[go: up one dir, main page]

US3853700A - Carbon-trap alloys for liquid sodium - Google Patents

Carbon-trap alloys for liquid sodium Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3853700A
US3853700A US00412395A US41239573A US3853700A US 3853700 A US3853700 A US 3853700A US 00412395 A US00412395 A US 00412395A US 41239573 A US41239573 A US 41239573A US 3853700 A US3853700 A US 3853700A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
carbon
alloys
alloy
trapping
consisting essentially
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00412395A
Inventor
J Armijo
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US00412395A priority Critical patent/US3853700A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3853700A publication Critical patent/US3853700A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G21NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING
    • G21CNUCLEAR REACTORS
    • G21C19/00Arrangements for treating, for handling, or for facilitating the handling of, fuel or other materials which are used within the reactor, e.g. within its pressure vessel
    • G21C19/28Arrangements for introducing fluent material into the reactor core; Arrangements for removing fluent material from the reactor core
    • G21C19/30Arrangements for introducing fluent material into the reactor core; Arrangements for removing fluent material from the reactor core with continuous purification of circulating fluent material, e.g. by extraction of fission products deterioration or corrosion products, impurities, e.g. by cold traps
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E30/00Energy generation of nuclear origin
    • Y02E30/30Nuclear fission reactors

Definitions

  • the invention described herein consists of a series of alloys in which carbon diffusion is significantly faster than in austenitic stainless steels, and which contain active carbide formers.
  • These novel alloy binary alloys consist ofiron (Fe) and selected amounts of either titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), or manganese (Mn).
  • These alloys are solid solutions in which the carbide forming elements (Ti, V, Mn) are uniformly distributed on an atomic scale.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide alloys in which carbon diffusion is faster than in austenitic stainless steels, and which contain active carbide formers for trapping carbon being transported in liquid sodium.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide special alloys which serve to trap carbon contained in liquid sodium coolant and are solid solutions in which the carbide forming elements are uniformly distributed on an atomic scale.
  • the invention comprises special alloys in which carbon diffusion is about 10 times faster than in austenitic stainless steels, and which contain active carbide formers. Such alloys are particularly useful in liquid metal cooled reactors to protect components, such as heat exchangers, from damage due to carburization during sodium circulation. These novel alloys possess the optimum kinetic and thermodynamic properties which can make them efficient carbon traps for full-flow sodium service in a nuclear reactor, because they do not require heating above normal operating temperatures for efficient carbon trapping.
  • liquid sodium coolant in nuclear reactors such as the LMFBR
  • the present invention provides carbon trapping alloys which are more active as a carbide former than stainless steel, and thus remove the carbon from the sodium coolant far more rapidly than the stainless steel, thereby effectively protecting reactor components, such as the IHX, from damage due to carburization during sodium service.
  • Thespecial binary alloys constituting the invention comprise the following for compositions; v
  • a material for trapping carbon and thereby preventing damage to components due to carburization comprising a binary alloy in which carbon diffusion is faster than in austenitic steels and which contains an active carbide former, said binary alloy consisting essentially of Fe and a second element selected from the group consisting of 0.5 to 30 wt.'% Ti, 0.5 to 25 wt.% V, and 0.5 to 5 wt.% Mn.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
  • Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)

Abstract

Special binary alloys (Fe-Ti, Fe-V, Fe-Mn) possess the optimum kinetic and thermodynamic properties which make them efficient carbon traps for full-flow liquid sodium cooled system, and thus can be effectively utilized to protect heat exchangers from damage due to carburization during sodium circulation. These alloys do not require heating above normal operating temperatures, for efficient carbon trapping.

