• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제35권6호
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• pp.529-536
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• 2003

The objective of this study is to investigate the reorientation of hydrides with applied stress intensity factor, the peak temperature and the time when to apply the stress intensity factor in a Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube during its thermal cycle treatment. Cantilever beam (CB) specimens with a notch of 0.5 mm in depth made from the Zr-2.5Nb tube were subjected to electrolytic hydrogen charging to contain 60 ppm H and then to a thermal cycle involving heating to the peak temperature of either 310 or $380^{\circ}C$, holding there for 50 h and then cooling to the test temperature of $250^{\circ}C$. The stress intensity factor of either 6.13 or $18.4\;MPa\sqrt{m}$ was applied at the beginning of the thermal cycle, at the end of the hold at the peak temperatures and after cooling to the test temperature, respectively. The reorientation of hydrides in the Zr-2.5Nb tube was enhanced with the increased peak temperature and applied stress intensity factor. Furthermore, when the CB specimens were subjected to $18.4\;MPa\sqrt{m}$ from the beginning of the thermal cycle, the reoriented hydrides occurred almost all over the Zr-2.5Nb tube, surprisingly suppressing the growth of a DHC crack. In contrast, when the CB specimens were subjected to the stress intensity factor at the test temperature, little reorientation of hydrides was observed except the notch region, leading the Zr-2.5Nb to grow a large DHC crack. Based on the correlation between the reorientation of hydrides and the DHC crack growth, a governing factor for DHC is discussed along with the feasibility of the Kim's DHC model.

• 대한기계학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한기계학회 2003년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.1133-1138
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• 2003

The pressure tubes, which contain high temperature heavy water and fuel, are within the core of a CANDU nuclear reactor, and are thus subjected to high stresses, temperature gradient, and neutron flux. Further, it is well known that pressure tubes of cold-worked Zr-2.5Nb materials result in hydrogen diffusion, which create fully-hydrided regions (frequently called Blister). Thus a proper investigation of hydrogen diffusion within zirconium-alloy nuclear components, such as CANDU pressure tube and fuel channels is essential to predict the structural integrity of these components. In this respect, this paper presents numerical investigation of hydrogen diffusion to quantify the hydrogen concentration for blister growth of CANDU pressure tube. For this purpose, coupled temperature-hydrogen diffusion analyses are performed by means of two-dimensional finite element analysis. Comparison of predicted temperature field and blister with published test data shows good agreement.

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 2002년도 춘계공동학술발표회요약집
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• pp.257.2-257
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• 2002

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 2001년도 춘계학술발표회요약집
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• pp.341-341
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• 2001

• 한국원자력학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국원자력학회 1999년도 춘계학술발표회요약집
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• pp.225-225
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• 1999

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제29권8호
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• pp.1118-1122
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• 2005

The direct current potential drop (DCPD) method and the unloading compliance (UC) method with a crack opening displacement gauge were applied simultaneously to the Zr-2.5Nb curved compact tension (CCT) specimens to determine which of the two methods can precisely determine the crack initiation point and hence the crack length for evaluation of their fracture toughness. The DCPD method detected the crack initiation at a smaller load-line displacement compared to the UC method. As a verification, a direct observation of the fracture surfaces on the curved compact tension specimens was made on the CCT specimens experiencing either 0.8 to 1.0 mm load line displacement or various loads from $50\%\;to\;80\%$ of the maximum peak load, or $P_{max}$. The DCPD method is concluded to be more precise in determining the crack initiation and fracture toughness, J in Zr-2.5Nb CCT specimens than the UC method.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제30권12호
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• pp.1526-1533
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• 2006

The aim of this research was to confirm the existence of the thermal creep degradation by hydrides of Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube materials. Small punch creep tests were performed to obtain the relationship between a creep displacement and a loading period at $300^{\circ}C$. A creep stress and a creep strain rate were also converted from the previous results. The creep material constants and the creep stress exponents at the different hydride contents were compared. Finally the hydrides of the axial and circumferential section were observed using OM, SEM and TEM. The following conclusions were made: 1) The degradation of the thermal creep by hydrides was existed and it strongly depended on the hydride contents. 2) As the hydride contents were increased, the creep stress exponents (m) were also increased. 3) Even though the hydride was not precipitated in 50 ppm materials at $300^{\circ}C$, the degradation of thermal creep was found. Therefore, it was believed that this phenomenon strongly related to the hydride precipitation at room temperature.

