Method for manufacturing a nuclear reactor component and nuclear reactor component thus obtained

A controlled annealing process for nickel-based alloy components increases the β-phase content to enhance resistance to stress corrosion cracking in nuclear reactors, maintaining mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy.

FR3150816B1Active Publication Date: 2026-04-10FRAMATOME SA
0 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
FR2023007289
Authority / Receiving Office
FR · FR
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-07-07
Publication Date
2026-04-10
Estimated Expiration
2043-07-07

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Nuclear reactor components, particularly those of nuclear fuel assemblies, face challenges with environmentally assisted cracking, specifically stress corrosion cracking, due to the harsh conditions in light water reactors, and existing treatments to mitigate this issue often compromise mechanical properties.

Method used

A manufacturing process for nickel-based alloy components, such as INCONEL® 718, involves a desensitizing annealing step at controlled temperatures and durations to increase the β-phase content in the microstructure, followed by shaping, which enhances resistance to stress corrosion cracking while maintaining mechanical properties.

Benefits of technology

The process results in components with improved resistance to environmentally assisted cracking, retaining high ductility and dimensional accuracy, and maintains mechanical properties comparable to conventional treatments, even under extreme reactor conditions.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

Manufacturing process for a nuclear reactor component and nuclear reactor component thus obtained. The manufacturing process includes obtaining a nickel-based alloy strip with the following composition, in weight percentages: traces ≤ C ≤ 0.08%; traces ≤ Mn ≤ 0.35%; traces ≤ Si ≤ 0.35%; traces ≤ P ≤ 0.015%; traces ≤ S ≤ 0.015%; 17.0% ≤ Cr ≤ 21.0%; traces ≤ Co ≤ 1.0%; 2.80% ≤ Mo ≤ 3.30%; 4.75% ≤ Nb + Ta ≤ 5.50%; 0.65% ≤ Ti ≤ 1.15%; 0.20% ≤ Al ≤ 0.80%; traces ≤ Cu ≤ 0.30%; 50.0% ≤ Ni ≤ 55.0%; traces ≤ B ≤ 0.006%; the remainder being Fe and impurities resulting from the processing, desensitization annealing is carried out in a static furnace at an annealing temperature of 900°C or higher and / or 1050°C or lower for an annealing time of 1 min or higher and / or 180 min or lower. Figure for the abbreviation: Figure 1
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art