• Corrosion Science and Technology
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.221-231
• /
• 2023

Interest in aluminum alloys for the hydrogen valves of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) is growing due to the reduction in fuel efficiency by the high weight. However, when an aluminum alloy is used, deterioration in mechanical characteristics caused by hydrogen embrittlement and wear is regarded as a problem. In this investigation, the aluminum alloy used to prevent hydrogen embrittlement was subjected to surface treatments by performing hard anodizing and plasma ion nitriding processes. The hard anodized Al alloy exhibited brittleness in which the mechanical characteristics rapidly deteriorated due to porosity and defects of surface, resulting in a decrease in the ultimate tensile strength and modulus of toughness by 15.58 and 42.51%, respectively, as the hydrogen charging time increased from 0 to 96 hours. In contrast, no distinct nitriding layer in the plasma ion-nitrided Al alloy was observed due to oxide film formation and processing conditions. However, compared to 0 and 96 hours of hydrogen charging time, the ultimate tensile strength and modulus of toughness decreased by 7.54 and 13.32%, respectively, presenting excellent resistance to hydrogen embrittlement.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.121-127
• /
• 2013

Tritium was attracted with high energy source in neutron fusion energy systems. A number of research was performed in tritium storage materials. The Korea was raised storage and delivery systems (SDS) of international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) research. However, bottles of SDS would be important because of stability. The bottles have a welding zone, this zone will be vulnerable to hydrogen embrittlement. This zone have a high thermodynamic energy and heat deterioration. Therefore bottles were studied about hydrogen embrittlement to retain stability. The heat treatment of hydrogen was carried under pressure-composition-temperature (PCT) apparatus because of checking at real time. And then, mechanical properties were evaluated by tensile test and hardness test. In results of this study, hydrogen atmosphere condition is very important by tensile test and kinetics test. The samples were evaluated, that is more weak hydrogen pressure, increasing temperature and time. This results could be useful in SDS bottle designs.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.45-52
• /
• 1987

Generally the factors affected largely by the cold cracking sensitivity of the weld are the quantity of the diffusible hydrogen, the brittleness and hardness of the bond area and the tensile restraint stress. These factors have relation each other, and if we can reduce one of these factors, it becomes instrumental to the root cracks prevention of weld. This study deals with the gravity type-underwater-welding of KR Grade A-3 marine steel plate using E4303 welding electrode in order to compare wet-underwater-welding with in-air- welding, resulting in obtaining the tensile restraint characteristics, the hardness distribution, the quantity of diffusible hydrogen and the macro- and micro-crack properties in both underwater and in-air welds. The main results obtained are as follows: 1) The quantity of diffusible hydrogen measured for 48 hours is about 18cc/100g-weld-metal for the in-air-weld of one pass and about 48cc/100g-weld-metal for the underwater-weld of one pass which is about 3 times penetration of diffusible hydrogen compairing with the case of the in-air-weld. However, it was experimentally confirmed that, by the multi-pass welding of 2 to 5 passes, the diffusible hydrogen in the underwater weld metal can be reduced as much as 27 to 49%. 2) The hardness of the weld metal indicates the highest value in the heat affected zones of underwater weld for more rapid cooling rate, resulting in the higher sensitivity of cold cracking. So, it is desirable to soften the higher hardness in the HAZ by tempering effect such as the multi-pass welding in the underwater welding. 3) At the bond vicinity of the underwater weld HAZ, micro cracks were found as resulted by both more rapid cooling rate and more diffusible hydrogen and also by the stress corrosion cracking under the tensile restraint stress in the underwater. But this could be prevented by the tempering effect of the following weld bead such as the multi-pass welding.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.20 no.9
• /
• pp.175-181
• /
• 2019

In the case of a conventional single stage decompression regulator used for large depressurization in the hydrogen fuel cell system of a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), problems can arise, such as pulsation, slow response, hydrogen brittleness, leakage, high weight, and high cost due to high decompression. Most of these problems can be overcome easily using two decompression mechanisms (two-stage structures). In addition, a wide outlet-pressure control range can be secured if an electronic solenoid is applied to the second decompression. Accordingly, it is necessary to improve the precision of the outlet pressure of a two-stage pressure-reducing regulator and develop techniques, such as leakage prevention, durability, light weight, and price reduction. Therefore, to improve the outlet pressure accuracy and prevent leakage, the structural part before and after decompression to improve the air tightness were divided and the analysis was carried out assuming that the valve part was closed (open ratio: 0%) after each initial internal pressure application.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.16-23
• /
• 2022

In this study, characteristics of effect on hydrogen gas was investigated to hydrogen embrittlement by disk and tensile tests. The developed and commercial alloy was fabricated to a plate material made from an alloy ingot. The prepared materials were processed in the form of a disk to measure rupture pressure by hydrogen and helium gas at a rate of 0.1 to 1,000 bar/min. In the hydrogen pre-charged tensile test, a specimen was hydrogenated using an anode charging method, and the yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, elongation, and reduction in area rate were carried by a strain rate test. Also, the microstructure was observed to the fracture surface of the tensile test specimen. As a result, the developed materials satisfied endurable hydrogen embrittlement, and the fractured surface showed a brittleness fracture surface with a depth of several ㎛, but dimple due to ductile fracture could be observed.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.37-44
• /
• 2021