• 비파괴검사학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.140-148
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• 2002

중수로 압력관으로 사용되는 Zr-2.5Nb 재료의 고온 이방성 탄성계수를 고온 초음파공명분광법(RUS)로 측정하였다. 소형 가열로 내에 알루미나 waveguide와 광대역 초음파 센서를 사용하여 초음파에너지를 시편에 가하고 시편의 공명주파수를 측정하였다. 압력관의 축 방향, 반경 방향, 원주 방향에 일치하도록 장방형 시편을 가공하였으며 각 방향에 대한 탄성계수 텐서 9개의 값을 상온${\sim}500^{\circ}C$ 온도 구간에서 측정하였다. 탄생계수 텐서, $c_{ij}$는 모두 온도가 증가함에 따라 점진적으로 감소하며 원주 방향의 탄성계수가 축 방향 및 반경 방향의 탄성계수보다 높았다. 이것은 Young's modulus나 shear modulus의 경우에도 일치하였으며 축 방향과 반경 방향의 경우 큰 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 축 방향 및 반경 방향의 비틀림 탄생계수가 $150^{\circ}C$ 부근에서 서로 교차하였으며 이는 단결정 지르코늄의 $c_{44}$ 및 $c_{66}$의 교차 현상과 일치하였다.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.189-195
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• 2004

The pressure tubes, which contain high temperature heavy water and fuel, are within the core of a CANDU nuclear reactor, and are thus subjected to high stresses, temperature gradient, and neutron flux. Further, it is well known that pressure tubes of cold-worked Zr-2.5Nb materials result in hydrogen diffusion, which create fully-hydrided regions (frequently called Blister). Thus a proper investigation of hydrogen diffusion within zirconium-alloy nuclear components, such as CANDU pressure tube and fuel channels is essential to predict the structural integrity of these components. In this respect, this paper presents numerical investigation of hydrogen diffusion to quantify the hydrogen concentration fur blister growth of CANDU pressure tube. For this purpose, coupled temperature-hydrogen diffusion analyses are performed by means of two-dimensional finite element analysis. Comparison of predicted temperature field and blister with published test data shows good agreement.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제27권5호
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• pp.775-783
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• 1995

CANDU원자로에서 압력관의 건전성을 향상시키기 위한 방안으로 압력관의 두께를 증가시키는 방법과 압력관 제조공정에서 초기수소농도를 줄이는 방법이 연구중에 있다. 본 연구에서는 압력관 두께증가가 가동중 압력관의 안전여유도에 미치는 영향과 새로운 압력관의 낮은 수소농도가 파손의 주원인인 DHC에 미치는 영향에 대해 연구하였다. 가동중 압력관에 날카로운 결함이 발생할 경우 5.2mm두꺼운 압력관은 안전여유도 관점에서 현행 2mm 압력 관에 비해 25% 증가효과를 보이는 것으로 나타났다. LBB평가에서도 두꺼운 압력관은 DHC 발생에 필요한 초기균열 길이 (a), 중수누설 감지 시점에서의 균열길이 (Lp), 중수누설후 압력관 파단까지의 허용시간(t)등에서 많은 이점이 있는 것으로 평가되었으며, 또한 LOCA시 압력관 파단관점에서도 유익한 것으로 나타났다. 여러가지 다른 두께 및 다른 초기수소농도를 갖는 압력관을 대상으로 20년 가동후의 총 누적 수소량을 계산한 결과, 5ppm의 초기 수소량을 갖고 두께가 5.2 mm인 압력관이 가장 우수한 저항성을 보였다. 결함 성장평가에 있어서 초기에 낮은 수소량을 갖는 압력관은 20년 가동후에도 수소화물의 석출이 일어나는 TSS 도달 온도가 낮게 유지되며 냉각시 균열성장량도 매우 적은 것으로 나타났다.