• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.100-106
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• 2014

There is a growing need to introduce advanced pressure vessel steels with higher strength and toughness for the optimizatiooCn of the design and construction of longer life and larger capacity nuclear power plants. SA508 Gr.4N Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steels have superior strength and fracture toughness, compared to SA508 Gr.3 Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel. Therefore, the application of SA508 Gr.4N low alloy steel could be considered to satisfy the strength and toughness required in advanced nuclear power plants. The purpose of this study is to characterize the microstructure and mechanical properties of SA508 Gr.4N low alloy steels. 1 ton ingot of SA508 Gr.4N model alloy was fabricated by vacuum induction melting followed by forging, quenching, and tempering. The predominant microstructure of the SA508 Gr.4N model alloy is tempered martensite having small packet and fine Cr-rich carbides. The yield strength at room temperature was 540MPa, and it was decreased with an increase of test temperature while DSA phenomenon occurred at around $288^{\circ}C$. Overall transition property of SA508 Gr.4N model alloy was much better than SA508 Gr.3 low alloy steel. The index temperature, $T_{41J}$, of SA508 Gr.4N model alloy was $-132^{\circ}C$ in Charpy impact tests, and reference nil-ductility transition temperature, $RT_{NDT}$ of $-105^{\circ}C$ was obtained from drop weight tests. From the fracture toughness tests performed in accordance with the ASTM standard E1921 Master curve method, the reference temperature, $T_0$ was $-147^{\circ}C$, which was improved more than $60^{\circ}C$ compared to SA508 Gr.3 low alloy steels.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.122-132
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• 2010

Higher strength and fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel steels can be obtained by changing the material specification from that of Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel (SA508 Gr.3) to Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel (SA508 Gr.4N). However, the operation temperature of the reactor pressure vessel is more than $300^{\circ}C$ and the reactor operates for over 40 years. Therefore, we need to have phase stability in the high temperature range in order to apply the SA508 Gr.4N low alloy steel for a reactor pressure vessel. It is very important to evaluate the temper embrittlement phenomena of SA508 Gr.4N for an RPV application. In this study, we have performed a Charpy impact test and tensile test of SA508 Gr.4N low alloy steel with changing impurity element contents such as Mn and P. And also, the mechanical properties of these low alloy steels after longterm heat treatment ($450^{\circ}C$, 2000hr) are evaluated. Further, evaluation of the temper embrittlement by fracture analysis was carried out. Temper embrittlement occurs in KL4-Ref and KL4-P, which show a decrease of the elongation and a shifting of the transition curve toward high temperature. The reason for the temper embrittlement is the grain boundary segregation of the impurity element P and the alloying element Ni. However, KL4-Ref shows temper embrittlement phenomena despite the same contents of P and Ni compared with SC-KL4. This result may be caused by the Mn contents. In addition, the behavior of embrittlement is not largely affected by the formation of $M_3P$ phosphide or the coarsening of Cr carbides.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.139-146
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• 2009

The heat-affected zone (HAZ) of SA508 Gr.4N Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel, which has higher Ni and Cr contents than SA508 Gr.3 Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel, was investigated on the microstructure and mechanical properties. The HAZ was categorized into seven characteristic zones (CGCG, FGCG, ICCG, SCCG, FGFG, ICIC and SCSC-HAZ) according to the peak temperature from the thermal cycle experienced during multi-pass welding. Post Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) was conducted in the temperature range of $550{\sim}610^{\circ}C$ for 30 hours to evaluate the effect of PWHT conditions on the microstructure and mechanical properties. Before PWHT, CGHAZ and FGFGHAZ showed high yield strength (YS) ranging from 1000 to 1250 MPa, while YS of SCSCHAZ decreased from 607 MPa (observed for base metal) to 501 MPa. The Charpy impact energies of sub-HAZs fell below 100J at $-29^{\circ}C$, except in the SCSCHAZ. By applying PWHT to sub-HAZ specimens, YS decreased as the PWHT temperature increased. In the case of CGHAZs and FGFGHAZ heat-treated at $610^{\circ}C$, YS dropped drastically to the range of 654~686 MPa. From the Charpy impact test, the upper-shelf energy (USE) increased to approximately 250J and Index temperature ($T_{68J}$) decreased below $-50^{\circ}C$. Specifically, in FGFG, ICIC and SCSC-HAZ, $T_{68J}$ was below -110, which was lower than the case of base metal.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2010

