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Laboratory Characterization of Zircaloy-4 Water Channel Material

This paper covers testing on irradiated Zircaloy-4 (Zr-4) water channel segments removed from Browns Ferry Unit 3. Methods included tensile testing, scanning electron microscopy, fracture toughness testing, hydrogen determinations, and microstructural characterizations. This testing was performed to assess the impact of hydrogen on the mechanical properties and microstructure of the water channel material. The properties of the irradiated Zr-4 material were then compared to non-irradiated Zr-4 material hydrided to four increasing concentrations of hydrogen.

Product Number: ED22-17383-SG
Author: Cody Williams, James Hyres, Cody Campbell, Kevin Mon, John Beale
Publication Date: 2022
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A Digital Image Correlation system equipped with a high-resolution camera was used to record the tensile tests and determine the true stress/true strain behavior for each specimen. Front and side views were captured simultaneously by placing a reflective surface 45° to the test fixture. The stress/strain curves for the irradiated specimens exhibited a distinctive load drop shortly after yielding, followed by negative strain hardening. The load drop was not observed in the non-irradiated specimens, which exhibited lower strength and higher ductility. The fracture surfaces of irradiated and non-irradiated hydrided tensile specimens were similar. Both exhibited primarily ductile fracture in the bulk material, along with brittle fissures at hydride locations. The fracture toughness results for the irradiated water channel material were generally consistent and ranged from 41 to 47 MPa m. The results of this investigation compare well to literature results, and irradiation appears to be the dominant factor affecting the mechanical properties. Other material attributes will be discussed, including hydride density and orientation, hydrogen concentration, oxide thickness, and ASTM grain size. 

A Digital Image Correlation system equipped with a high-resolution camera was used to record the tensile tests and determine the true stress/true strain behavior for each specimen. Front and side views were captured simultaneously by placing a reflective surface 45° to the test fixture. The stress/strain curves for the irradiated specimens exhibited a distinctive load drop shortly after yielding, followed by negative strain hardening. The load drop was not observed in the non-irradiated specimens, which exhibited lower strength and higher ductility. The fracture surfaces of irradiated and non-irradiated hydrided tensile specimens were similar. Both exhibited primarily ductile fracture in the bulk material, along with brittle fissures at hydride locations. The fracture toughness results for the irradiated water channel material were generally consistent and ranged from 41 to 47 MPa m. The results of this investigation compare well to literature results, and irradiation appears to be the dominant factor affecting the mechanical properties. Other material attributes will be discussed, including hydride density and orientation, hydrogen concentration, oxide thickness, and ASTM grain size.