SEDL / STP / STP1325-EB / STP13874S

Investigation of the Development of Irradiation - Induced Precipitates in VVER-440-Type Reactor Pressure Vessel Steels and Weld Metals after Irradiation and Annealing

Große, M
Research scientists the Institute for Safety Research at the Research Center Rossendorf Inc., Dresden,

Nitzsche, P
Research scientists the Institute for Safety Research at the Research Center Rossendorf Inc., Dresden,

Böhmert, J
leader of the Neutron Embrittlement Division, Institute for Safety Research at the Research Center Rossendorf Inc., Dresden,

Brauer, G
Leader of the Positron Group of TU Dresden, Research Center Rossendorf, Dresden,

Pages: 17    Published: Jan 1999

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Abstract

The development of irradiation-induced precipitates in VVER-440 type reactor pressure vessel steels 15Kh2MFA and weld metals SV-10KhMFT during irradiation and post-irradiation annealing is studied by small angle neutron and X-ray scattering. The kinetic conditions for the precipitation of particles, which already exist in the unirradiated state, seem to be improved at temperatures of about 270°C due to the irradiation. The size distribution of the irradiation-induced precipitates depends on the copper content and differs between weld and base metal. A strong correlation between the formation of irradiation-induced precipitates and the irradiation hardening is found. The hardness nearly linearly depends on the number of these precipitates.