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SciFed Materials Research Letters
Evgenii Krasikov, SF J Mat Res Let, 2017, 1:1
Interaction of Hydrogen with Radiation Defects and Grain-Boundary
Segregants in Irradiated Steel
*Evgenii Krasikov
*National Research Centre «Kurchatov Institute» 1, Kurchatov Sq., Moscow 123182, Russia
It is known that in traditional power engineering
hydrogen may be one of the first primary sources of
equipment damage [1]. This problem has high actuality
for both nuclear and thermonuclear power engineering
[2]. Particularly reactor pressure vessels (RPV) of the
WWER-440/230 project were manufactured without
stainless cladding that is in contact with primary circuit
water and accessible for hydrogen as a product of RPV
wall corrosion.
Environmentally induced cracking in the stainless
steel corrosion-preventing cladding of reactor pressure
vessels has been recognized to be one of the technical
problems in the maintenance of light-water reactors.
Therefore, in the case of cladding failure, the problem
arises of hydrogen (as a corrosion product) embrittlement
of irradiated steel because of exposure to the coolant.
The effects of neutron fluence and irradiation
temperature on steel/hydrogen interactions (adsorption,
desorption, diffusion, mechanical properties at different
loading velocities, post-irradiation annealing) were
studied. Experiments clearly reveal that the higher
the neutron fluence and the lower the irradiation
temperature, the more hydrogen-radiation defects occur,
with corresponding effects on the RPV steel mechanical
properties [3]. Hydrogen concentration was determined by
thermal degassing method at temperatures up to 1000°C
with gas chromatograph (thermal conductivity detector)
registration of gas released.
It was determined at several experiments in I.V.
Kurchatov Institute that for steel specimens irradiated
at relatively low (100-140°C) temperatures in sealed
ampoules filled with argon hydrogen content was many
times higher relatively initial content.
Analysis of the combined radiation-hydrogenation
embrittlement of the 48TS type vessel steel was performed
in [3] where at the mention of the American [4] and own
data question concerning unknown source of hydrogen
in metal that was irradiated in nuclear reactor in hermetic
ampoules (was named as “irradiation-produced hydrogen”
(IPH) was raised.
Ageing of the irradiated steel during 48 hours
revealed that IPH is not diffusible up to irradiation
temperature attaining that is IRH are in the irradiation
produced traps.
 Laterdataappearоnunexpectedlyhighhydrogen
concentrations in stainless steels irradiated in BWR
type reactors [5] and high generations of hydrogen and
helium in nickel [6]. Then unexpectedly high hydrogen
concentrations were also detected in irradiated graphite
[7].
It is necessary to look for enigmatic source of
hydrogen especially because in frame of inspections
numerous flows were detected in the forged rings of the
reactor pressure vessels in the Belgian nuclear power
plants Doel 3 and Tihange 2 [8, 9]. The owner Electrabel
claimed that flaws were “most likely” hydrogen flakes.
In this context radiation-stimulated diffusion of the
impurity elements such as phosphorus, tin, antimony and
so on with time May takes place and result in intergranular
segregations on the former austenite grain boundaries.
Interaction hydrogen-grain-boundary segregants have to be
taking into account as potential cause of the intergranular
hydrogen embrittlement in reactor pressure vessel
materials. Set of reconnaissance search was undertaken to
study the consequence of the model metal and RPV steel
hydrogenation. We attribute the deterioration of the metal
*Corresponding author: Evgenii Krasikov, National Research Centre
«Kurchatov Institute» 1, Kurchatov Sq., Moscow 123182, Russia. E-mail:
ekrasikov@mail.ru
Received May 23, 2017; Accepted June 17, 2017; Published July 26, 2017
Citation: Evgenii Krasikov (2017) Interaction of Hydrogen with Radiation
Defects and Grain-Boundary Segregants in Irradiated Steel. SF J Mat Res Let
1:1.
Copyright: © 2017 Evgenii Krasikov. This is an open-access article
distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use, dist ribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original author and source are credited.
page 2 of 2ISSN:XXXX-XXXX SFMRL , an open access journal
Volume 1 · Issue 1 · 1000003SF J Mat Res Let
Citation: Evgenii Krasikov (2017) Interaction of Hydrogen with Radiation Defects and Grain-Boundary Segregants in Irradiated Steel. SF J Mat Res Let
1:1.
properties to the specific hydrogen-induced intergranular
embrittlement where hydrogen with time becomes one of
the segregants that at long-term period of the RPV ageing
can severely reduce the mechanical properties of the steel.
