鋳造2相ステンレス鋼の熱時効に伴うフェライト相のCr濃度変調による熱起電力の変化

Abstract

Cast duplex stainless steel is frequently used in main coolant pipes of PWR (Pressurized water reactor) type nuclear power plants because of its excellent material strength, toughness and superior corrosion resistance. However, it is known that Cr concentration fluctuation in ferrite phase occurs due to thermal aging when this material is exposed to temperature over 300°C. As a result, the toughness decreases. In previous studies, it has been shown that thermoelectric power (TEP) is an effective parameter in non-destructive evaluation for thermal aging of cast duplex stainless steel. In this study, mechanisms of increase in TEP due to Cr concentration fluctuation caused by thermal aging were investigated. Referring to Cr concentration fluctuation in ferrite phase of thermal aged cast duplex stainless steel measured by 3D-atom prove, Fe-Cr-Ni alloys with different Cr concentrations, which represented local area Cr fluctuated, were prepared. Then, TEP, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity of the alloys were measured, and the relationships between these values and Cr concentration were determined. Using the relationships and the Cr concentration fluctuations, TEP of thermal aged cast duplex steel were composed in the case when each Cr-fluctuated area acted in series connection and in parallel connection. Then, the changes in TEP due to thermal aging were simulated, and compared with that in experimentally measured TEP. As a result, recurrence curves of Cr concentration to TEP, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity were downward convex parabolas. Therefore, it was found that, by means of creation of high and low Cr area in ferrite phase due to thermal aging, TEP, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity of the whole material increased. When each Cr fluctuated area acted in parallel connections, increase in TEP due to thermal aging became larger and the change in the composed TEP came close to that in the experimentally measured TEP.