Description

United States atent [1 1 Armijo Dec. 10, 1974 CARBON-TRAP ALLOYS FOR LIQUID SODIUM [76] Inventor: Joseph S. Armijo, 19310 Portos Ct.,
Saratoga, Calif. 95070 [22] Filed: Nov. 2, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 412,395
[52] US. Cl. 176/38, 75/123 M, 75/123 N, 75/123 J [51] Int. Cl G2lc 15/02 [58] Field of Search 75/123 M, 123 N, 123 J; 176/37, 38
[56] References Cited OTHER PUBLICATIONS Hansen, Constitution of Binary Alloys,pp. 223-227, 1958.
Comstock, Titanium in Iron and Steel," pp. 163-165, 1955.
Primary Examiner-L. Dewayne Rutledge Assistant Examiner-Arthur J. Steiner Attorney, Agent, or FirmJohn A. Horan; Frederick A. Robertson; L. E. Carnahan 5 7 ABSTRACT 4 Claims, N0 Drawings CARBON-TRAP ALLOYS FOR LIQUID SODIUM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION embrittle the IHX material and degrade its thermal conductivity.
One prior known method for routine or emergency control of carbon is with a bypass carbon trap, wherein the sodium coolant is at least partially circulated through a carbon trapping mechanism. The problem with carbon trapping is that any efficient device must be as active or more active a carbide former as stainless steel, and must remove the carbon from the coolant far more rapidly than the stainless steel of the IHX or other component.
Previous attempts to make carbon traps have not been efficient because an inadequate material was used as the carbon trap. For example, Type 304 austenitic stainless steel has been used as a carbon trap material in sodium cooled systems. However, this material will not operate efficiently as a carbon trap unless it is heated to temperatures substantially higher than the bulk sodium. The same problems are associated with pure titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), or niobium (Nb) metals which have also been previously used as carbon traps.
Previous carbon trap metals and alloys have failed for kinetic reasons, i.e., the carbon must diffuse slowly through an austenitic or a carbide crystal structure. This slow diffusion limits the rate of carbon pickup from the stream of liquid sodium coolant. Thus, with increased use of liquid metal sodium as a coolant, a need exists for a simple yet effective method of controlling carbon transport from one component to another via the coolant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention described herein consists of a series of alloys in which carbon diffusion is significantly faster than in austenitic stainless steels, and which contain active carbide formers. These novel alloy binary alloys consist ofiron (Fe) and selected amounts of either titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), or manganese (Mn). These alloys are solid solutions in which the carbide forming elements (Ti, V, Mn) are uniformly distributed on an atomic scale.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide carbon trap alloys for liquid metal coolant.
A further object of the invention is to provide alloys in which carbon diffusion is faster than in austenitic stainless steels, and which contain active carbide formers for trapping carbon being transported in liquid sodium.
Another object of the invention is to provide special alloys which serve to trap carbon contained in liquid sodium coolant and are solid solutions in which the carbide forming elements are uniformly distributed on an atomic scale.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises special alloys in which carbon diffusion is about 10 times faster than in austenitic stainless steels, and which contain active carbide formers. Such alloys are particularly useful in liquid metal cooled reactors to protect components, such as heat exchangers, from damage due to carburization during sodium circulation. These novel alloys possess the optimum kinetic and thermodynamic properties which can make them efficient carbon traps for full-flow sodium service in a nuclear reactor, because they do not require heating above normal operating temperatures for efficient carbon trapping.
As pointed out above, liquid sodium coolant in nuclear reactors, such as the LMFBR, will transport carbon from the austenitic stainless steel core and the ferritic steel steam generator to austenitic stainless steel components, such as the intermediate heat exchanger (IHX), causing embrittlement thereof and degrading of its thermal conductivity. The present invention provides carbon trapping alloys which are more active as a carbide former than stainless steel, and thus remove the carbon from the sodium coolant far more rapidly than the stainless steel, thereby effectively protecting reactor components, such as the IHX, from damage due to carburization during sodium service.
Thespecial binary alloys constituting the invention comprise the following for compositions; v
1. Iron (Fe) plus 0.5 to 30 wt.% titanium (Ti) 2. Iron (Fe) plus 0.5 to 25 wt.% vanadium (V) 3. Iron (Fe) plus 0.5 to 5 wt.% manganese (Mn) Each of the above alloys are solid solutions in which the carbide forming elements (Ti, V, and Mn) are uniformly distributed on an atomic scale. The crystal structure of each of these alloys (b.cc) is such, that their rate of carbon pickup will be about l0 times faster than the rate of carbon pickup by an austenitic (f.c.c.) stainless steel such as Type 304. Further, since the activity of carbon is defined by the carbide forming elements, these alloys are as active carbide formers as stainless steels. Finally, since these are binary alloys the trapping of carbon will produce a two-phase moving boundary layer in which carbide particles will be uniformly distributed in a b.cc matrix. Therefore, a carbon trap, utilizing these alloys will not plug up by forming a continuous carbide layer.
Experiments conducted to varify the inventive concept show, for example, that the Fe-9 Ti alloy is approximately ten (10) times more effective in trapping carbon than stainless steel, and that Fe-Cr alloys are ineffective. These test results are set forth in greater detailing in U.S.A.E.C. Report GEAP-l39l9-3 generated under the above-identified contract with the Atomic Energy Commission.
Ithas thus been shown that with the binary alloys of this invention, efficient carbon traps for primary or secondary liquid sodium systems can be provided, thereby overcoming the problems of the prior known carbon traps, and thus substantially advancing the state of the art relating to carbon trapping.
While particular binary alloys have been described,
modifications might be accomplished by those skilled in the art, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as come within the spirit and scope of the invention.
What I claim is:
1. In a sodium cooled nuclear reactor containing austenitic stainless steel components subject to damage due to carburization during sodium circulation, a material for trapping carbon and thereby preventing damage to components due to carburization comprising a binary alloy in which carbon diffusion is faster than in austenitic steels and which contains an active carbide former, said binary alloy consisting essentially of Fe and a second element selected from the group consisting of 0.5 to 30 wt.'% Ti, 0.5 to 25 wt.% V, and 0.5 to 5 wt.% Mn.
2. The material for trapping carbon defined in claim I, wherein said alloy is consisting essentially of Fe 0.5 to 30 wt.% Ti.
3. The material for trapping carbon defined in claim 1, wherein said alloy is consisting essentially of Fe 0.5 to 25 wt.% V.
4. The material for trapping carbon defined in claim 1, wherein said alloy is consisting essentially of Fe 0.5 to 5 wt.% Mn.

