermal grain growth experiments were carried out for measure the kinetic parameters of grain growth. The precipitates of the base metal and the specimens exposed to thermal cycle were examined by TEM-carbon extraction replica method. The model was assessed by the comparison of BUE simulation experiments and showed good consistencies. However, there was no difference between the model considering and ignoring $M_3C$ precipitates. It seems considered that pinning force exerted by $M_3C$ Precipitates was lower than driving force for grain growth due to large size and small fraction of precipitates, and mobility of grain boundary was low in the lower temperature range.