As a possible initial hypothesis about the enigmatical
source of hydrogen one can propose protons generation
during beta-decay of free neutrons inasmuch as protons
detected by researches at nuclear reactors as witness of
beta-decay of free neutrons (lifetime ~15 min.) [10].
Keywords
Nuclear reactor; Steel; Graphite; Source of
Hydrogen; Beta-decay
References
1. AB Vainman (1990) Hydrogen embrittlement of the
high pressure vessels Kiev Naukova dumka (In Russian).
2. NN Alekseenko (1997) Radiation Damage of Nuclear
Power Plant Pressure Vessel Steels ANS 97.
3. EA Krasikov (1974) Investigation of hydrogen
embrittlement and hydrogen diffusion in irradiated steel
Ph.DThesisМoscow(InRussian).
4. CR Brinkmann (1970) Effects of Hydrogen on the
Ductile Properties of Irradiated Pressure Vessel Steels
Report IN-1359 NRTS Idaho Falls.
5. AI Jacobs (1987) Hydrogen buildup in Irradiated Type-
304 Stainless Steel ASTM STP 956 FA Garner N Igata Eds
ASTM Philadelphia 239-244.
6. LR Greenwood, FA Garner, DM Oliver (2004)
Surprisingly Large Generation and Retention of
Helium and Hydrogen in Pure Nickel Journal of ASTM
International 529-539.
7. AB Biriukov, EA. Krasikov (1998) Impact of neutron
irradiation on graphite dehydrogenations VANT ser
Thermonuclear fusion 3-8.
8. I Tweer (2015-2016) Flawed Reactor Pressure Vessels
in the Belgian NPPS Doel 3 and Tihange 2 Comments on
the FANC Final Evaluation Report.
9. ORNL (2015) Evaluating of Electrabel Safety Cases for
Doel 3/Tihange 2: Final Report (R1).
10. YA Mostoyoi (1996) Neutron yesterday today
tomorrow Successes of physics (UFN) 987-1022.
Citation: Evgenii Krasikov (2017) Interaction of Hydrogen with Radiation
Defects and Grain-Boundary Segregants in Irradiated Steel. SF J Mat Res
Let 1:1.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
Hydrogen embrittlement of the high pressure vessels Kiev Naukova dumka
  • Ab Vainman
AB Vainman (1990) Hydrogen embrittlement of the high pressure vessels Kiev Naukova dumka (In Russian).
Radiation Damage of Nuclear Power Plant Pressure Vessel Steels ANS 97
  • Nn Alekseenko
NN Alekseenko (1997) Radiation Damage of Nuclear Power Plant Pressure Vessel Steels ANS 97.
Investigation of hydrogen embrittlement and hydrogen diffusion in irradiated steel Ph
  • Ea Krasikov
EA Krasikov (1974) Investigation of hydrogen embrittlement and hydrogen diffusion in irradiated steel Ph.D Thesis Мoscow (In Russian).
Impact of neutron irradiation on graphite dehydrogenations VANT ser Thermonuclear fusion
  • E A Ab Biriukov
  • Krasikov
AB Biriukov, EA. Krasikov (1998) Impact of neutron irradiation on graphite dehydrogenations VANT ser Thermonuclear fusion 3-8.
Flawed Reactor Pressure Vessels in the Belgian NPPS Doel 3 and Tihange 2 Comments on the FANC Final Evaluation Report
  • I Tweer
I Tweer (2015-2016) Flawed Reactor Pressure Vessels in the Belgian NPPS Doel 3 and Tihange 2 Comments on the FANC Final Evaluation Report. 9. ORNL (2015) Evaluating of Electrabel Safety Cases for Doel 3/Tihange 2: Final Report (R1).
Citation: Evgenii Krasikov (2017) Interaction of Hydrogen with Radiation Defects and Grain-Boundary Segregants in Irradiated Steel
  • Ya Mostoyoi
YA Mostoyoi (1996) Neutron yesterday today tomorrow Successes of physics (UFN) 987-1022. Citation: Evgenii Krasikov (2017) Interaction of Hydrogen with Radiation Defects and Grain-Boundary Segregants in Irradiated Steel. SF J Mat Res Let 1:1.
Evaluating of Electrabel Safety Cases for Doel 3/Tihange 2: Final Report (R1)
ORNL (2015) Evaluating of Electrabel Safety Cases for Doel 3/Tihange 2: Final Report (R1).