Designing a high Si reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel for nuclear power generation by using Calphad method

A high Si reduced activation ferritic/martensitic(RAFM) steel for nuclear structure application is successfully designed by using Calphad method. The main designed chemical composition is C 0.18–0.22%, Cr10.0–10.5%, W 1.0–1.5%, Si 1.0–1.3%, V+Ta 0.30–0.45%, and Fe in balance. High Si design brings excellent corrosion resistance, while low activation is advantageous in the nuclear waste processing. The experimental results indicate that the newly designed high Si RAFM steel had full martensitic structure and uniformly distributed fine second phase particles, and exhibited excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. Compared to the P91 steel, this new RAFM steel designed by Calphad method is expected to be a promising candidate used in nuclear power generation, which also provides a new and effective approach to the development of RAFM steel for nuclear application.

Oxidation behavior of ferritic/martensitic steels in flowing supercritical water

The oxidation behavior of two Ferritic/Martensitic(F/M)steels including novel SIMP steel and commercial P91 steel were investigated by exposure to flowing deaerated supercritical water(SCW)at 700℃for up to 1000 h.The kinetic weight gain curves follow parabolic and near-cubic rate equations for SIMP and P91 steels,respectively.X-Ray Diffraction analysis showed the presence of magnetite and a spinel phase in flowing SCW for both steels.The morphology and structure of the oxide scales formed on these two steels were analyzed.The relationship between the microstructure and oxidation behavior and the reason that SIMP steel showed better oxidation resistance than P91 steel were discussed.

On Laves phase in a 9Cr3W3CoB martensitic heat resistant steel when aged at high temperatures

9Cr3W3 CoB steels are developed to serve at the temperature range of 620-650℃,and have been recognized as the most promising martensitic heat-resistant steels for supercritical power plants.Due to the high W and Co contents,the Fe_(2)W Laves phase in such 9Cr3W3 CoB steel possesses some specialties in thermodynamics.In the present research,it was found that even when aged at 800℃in the 9Cr3W3 CoB steel,instead of dissolving,Laves phase formed after 50 h and kept on increasing in size and number density until 1000 h,indicating that the Laves phase was marching for the thermodynamic equilibrium during aging.In this thermodynamic process,the W-rich M_(3)B_(2)borides in as-received steel and M23C6 carbides were revealed to dissolve,supporting the growth of Laves phase.SEM investigation indicates that Laves phase tended to form clusters,and finally grow as a unit bulk Laves phase with an irregular shape.Besides,Laves phase nucleated next to M23C6 carbides and enwrapped them inside at 800℃.In addition,the growth processes of Laves phase and M23C6 carbides were a competitive procedure,the coarsening of M23C6 carbides was prior to the growth of Laves phase at 750℃while the growth of Laves phase was prior to the coarsening of M23C6 carbides at 800℃.