Scribd
Upload
41 views

11.6 Low Temperature Sensitisation and Low Temperature Embrittlement of Austenitic Stainless Steel at Reactor Operating Conditions: Effect of Residual Strain

This document discusses low temperature sensitization and embrittlement of austenitic stainless steel used in reactor components. It was found that prior cold working increases susceptibility to low temperature sensitization after heat treatment at 500°C for 11 days. Type 304LN stainless steel with 0.15% nitrogen showed higher sensitization than a grade with 0.12% nitrogen. Exposure tests found that sensitized 304 stainless steel cracked, while low temperature treated 304LN did not due to insufficient sensitization. Type 316LN was most resistant to low temperature sensitization.

Uploaded by

江昀宸
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
41 views

11.6 Low Temperature Sensitisation and Low Temperature Embrittlement of Austenitic Stainless Steel at Reactor Operating Conditions: Effect of Residual Strain

This document discusses low temperature sensitization and embrittlement of austenitic stainless steel used in reactor components. It was found that prior cold working increases susceptibility to low temperature sensitization after heat treatment at 500°C for 11 days. Type 304LN stainless steel with 0.15% nitrogen showed higher sensitization than a grade with 0.12% nitrogen. Exposure tests found that sensitized 304 stainless steel cracked, while low temperature treated 304LN did not due to insufficient sensitization. Type 316LN was most resistant to low temperature sensitization.

Uploaded by

江昀宸
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Engineering - Material Research

11.6 LOW TEMPERATURE SENSITISATION AND residual strain of 15-20% in the region between the weld fusion
LOW TEMPERATURE EMBRITTLEMENT OF line and the heat-affected zone (HAZ). Since all the LTS related
AUSTENITIC STAINLESS STEEL AT REACTOR cracking have been in this region, it is pertinent to study the LTS
OPERATING CONDITIONS: EFFECT OF behaviour of stainless steels which are in cold-worked condition.
RESIDUAL STRAIN In a recent work completed last year, it has been shown that cold
work has an important influence on LTS behaviour of stainless
The AHWR is being designed for an operating life of 100 years steels. Types 304/304L/304LN/316L/316LN were used for LTS
with a provision for replacement of components that cannot studies in solution annealed/fabricated conditions with or
last for that long. Major issues in determining the design life are without different degrees of cold rolling. Modes of
the material selection and life prediction of stainless steel deformation/working encountered during fabrication of
recirculation pipelines for the AHWR. Since AHWR will have stainless steel components were also investigated viz. cold
water chemistry similar to BWRs, the issue of Stress Corrosion rolling, bending, machining/grinding, warm working.
Cracking (SCC) of these components has to be addressed. The Degree Of Sensitization (DOS) was measured using
Ensuring absence of sensitisation and Low Temperature electrochemical potentiodynamic reactivation (EPR) technique.
Sensitisation (LTS) over the complete design life of the It was shown that cold worked materials heat-treated at 5000 C
components will ensure freedom from early onset of IGSCC. for 11 days do not always result in LTS but the mechanism changes
However, there is no data to assure that LTS will not take place in to sensitisation with newer chromium rich carbides precipitating
100 years of operation at around 300 C. 0
at grain boundaries. Therefore, extrapolation of the results
obtained at 5000 C to the behaviour at 3000 C (5000 C for 11 days
All the IGSCC failures in recirculation pipelines of BWRs have as equivalent to 3000 C for 100 years) is not valid. It was also
occurred at the heat affected regions of weldment and not shown that type 304 L and 304 stainless steels have a tendency
elsewhere in the base material. It has been shown that there is a to transform into martensite upon cold rolling. The martensite

The effect of prior cold working (15% reduction in thickness) on the


extent of low temperature sensitization (after 500 0 C heat treatment for 11 days) for various austenitic stainless
steels. SS 304LN1 has 0.12% nitrogen and SS 304LN2 has 0.15% nitrogen.

Reactor Technology & Engineering BARC HIGHLIGHTS 179


Engineering - Material Research

The influence of Low Temperature Sensitisation (LTS) on the


Degree Of Sensitisation (DOS) in two grades of 304LN stainless
steels with 0.12 and 0.15 wt.% nitrogen were evaluated. A heat
treatment at 5000 C for 11 days was used to simulate LTS for 100
years at 3000 C. The constant strain samples in annealed, sensitised
and LTS treated conditions were used in the SCC tests. In the first
SCC test the specimens were exposed in a boiling solution of
acidified NaCl as per G 123, ASTM. In the second test, the
specimens were exposed in a recirculating loop in oxygenated
water at 2800 C and 8 MPa for 1000 hours. A similar test was
done with high purity water (specific conductivity
0 . 0 5 5 μS / c m ) . I t w a s s h o w n t h a t 3 0 4 L N w i t h
0.15 wt.% nitrogen is more susceptible to sensitisation and LTS.
For comparison, sensitised 304 samples were also exposed in the
test using high purity water. While the sensitised 304 showed
intergranular cracking (shown in the figure), the DOS developed
in the annealed materials after the LTS treatment was not suffi-
cient to make it susceptible to inter granular stress
corrosion cracking. However, type 316LN stainless steel was
found to be the most resistant grade of stainless steel to LTS.
Even after 20% cold rolling, the 5000 C heating for 11 days could
not increase its DOS.

Complete intergranular cracking of the sensitized type Complete intergranular cracking of the sensitised type
304 stainless steel in 400 hours of exposure to high
304 stainless steel in 400 hours of exposure to high purity water
purity water at 280 0 C. The figure shows (a) intergranular
facets of the fracture surface and (b) secondary at 2800 C. The figure shows (a) intergranular facets of the
intergranular branches emanating fracture surface and (b) secondary intergranular branches
from the main intergranular crack.
emanating from the main intergranular crack.

phase sensitised very fast (in a few minutes) between 300 to


5000 C. This changed the LTS behaviour completely from that of
an all-austenitic stainless steel and is shown in Figure. Similarly,
Vivekanand Kain, <[email protected]>
on samples of type 304 that were bent by 90 0 showed
accelerated LTS kinetics due to retained strain in the material.

180 BARC HIGHLIGHTS Reactor Technology & Engineering

You might also like