Fatigue has been known as a major degradation mechanism of ASME class 1 components in nuclear power plants. Fatigue damage could be accelerated by combined interaction of several loads and environmental factors. However, the environmental effect is not explicitly addressed in the ASME S-N curve which is based on air at room temperature. Therefore many studies have been performed to understand the environmental effects on fatigue behavior of materials used in nuclear power plants. As a part of efforts, we performed low cycle fatigue tests under various environmental conditions and analyzed the environmental effects on the fatigue life of SA508 Gr. 1a low alloy steel by comparing with higuchi's model. Test results show that the fatigue life depends on water temperature, dissolved oxygen and strain rate. But strain rate over 0.4%/s has little effect on the fatigue life. To find the cause of different fatigue life with ANL's and higuchi's model, another test performed with different heat numbered and heat treated materials of SA508 Gr. 1a. On a metallurgical point of view, the material with bainite microstructure shows much longer fatigue life than that with ferrite/pearlite microstructure. And the characteristics of crack propagation as different microstructure seem to be the main cause of different fatigue life.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.771-779
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• 2008

An effective way of increasing the strength and fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel steels is to change the material specification from that of Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel(SA508 Gr.3) to Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel(SA508 Gr.4N). In this study, we evaluate the effects of alloying elements on the microstructural characteristics of Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel. The changes in the stable phase of the SA508 Gr.4N low alloy steel with alloying elements were evaluated by means of a thermodynamic calculation conducted with the software ThermoCalc. The changes were then compared with the observed microstructural results. The calculation of Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steels confirms that the ferrite formation temperature decreases as the Ni content increases because of the austenite stabilization effect. Consequently, in the microscopic observation, the lath martensitic structure becomes finer as the Ni content increases. However, Ni does not affect the carbide phases such as $M_{23}C_6 $ and $M_7C_3$. When the Cr content decreases, the carbide phases become unstable and carbide coarsening can be observed. With an increase in the Mo content, the $M_2C$ phase becomes stable instead of the $M_7C_3$ phase. This behavior is also observed in TEM. From the calculation results and the observation results of the microstructure, the thermodynamic calculation can be used to predict the precipitation behavior.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.194-202
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• 2010

Application of a stronger and more durable material for reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) might be an effective way to insure the integrity and increase the efficiency of nuclear power plants. A series of research projects to apply the SA508 Gr.4 steel in ASME code to RPVs are in progress because of its excellent strength and durability compared to commercial RPV steel (SA508 Gr.3 steel). In this study, the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of SA508 Gr.3 Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel and SA508 Gr.4N Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel were investigated. The differences in the stable phases between these two low alloy steels were evaluated by means of a thermodynamic calculation using ThermoCalc. They were then compared to microstructural features and correlated with mechanical properties. Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel shows the upper bainite structure that has coarse cementite in the lath boundaries. However, Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel shows the mixture of lower bainite and tempered martensite structure that homogeneously precipitates the small carbides such as $M_{23}C_6$ and $M_7C_3$ due to an increase of hardenability and Cr addition. In the mechanical properties, Ni-Mo-Cr low alloy steel has higher strength and toughness than Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel. Ni and Cr additions increase the strength by solid solution hardening. In addition, microstructural changes from upper bainite to tempered martensite improve the strength of the low alloy steel by grain refining effect, and the changes in the precipitation behavior by Cr addition improve the ductile-brittle transition behavior along with a toughening effect of Ni addition.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.413-422
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• 2014

Presented in this study are the variations of microstructures and mechanical properties with tempering and Post-Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) conditions for SA508 Gr.4N steel used as Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) material. The blocks of model alloy were austenitized at the conventional temperature of $880^{\circ}C$ then tempered and post-weld heat treated at four different conditions. The hardness and yield strength decrease with increased tempering and PWHT temperatures, but impact toughness is significantly improved, especially in the specimens tempered at $630^{\circ}C$. The sample tempered at $630^{\circ}C$ with PWHT at $610^{\circ}C$ shows optimum mechanical properties in hardness, strength, and toughness, excluding only the transition property in the low temperature region. The microstructural observation and quantitative analysis of carbide size distribution show that the variations of mechanical properties are caused by the under-tempering and carbide coarsening which occurred during the heat treatment process. The introduction of PWHT results in the deterioration of the ductile-brittle transition property by an increase of coarse carbides controlling cleavage initiation, especially in the tempered state at $630^{\circ}C$.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1998.05b
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• pp.305-311
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• 1998

