Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Analysis of the behavior of 0Kh16N15M3BR steel BN-600 fuel-element cladding at high burnup

  • Published:
Atomic Energy Aims and scope

Post-reactor investigations have been performed on BN-600 fuel-element cladding, made of 0Kh16N15M3BR steel, after irradiation to maximum burnup of 10% h.a. and higher. It is shown that the highest degradation of the operating properties of the fuel-element cladding is observed in the zone of maximum increase of its diameter and is expressed as total embrittlement of the cladding material and appearance of cracks of substantial depth on the inner surface. The processes resulting in the degradation of the properties of fuel-element cladding are directly related either with swelling or with radiation-induced segregation, occurring in the same temperature range and under the action of the same driving forces as swelling. The most important stresses, from the standpoint of the serviceability of fuel elements, turn out to be those arising in cladding as a result of the gradient of the swelling along the thickness of the cladding. The level of these stresses is also determined by the form of the temperature dependence of the swelling of the steel used for the fuel-element cladding.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. F. G. Reshetnikov, F. M. Mitenkov, and M. F. Troyanov, “Status and prospects for development in the USSR of radiation-resistant structural materials for fast-reactor cores,” At. Énerg., 70, No. 2, 104–107 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  2. F. G. Reshetnikov, “Development of structural materials and problems of increasing FR fuel burn-up,” in: Proc. Intern. Conf. on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles, Kyoto, Japan (1991), Vol. 1, pp. 7.6-1–7.6-7.

  3. S. E. Astashov, E. A. Kozmanov, A. N. Ogorodov, et al., “Shape change of the components of a BN-600 core,” At. Énerg., 75, No. 3, 167–175 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  4. S. I. Porollo, A. N. Vorobyev, V. D. Dmitriev, et al., “Post-irradiation examination of the BN-600 pins,” in: Proc. Intern. Conf. on Fast Reactor Core and Fuel Structural Behavior, UK (1990), pp. 237–241.

    Google Scholar 

  5. V. S. Ageev, N. M. Mitrofanova, M. G. Bogolepov, et al., “Boron microalloying of 0Kh16N15M3B austenitic steel to increase its radiation-resistance,” in: Intern. Conf. on Radiation Materials Science, Alushta (1990), Vol. 3, 27–34.

  6. V. S. Neustroev, V. N. Golovanov, and V. K. Shamardin, “Radiation embrittlement of fuel-assembly materials in the temperature range of maximum swelling,” At. Énerg., 69, No. 4, 223–226 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  7. J. Straalsund and C. Day, “Effect of neutron irradiation on the elastic constants of type 304 stainless steel,” Nucl. Technol., 20, No. 1, 27–34 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  8. R. Schramm and R. Reed, “Stacking fault energies of seven commercial austenitic stainless steels,” Metal. Trans., 6A, 1345–1351 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  9. P. Okamoto and H. Wiedersich, “Segregation of alloying elements to free surfaces during irradiation,” J. Nucl. Mater., 53, 336–346 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. E. Gudremon, Special Steels, Metallurgiya, Moscow (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  11. V. N. Bykov, V. D. Dmitriev, and S. I. Porollo, “Effect of silicon and nitrogen impurities on the microstructure and swelling of neutron-irradiated 0Kh16N15M3B steel,” Fiz. Met. Metalloved., 61, No. 6, 1140–1143 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  12. E. Kenik, T. Inazumi, and G. Bell, “Radiation-induced grain boundary segregation and sensitization of a neutron irradiated austenitic stainless steel,” J. Nucl. Mater., 183, 145–153 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. I. S. Golovnin, Yu. K. Bibilashvili, and T. S. Men’shikova, “Development of fuel elements for fast power reactors,” At. Énerg., 34, No. 3, 147–153 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Yu. I. Likhachev and V. Ya. Pupko, Strength of Fuel Elements of Nuclear Reactors, Atomizdat, Moscow (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Yu. I. Likhachev, V. Ya. Pupko, and V. V. Popov, Methods for Calculating the Strength of Fuel Elements of Power Reactors, Energoatomizdat, Moscow (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  16. J. Foster and A. Boltax, “Observation of swelling-irradiation creep interaction at low values of swelling with CW 316 SS,” J. Nucl. Mater., 183, 115–123 (1991).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. K. Ehrlich, “Deformation behavior of austenitic stainless steels after and during neutron irradiation,” J. Nucl. Mater., 133–134, 119–126 (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Science Center of the Russian Federation – Leipunskii Institute for Physics and Power Engineering (GNTs RF – FEI), Obninsk, Russia

    S. I. Porollo, Yu. V. Konobeev & S. V. Shulepin

Authors
  1. S. I. Porollo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yu. V. Konobeev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. V. Shulepin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 106, No. 4, pp. 188–195, April, 2009.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Porollo, S.I., Konobeev, Y.V. & Shulepin, S.V. Analysis of the behavior of 0Kh16N15M3BR steel BN-600 fuel-element cladding at high burnup. At Energy 106, 238–246 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-009-9158-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-009-9158-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation