• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2024

Stainless 630 (or 17-4PH) is a precipitation-hardening martensitic stainless steel that has excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. These characteristics make the STS630 to be used as a consisting material for various components such as spider, pin, spring, and spring retainer, of the control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). In general, it is well known that the oxide layer of stainless steel consists of a duplex layer, a compact inner layer of FeCr₂O₄ spinel, and a coarse-grained outer layer of Fe₃O₄ spinel in PWR primary coolant condition. However, the characteristics of the oxide layer can be sensitively influenced by various water chemistry conditions such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, dissolved hydrogen, pH, pH adjuster type, and exposure time. In this work, we investigate the corrosion properties of the STS630 as a function of coolant temperature in an NH3 alkaline solution for its boron-free application in a small modular reactor, to confirm the feasibility for usage as a boron-free SMR structural material. As a result, oxide layer of corroded STS630 is consist of double-layer oxides consisting of a Cr-rich dense inner oxide and a Fe-rich polyhedral outer particles like as that in commercial PWR primary coolant. The corrosion rate of STS630 increases with increase in test time and temperature and the corrosion rate-time model equation was developed based on experimental data. Overall, it is expected that the results in this study provides useful data for the corrosion behavior of STS630 in alkaline environments, contributing to the development of selecting suitable materials for SMRs.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.7
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• pp.83-90
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• 1995

The microstructural and textural development during rolling is compared in two Hadifield's steels (high Mn steel), one having low carbon content (0.65 wt.%) and the other high carbon (1.35 wt.%).In low carbon Hadfield's steel (LCHS) mixed microstructures are formed which contain intrinsic stacking faults, deformation twins, and brass type shear bands. The deformation twins are thought to be formed by the stacking of intrinsic stacking faults. The similar development to 70-30 brass texture is observed in early deformation. However the abnormal texture is developed after 40 % deformation, which is thought to be due to the martensite phase transformation. In high carbon Hadfield's steel (HCHS) mixed substructures of dislocation tangles, deformation twins, and shear bands (both copper and brass type) are found to develop. The texture development is similar to that of 70-30 brass. This is consistant with no carbon segregation and no martensitic phase transformation in HCHS. In spite of the difference of substructure and texture development during rolling in two steels, the difference in stacking fault energy is measured to be small ($2 mJm^-2$). The carbon segregation is only occurred in LCHS. Thus it is thought that the carbon segregation influence the microstructure and texture development during rolling. This is related with martensite phase transformation in LCHS.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.10-14
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• 2015

In recent years, industrial demands for superior mechanical properties of powder metallurgy steel components with low cost are rapidly growing. Sinter hardening that combines sintering and heat treatment in continuous one step is cost-effective. The cooling rate during the sinter hardening process dominates material microstructures, which finally determine the mechanical properties of the parts. This research establishes a numerical model of the relation between various cooling rates and microstructures in a sinter hardenable material. The evolution of a martensitic phase in the treated microstructure during end quench tests using various cooling media of water, oil, and air is predicted from the cooling rate, which is influenced by cooling conditions, using the finite element method simulations. The effects of the cooling condition on the microstructure of the sinter hardening material are found. The obtained limiting size of the sinter hardening part is helpful to design complicate shaped components.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.911-912
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• 2004

1. Cathodic hydrogen charging considerably reduced the tensile ductility of ODS steels and a 9Cr-2W RMS. The hydrogen embrittlement of ODS steels was strongly affected by specimen sampling orientation, showing significant embrittlement in the T-direction. This comes from the microstructural anisotropy caused by elongated grains of ODS steels in L-direction. 2. The ODS steels contained a higher concentration of hydrogen than 9Cr-2W RMS at the same cathodic charging condition, and the critical hydrogen concentration required to transition from ductile to brittle fracture was in the range of $10{\sim}12$ wppm, which approximately 10 times larger than that of a 9Cr-2W martensitic steel. 3. The ODS steels showed a typical ductile to brittle transition behavior and it strongly depended on the specimen sampling direction, namely L- and T-direction. In T-direction, the SP-DBTT was about 170 L, irrespective of the ODS materials, and L-direction showed a lower SP-DBTT than that of T-direction.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.24 no.3 s.174
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• pp.710-717
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• 2000

Tensile and fracture toughness tests of the cold-rolled STS 304 steel plate for membrane material of LNG storage tank were performed at wide range of temperatures, 11 IK(boiling point of LNG), 153K , 193K and 293K(room temperature). Tensile strength significantly increases with a decrease in temperature, but the yield strength is relatively insensitive to temperature. Elongation at 193K abruptly decreases by 50% of that at 293K, and then decreases slightly in the temperature range of 193K to 111K. Strain hardening exponents at low temperatures are about four times as high as that at 293K. Elastic-plastic fracture toughness($J_c$) and tearing modulus($T_{mat}$) tend to decrease with a decrease in temperature. The $J_c$ values are inversely related to effective yield strength in the temperature range of 111K to 293K. These phenomena result from a significant increase in the amount of transformed martensite in low temperature regions.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 1999

