Abstract
Zirconium alloys are of particular interest for applications within the nuclear industry given their low thermal neutron capture cross-section to strength ratios, adequate corrosion resistance, and high temperature stability. However, zirconium alloys are susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement, which limits the service lives of zirconium alloy components in reactor systems. Hydrogen charging, or hydriding, is a technique used to artificially age ex-service or as-received material to predetermined hydrogen concentrations for material testing on representative specimens. This study presents a thermo-mechanical approach to precision hydriding. Discussion on the development and commissioning of a suitable apparatus, called the Thermomechanical Hydrogen Ingression System (THIS), is provided. Hydriding results from commissioning as well as several repeatability tests are reported, which demonstrate the viability of the technique and equipment.
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