최근들어 고려된 LBB(Leak Before Break) 적용요건중 동적파괴시힘 절차에는 울진 3&4호기 이후 파단전누설개념이 적용되는 배관이 탄소강으로 제작될 경우. 이 배관이 Dynamic Strain Aging (DSA)에 의해 파괴저항치가 감소되지 않는다는 것이 정량적으로 입증되지 않는 한, 동 배관의 파괴 물성치 결정시 DSA의 영향이 고려되어야 하며, DSA 영향을 평가하기 위해서는 동적과괴시험이 수행되어야 함을 요건화 하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 DSA 효과에 의한 파괴저항(J-R) 특성의 저하가차세대원전 원자로냉각재배관 파단전누설개넘(LBB) 적용시 설계 안전여유도에 영향을 미치지 않는 정도임을 평가하는데 있다. 따라서 ASME Section III에서 탄소강으로 분류하고 있는 강종별 파괴인성 변화를 고찰하고, 차세대원전 주냉각재배관 재료인 SA508 Class la의 최대 파괴인성 감소치를 예측하여, 울진 3&4호기에서 측정된 엘보우용 SA516-Gr.70 강의 DSA 영향 평가 결과와 비교 분석하여 차세대원전 주냉각재배관의 DSA영향을 평가하였다. 도출된 결론으로는 DSA 영향을 고려한 SA508 Class la의 J 및 dJ/dA 값은 극히 보수적으로 추정할 때 50% 이상 감소하는 것으로 예측된다. 이러한 DSA 영향을 고려하였을 경우 배관재 모재의 파괴인성치는 Weld-SAW의 J/T 값 수준으로 감소하였다. 그러나 현 LRB 해석이 가장 낮은 J/T값을 갖는 Weld-SAW Auto의 균열길이 2a인 J/T선도에 의거하여 수행되고 있다는 점을 고려한다면 비록 DSA가 배관재에 영향을 주는 가장 보수적인 값(J 및 dJ/dA값을 50% 이상)을 사용한다고 하더라도 차세대원전 LBB 적용에 문제가 되지 않음을 알 수 있다. 즉 차세대원자로 주냉각재배관에 LBB를 적용하는데는 DSA 영향은 상대적으로 중요하지 않다는 결론을 얻었다. 표면에 수소화물이 농축되어 있는 hydride layer가 형성됨을 관찰하였으며 ～5,000ppm 이상의 경우에는 수소화물의 방향성이 random하였으며 특히, ZIRLO$^{TM}$ 시편의 경우에서는 원주방향으로 길게 이어진 수소화물과 기계적 성질에 치명적인 반경방향의 수소화물이 평행하게 배열된 것을 관찰하였다.하였을 때는 Li$_2$O의 첨가에 의해 치밀화가 주로 일어났고, 반면에 $N_2$-7vol.%H$_2$ 분위기에서 소결하면 Li$_2$O의 첨가에 의해 작은 기공은 소멸되고 큰 기공이 생성되었다.지나치게 모국어의 영향만 강조하고 다른 요인들에 대해서는 다분히 추상적인 언급으로 끝났지만 이 분석을 통 해서 배경어, 목표어, 특히 중간규칙의 역할이 괄목할 만한 것임을 가시적으로 관찰할 수 있 다. 이와 같은 오류분석 방법은 학습자의 모국어 및 관련 외국어의 음운규칙만 알면 어느 학습대상 외국어에라도 적용할 수 있는 보편성을 지니는 것으로 사료된다.없다. 그렇다면 겹의문사를 [-wh]의리를 지 닌 의문사의 병렬로 분석할 수 없다. 예를 들어 누구누구를 [주구-이-ν가] [누구누구-이- ν가]로부터 생성되었다고 볼 수 없다. 그러므로 [-wh] 겹의문사는 복수 의미를 지닐 수 없 다. 그러면 단수 의미는 어떻게 생성되는가\ulcorner 본 논문에서는 표면적 형태에도 불구하고 [-wh]의미의 겹의문사는 병렬적 관계의 합성어가 아니라 내부구조를 지니지 않은 단순한 단어(minimal $X^{0}$ elements)로 가정한다. 즉, [+wh] 의미의 겹의문사는 동일한 구성요 소를 지닌 병렬적 합성어([$[W1]_{XO-}$ $[W1]_{XO}$ ]$_{XO}$)로