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The Influence of Metallurgical Variables on the Temperature Dependence of Irradiation Hardening in Pressure Vessel Steels

Odette, GR
University of California Santa Barabara,CA,

Lucas, GE
University of California Santa Barabara,CA,

Klingensmith, RD
University of California Santa Barabara,CA,


Pages: 17    Published: Jan 1996


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Source: STP1270-EB


Abstract

Yield stress elevations (Δσy) in pressure vessel steels irradiated at intermediate flux and fluence systematically decreased with increasing temperature and decreasing copper and nickel content. Lower stress relief temperature also decreased Δσy at bulk copper concentrations greater than about 0.3%. The dependence of Δσy on irradiation temperature between 260 and 316°C increased with copper and nickel content and decreased with phosphorous content. When normalized by the average Δσy, the fractional temperature dependence correlates with a simple empirical chemistry factor of copper and phosphorous. The correlation predicts data on the irradiation temperature dependence of Δσy found in the literature within a standard error of about 0.3 MPa/°C and is consistent with current understanding of hardening mechanisms. However, questions remain about the effects at very low flux and finer scale variations over smaller temperature intervals.


Keywords:
pressure vessel steels, irradiation hardening, irradiation embrittlement, composition effects, heat treatment effects, irradiation temperature dependence

Paper ID: STP16497S
Committee/Subcommittee: E10.07
DOI: 10.1520/STP16497S
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