On the radiation embrittlement of materials of support structures for WWER RPV. Part 2. Analysis of the completed studies

The features of the radiation embrittlement of materials of support structures for WWER RPV are considered. These features are connected with low irradiation temperature no exceeding 90oC and also with a use of the steels which are usually applied for building of the metal structures and have not a high resistance to the radiation embrittlement. The model for prediction of material radiation embrittlement as function of the neutron fluence and impurity of Cu and P is proposed. An irradiation temperature effect on the different mechanisms resulting in the material radiation embrittlement is considered: materials hardening due to nucleation of point defects and formation of dislocation loops, copper precipitation and materials non-hardening due to phosphorus segregation.

Phosphorus Segregation in Meta-Rapidly Solidified Carbon Steels

Twin-roll strip casters for near-net-shape manufacture of steels have received increased attention in the steel industry. Although negative segregation of phosphorus occurred in twin-roll strip casting (TRSC) steels in our prior work, its mechanism is still unclear. In this work, V-shaped molds were designed and used to simulate a meta-rapid solidification process without roll separating force during twin roll casting of carbon steels. Experimental results show that no obvious phosphorus segregation exist in the V-shaped mold casting (VMC) steels. By comparing TRSC and the VMC, it is proposed that the negative phosphorus segregation during TRSC results from phosphorus redistribution driven by recirculating and vortex flow in the molten pool. Meanwhile, solute atoms near the advancing interface are overtaken and incorporated into the solid because of the high solidification speed. The high rolling force could promote the negative segregation of alloying elements in TRSC.

Kinetics of Phosphorus Segregation in the Grain Boundaries of VVER-1000 Pressure Vessel Steels

Methods of AES quantitative analysis were developed and applied for the determination of element concentrations at the surfaces of brittle fractures along grain boundaries. An attempt was made to take into account the presence of carbide precipitates and cleavage areas in the zone of the Auger analysis of their impact on the results of quantitative measurements. Obtained data were used for evaluation of the phosphorous segregation kinetics. The obtained results are consistent with thermodynamic modeling with CALPHAD method.Kinetics of segregation is analyzed with three models: (1) Langmuir - McLean theory; (2) model akin to kinetics of first order chemical reactions in solids; and (3) the model, which takes into account contribution of fast transport within subgrain networks and slow diffusion through the grain bulk. The two later models are in a good agreement with the experimental results.