The microstructure of the reagion of carters, created by Cu and W-Cu shaped charge jets, in a 1020 mild steel target has been intestiaged. The region ahead of the crater created by the Cu shaped charge jet, reveals dramatic grain refinement implying the occurrence of a dynamic recrystallization, while that of W-Cu one dose a martensitic transformation indicative of heating up to an austenitic region followed by rapid cooling.The impacting pressure calculated when the W-Cu shaped charge jet encounters the target is higher than that of the Cu one. The micro-hardness of the region ahead of the crater created by the W-Cu shaped charge jet is also higher than that of the Cu one. The microstructure of W-Cu slug remained in the inside of the craters depicts the occurrence of the remarkable elongation of W particles during the liner collaphse. From these results, the microstructural variation of the region ahead of the crater with Cu and W-Cu shaped charge jets is discussed in trems of the pressure dependency of the transformation region of ferrite and austenite phases.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.724-730
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• 2018

Chromium and chromium nitride were selected as potential barriers to prevent fuel-clad chemical interaction (FCCI) between the cladding and the fuel material. In this study, ferritic/martensitic HT-9 steel and misch metal were used to simulate the reaction between the cladding and fuel fission product, respectively. Radio frequency magnetron sputtering was used to deposit Cr and CrN films onto the cladding, and the gas flow rates of argon and nitrogen were fixed at certain values for each sample to control the deposition rate and the crystal structure of the films. The samples were heated for 24 h at 933 K through the diffusion couple test, and considerable amount of interdiffusion (max. thickness: $550{\mu}m$) occurred at the interface between HT-9 and misch metal when the argon and nitrogen were used individually. The elemental contents of misch metal were detected at the HT-9 through energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy due to the interdiffusion. However, the specimens that were sputtered by mixed gases (Ar and $N_2$) exhibited excellent resistance to FCCI. The thickness of these CrN films were only $4{\mu}m$, but these films effectively prevented the FCCI due to their high adhesion strength (frictional force ${\geq}1,200{\mu}m$) and dense columnar microstructures.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.8-16
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• 2013

As the energy consumption increases rapidly, power generation needs the high energy efficiency continuously. To achieve the high efficiency of power generation, the materials used have to endure the higher temperature and pressure. The 9-12%Cr steels possess good mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, and creep strength in high temperature due to high Cr contents. Therefore, the 9-12%Cr steels are widely used for the high-temperature components in power plants. Even though the steels usually have a fully martensitic microstructure, they are susceptible to the formation of ${\delta}$-ferrite specifically during the welding process. The formation of ${\delta}$-ferrite has several detrimental effects on creep, ductility and toughness. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid its formation. As the volume fraction of ${\delta}$-ferrite is less than 2% in microstructure, it has the isolated island morphology and causes no significant degradation on mechanical properties. For ${\delta}$-ferrite above 2%, it has a polygonal shape affecting the detrimental influence on the mechanical properties. The formation of ${\delta}$-ferrite is affected by two factors: a chemical composition and a welding heat input. The most effective ways to get a fully martensite microstructure are to reduce the chromium equivalent less than 13.5, to keep the difference between the chromium and nickel equivalent less than 8, and to reduce the welding heat input.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.627-641
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• 2014

Functionally graded steels (FGSs) are a family of functionally graded materials (FGMs) consisting of ferrite (${\alpha}$), austenite (${\gamma}$), bainite (${\beta}$) and martensite (M) phases placed on each other in different configurations and produced via electroslag remelting (ESR). In this research, the flow stress of dual layer austenitic-martensitic functionally graded steels under hot deformation loading has been modeled considering the constitutive equations which describe the continuous effect of temperature and strain rate on the flow stress. The mechanism-based strain gradient plasticity theory is used here to determine the position of each layer considering the relationship between the hardness of the layer and the composite dislocation density profile. Then, the released energy of each layer under a specified loading condition (temperature and strain rate) is related to the dislocation density utilizing the mechanism-based strain gradient plasticity theory. The flow stress of the considered FGS is obtained by using the appropriate coefficients in the constitutive equations of each layer. Finally, the theoretical model is compared with the experimental results measured in the temperature range $1000-1200^{\circ}C$ and strain rate 0.01-1 s-1 and a sound agreement is found.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.1251-1260
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• 2019

The water-cooled WCLL blanket is one of the possible candidates for the blanket of the fusion power reactors. The plasma-facing first wall manufactured from the reduced-activation ferritic-martensitic steel Eurofer97 will be cooled with water at a typical pressurized water reactor (PWR) conditions. According to new estimates, the first wall will be exposed to peak heat fluxes up to $7MW/m^2$ while the maximum operated temperature of Eurofer97 is set to $550^{\circ}C$. The performed analysis shows the capability of the designed flat first wall concept to remove heat flux without exceeding the maximum Eurofer97 operating temperature only up to $0.75MW/m^2$. Several heat transfer enhancement methods (turbulator promoters), structural modifications, and variations of parameters were analysed. The effects of particular modifications on the wall temperature were evaluated using thermo-hydraulic three-dimensional numerical simulation. The analysis shows the negligible effect of the turbulators. By the combination of the proposed modifications, the permitted heat flux was increased up to $1.69MW/m^2$ only. The results indicate the necessity of the re-evaluation of the existing first wall concepts.