Hastelloy-X for High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor Applications

Abstract

Hastelloy-X is a potential structural material for use in gas-cooled reactor systems. In this application, data are necessary on the mechanical properties of base metal and weldments under realistic service conditions. The test environment studied was helium that contained small amounts of H/sub 2/, CH/sub 4/, and CO. This environment was found to be carburizing, with the kinetics of this process becoming rapid above 800/sup 0/C. Suitable weldments of Hastelloy-X were prepared by several processes; those weldments generally had the same properties as base metal except for lower fracture strains under some conditions. Some samples were aged for up to 20 000 h in the test gas and tested, and some creep tests on as-received material exceeded 40 000 h. The predominant effects of aging were the significant reduction in the fracture strains at ambient temperature and the lower strains for samples aged in high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) helium than for those aged in inert gas. Under some conditions, aging also resulted in increased yield and ultimate tensile strength. Creep tests failed to show the effects of environment, aging, or welding on the creep strength of Hastelloy-X; however, the fracture strains for weldments were generally lower than they were formore » base metal. Prior aging in inert gas for 20 000 h at 538 and 871/sup 0/C reduced the fatigue life slightly, but no difference was observed in the fatigue properties of samples aged in air and HTGR helium environments.« less