Insight on the inconsistencies of Barkhausen signal measurements for radiation damage on nuclear reactor steel

Abstract

This paper focuses on the use of magnetic measurements, using Barkhausen signals to determine the irradiation effects, attempting to predict fracture toughness changes on nuclear reactor structural materials and correlating these measurements to mechanical testing and microstructure. For this study, two types of nuclear reactor materials were investigated: one sensitive to irradiation effects, the JRQ IAEA's reference material (A533B- -type); and one resistant material, 15KH2MFA WWER's reactor pressure vessel steel. The samples were carefully identified within the original heat block, i.e. forged or rolled plate. These calibrated samples were irradiated at different neutron fluences up to 1023 n/m2. We show how microstructural anisotropy can mask the irradiation effects in the magnetic measurements. A correlation between irradiation effects and the magnetic measurements is explained based on this study.