SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 30 January 2015
STP154320120158

The Effects of Microstructure and Operating Conditions on Irradiation Creep of Zr-2.5Nb Pressure Tubing

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Creep experiments have been performed on biaxially stressed 10 mm diameter Zr-2.5Nb capsules. As the pressurized capsules were obtained from micro-pressure tubes, which were fabricated by the same process as CANDU power reactor pressure tubes, they have a similar microstructure to that of the full-size tubes. The experiments were performed in the OSIRIS test reactor at nominal operating temperatures ranging from 553 and 613 K in fast neutron fluxes up to 2 × 1018 n·m–2·s–1 (E > 1 MeV). Diametral and axial strains are reported as functions of fluence for specimens internally pressurized to hoop stresses from 0 to 160 MPa and irradiated to 26.5 dpa. The effects of microstructure, temperature, and cold work on irradiation creep are shown. The analysis of OSIRIS data combined with data from in-service CANDU tubes has revealed some significant observations regarding pressure tube deformation: (i) that irradiation creep anisotropy varies with temperature, (ii) texture appears to have a more significant effect on axial creep than on diametral creep, (iii) diametral strain appears to be strongly dependent on grain size and aspect ratio, and (iv) that whereas cold-work correlates with the axial creep of the capsules, there appears to be no statistically significant dependence of diametral creep on cold-work.

Author Information

Walters, L.
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River Laboratories, ON, Canada, CA
Bickel, G., A.
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River Laboratories, ON, Canada, CA
Griffiths, M.
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River Laboratories, ON, Canada, CA
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Details
Developed by Committee: B10
Pages: 1–33
DOI: 10.1520/STP154320120158
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-7580-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-7529-7