In this study, shape design and material selection were carried out for a two-stage pressure-reducing regulator to compensate for the shortcomings of a one-stage mechanical decompression regulator. The shape of the contact surface of the depressurization unit was considered, material was selected, and the shape was designed to compensate for the pulsation and slow response through the two-stage decompression and to solve the problem of high pressure deviation. In terms of airtightness, the deformation amount of TPU showed a small amount of displacement of up to 15.82%. Considering the fact that it is applicable to various hydrogen fuel supply systems by securing universality by applying electronic solenoids to the second pressure reduction, magnetic materials were selected. The hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion resistance were evaluated to verify the plating process. Surface corrosion did not occur in only the case of Cr plating. The elongation during the corrosion process was compared using a tensile test, and there was a difference within 2%.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.328-338
• /
• 1985

When the low temperature service steels are used as materials for welded structure, some problems-brittleness and weld cracking, etc.-occur in welded part due to the change of mechanical and metallurgical characteristics resulted from the thermal cycle during the welding procedure. In this study, the experiments were conducted to investigate the change of mechanical and metallurgical characteristics of the welded part for the low temperature and high pressure service steels. Moreover, the Static and Dynamic Implant Test Method was introduced to this study in order to find out the mechnism of weld cracking. In addition, the fracture toughnesses of welded bond were inspected under the various low temperature environments. Main results obtained are as follows; 1) The effect of the hydrogen on the fatigue characteristics of the weld bond can be estimated by the new self-contrived Dynamic Implant Test equipment. 2) The fine micro-structure and low hardness in the heat affected zone can be obtained by the small heat input multi-pass welding. 3) The susceptibility of the delayed cracking is largely affected by the condition of used electrode. 4) The transition temperature of the fracture surface in weld bond appears to be higher 20 .deg. C than that in base metal.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.591-602
• /
• 2007

The results of Reactivity-Initiated Accidents (RIA) experiments have been analysed and the main variables affecting the fuel failure propensity identified. Fuel burn-up aggravates the mechanical loading of the cladding, while corrosion, or better the hydrogen absorbed in the cladding as a consequence of corrosion, may under some conditions make the cladding brittle and more susceptible to failure. Experiments point out that corrosion impairs the fuel resistance for RIA transient occurring at cold conditions, whereas there is no evidence of important embrittlement effects at hot conditions, unless the cladding was degraded by oxide spalling. A fuel failure threshold correlation has been derived and compared with experimental data relevant for BWR and PWR fuel. The correlation can be applied to both cold and hot RIA transients, account taken for the lower ductility at cold conditions and for the different initial enthalpy. It can also be used for non-zero power transients, provided that a term accounting for the start-up power is incorporated. The proposed threshold is easy to use and reproduces the results obtained in the CABRI and NSRR tests in a rather satisfactory manner. The behaviour of advanced PWR alloys and of MOX fuel is discussed in light of the correlation predictions. Finally, a probabilistic approach has been developed in order to account for the small scatter of the failure predictions. This approach completes the RIA failure assessment in that after determining a best estimate failure threshold, a failure probability is inferred based on the spreading of data around the calculated best estimate value.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.39 no.12
• /
• pp.1297-1303
• /
• 2015

The internal chromium plating of a long-axis tube is widely used in military and industrial application, with the thick hard plating formed using a mixed solution of Chromium acid and catalytic $H_2SO_4$. A large-caliber gun can endure a high explosive force as a result of the increased stiffness and wear resistance provided by this internal hard chromium surface. The internal chromium layer of a tube is prone to exfoliation caused by the high kinetic energy of the projectile and high pressure of the explosion. Therefore, we reviewed the plating process. Chromium plating comprises many steps, including the removal of Grease, water cleaning, electrolytic abrasion, etching, plating, water cleaning, and hydrogen brittleness removal. The exfoliated chromium plating layer is affected by the adhesion property of the plating. In particular, the Fe concentration of the electrolyte affects the adhesion property. The optimum Fe concentration for effectively suppressing the exfoliation of the plating layer was established by using a scanning electron microscope to determine the surface roughness, and the effectiveness was proved in an adhesion test, etc.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.6-13
• /
• 2012

HVOF thermal spray coating of 80%WC-CoFe powder is one of the most promising candidate for the replacement of the traditional hard chrome plating and hard ceramics coating because of the environmental problem of the very toxic $Cr^{6+}$ known as carcinogen by chrome plating and the brittleness of ceramics coatings. 80%WC-CoFe powder was coated by HVOF thermal spraying for the study of durability improvement of the high speed spindle such as air bearing spindle. The coating procedure was designed by the Taguchi program, including 4 parameters of hydrogen and oxygen flow rates, powder feed rate and spray distance. The surface properties of the 80%WC-CoFe powder coating were investigated roughness, hardness and porosity. The optimal condition for thermal spray has been ensured by the relationship between the spary parameters and the hardness of the coatings. The optimal coating process obtained by Taguchi program is the process of oxygen flow rate 34 FRM, hydrogen flow rate 57 FRM, powder feed rate 35 g/min and spray distance 8 inch. The coating cross-sectional structure was observed scanning electron microscope before chemical etching. Estimation of coating porosity was performed using metallugical image analysis. The Friction and wear behaviors of HVOF WC-CoFe coating prepared by OCP are investigated by reciprocating sliding wear test at $25^{\circ}C$ and $450^{\circ}C$. Friction coefficients (FC) of coating decreases as sliding surface temperature increases from $25^{\circ}C$ to $450^{\circ}C$.