Interpretation of Acoustic Parameters Obtained by EMAR Measurement for Non-destructive Hydrogen Concentration Measurement in Zr Alloy

Abstract

An obvious quantitative relation between hydrogen concentrations in zirconium alloy and acoustic anisotropy parameters obtained by the electromagnetic acoustic resonance (EMAR) method was reported. To elucidate the mechanism, the acoustic parameters were calculated based on the elastic theory and the equation of motion. The acoustic parameters obtained by the EMAR method were interpreted quantitatively using the anisotropic elastic constants of the specimen, and values calculated from texture data for non-hydrogen charged specimens showed good agreement with those obtained by the EMAR method. Calculated temperature dependence of the acoustic anisotropy for the non-hydrogen charged specimen also agreed well with that by the EMAR method. The consistencies demonstrated that the absolute values of the acoustic parameters for non-hydrogen charged specimens can be calculated from both the texture data of (0002) pole figure and the elastic constants of the specimen. Hydrogen addition up to approximately 650 ppm was found not to change the original (0002) pole figure and, correspondingly, no hydrogen concentration dependence of the acoustic parameters was obtained from the calculation. These results implied that the zirconium hydride itself played an important role for the change in the acoustic parameters of the hydrogen charged specimens, and the importance of obtaining the information on the elastic constants of the zirconium hydride was pointed out.