Chapter 1 - Introduction Flashcards
What is the pressure in a PWR?
15 MPa
What is the pressure in a BWR?
7 MPa
What is the temp at a PWR?
300
What is the temp at BWR?
280
Where are the controle rods in the PWR?
Up
Where are the control rods in the BWR?
Bottom
what is the irradiation level in a pwr in n/cm2-sec?
10^14
What type of steel is use for the RPV in a PWR”
308, 309 SS
material used for control rods in pwr?
ss cladding with b4c poison
what is the fuel cladding made of?
zr alloy
what is the fuel made of?
uo2
name fuel material issues?
fission gas release; fission product swelling; thermal conductivity decrease with burnup
name cladding material issues
waterside corrosion and hydriding, embrittlement, growth; pellet-cladding interaction; creep; fretting
name neutorn absorbers material issues
embrittlement; thermal mechanical failiure
name rpv material issues
radiation embrittlement
name the 4 main irradiation effects on structural materials
irradiation hardening and embrittlement
irradiation and thermal creep
volumetric swelling
he embrittlement (fusion)
What is dpa?
displacement per atom
how many dpa in a current gen 2 fission reactor
from 10 o 30 dpa
how many dpa in a msr?
100-190
what is creep?
tendence of solid material to move slowly or deform permanently under influence of persistent mechanical stresses that occurs in long-term exposure to high levels of stress.
Wha is moderate swelling
1-5% swelling leading to volume changes and distortion
what is large swelling
swelling of 10% causing severe embrittlement
What is embrittlement?
decrease of ductility of a material makingit brittle.
Why are SS not use in fast reactor?
14% swelling of 316 SS irradiated at 400 degrees
What is the melting point of 316SS
1400C
MELTING point of al
660 C
What is the transition temperature
temp at which material changes from one crystal state to another
what is the upper shelf energy
it provides margins of safety against fracture
What is the impact on the transition temperature and upper shelf energy of radiation in the rpv?
increase transition temperature and decrease upper shelf energy causing embrittlement.
What does the transition temperature really characterise in the rpv?
The temperature at which ductile to brittle properties happen.
At what temp does the unirradiated RPV material becomes brittle?
Around 0 degrees
At what temperature does the irradiated rpv material becomes brittle, higher or lower?
radiation causes embrittlement by exposure to neutrons which causes the transition temp to increase meaning the temperature rises and the material can become brittle at higher energies.
Is there a way to recover the increase transition temperature in an irradiated RPV?
yes, by annealing
What neutron energy is the major source of dpa damage?
fast neutrons > 0.1 Mev