Claims (4)

1. IN A SODIUM NUCLEAR REACTOR CONTAINING AUSTENITIC STAINLESS STEEL COMPONENTS SUBJECT TO DAMAGE DUE TO CARBURIZATION DURING SODIUM CIRCULATION, A METAL FOR TRAPPING CRBON AND THEREBY PREVENTING DAMAGE TO COMPONENTS DUE TO CARBURIZATION COMPRISING A BINARY ALLOY IN WHICH CARBON DIFFUSION IS FASTER THAN IN AUSTENITIC STEELS AND WHICH CONTAINS AN ACTIVE CARBIDE FORMER, SAID BINARY ALLOY CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF FE AND A SECOND ELEMENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF 0.5 TO 30 WT,% V, AND 0.5 TO 5 WT.% MN. AND RECEIVING THEREIN SAID FUEL ELEMENTS TO MAINTAIN THEM IN A VERTICALLY EXTENDING POSITION BETWEEN END FITTINGS; MEANS ASSOICATED WITH SAID UPPER CORE ALIGNMENT STRUCTURE AND SAID UPPER END FITTINGS FOR LATERALLY RESTRAINING EACH OF SAID FUEL ASSEMBLIES WHILE ALLOWING LIMITED AXIAL MOVEMENT THEREOF: A PLURALIGY OF ALIIGNMENT POSTS AFFIXED TO EACH OF SAID LOWER END FITTINGS AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM; A POST ENGAGING MEANS, ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID ALIGNMENT POSTS, AFFIXED TO AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID LOWER CORE SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR SLIDABLE RECEIVING AND LATERALLY RESTRAINING SAID ALIGNMENT POSTS, SAID POST ENGAGING MEANS INCLUDING A SPRING CONTAINMENT SECTION HAVING SPRING RETAINING MEANS AT ITS LOWER END AND MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING DOWNWARD FORCE ON SAID SPRING RETAINING MEANS TO SAID LOWER CORE SUPPORT STRUCTURE; AND COIL SPRING MEANS IN PARTIAL COMPRESSION DISPOSED WITHIN SAID SPRING RECEIVING SECTION, REACTING DOWNWARDLY AGAINST SAID LOWER CORE SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND REACTING UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID LOWER END FITTINGS TO URGE SAID FUEL ASSEMBLIES IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID UPPER CORE ALIGNMENT STRUCTURE.
2. The material for trapping carbon defined in claim 1, wherein said alloy is consisting essentially of Fe + 0.5 to 30 wt.% Ti.
3. The material for trapping carbon defined in claim 1, wherein said alloy is consisting essentially of Fe + 0.5 to 25 wt.% V.
4. The material for trapping carbon defined in claim 1, wherein said alloy is consisting essentially of Fe + 0.5 to 5 wt.% Mn.
US00412395A 1973-11-02 1973-11-02 Carbon-trap alloys for liquid sodium Expired - Lifetime US3853700A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00412395A US3853700A (en) 1973-11-02 1973-11-02 Carbon-trap alloys for liquid sodium

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00412395A US3853700A (en) 1973-11-02 1973-11-02 Carbon-trap alloys for liquid sodium

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3853700A true US3853700A (en) 1974-12-10

Family

ID=23632796

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00412395A Expired - Lifetime US3853700A (en) 1973-11-02 1973-11-02 Carbon-trap alloys for liquid sodium

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (1) US3853700A (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4111689A (en) * 1976-02-09 1978-09-05 Franklin Baumgartner Method of storing hydrogen
US4830816A (en) * 1987-10-13 1989-05-16 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Getter trap for removing hydrogen and oxygen from a liquid metal
US4840845A (en) * 1986-06-06 1989-06-20 Nec Corporation Magnetic recording medium having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy
US7547358B1 (en) 2008-03-03 2009-06-16 Shapiro Zalman M System and method for diamond deposition using a liquid-solvent carbon-transfer mechanism

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Comstock, Titanium in Iron and Steel, pp. 163 165, 1955. *
Hansen, Constitution of Binary Alloys, pp. 223 227, 1958. *

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4111689A (en) * 1976-02-09 1978-09-05 Franklin Baumgartner Method of storing hydrogen
US4840845A (en) * 1986-06-06 1989-06-20 Nec Corporation Magnetic recording medium having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy
US4830816A (en) * 1987-10-13 1989-05-16 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Getter trap for removing hydrogen and oxygen from a liquid metal
US7547358B1 (en) 2008-03-03 2009-06-16 Shapiro Zalman M System and method for diamond deposition using a liquid-solvent carbon-transfer mechanism
US20090255457A1 (en) * 2008-03-03 2009-10-15 Shapiro Zalman M System and method for epitaxial deposition of a crystal using a liquid-solvent fluidized-bed mechanism
US7922815B2 (en) 2008-03-03 2011-04-12 Shapiro Zalman M System and method for epitaxial deposition of a crystal using a liquid-solvent fluidized-bed mechanism
US20110185964A1 (en) * 2008-03-03 2011-08-04 Shapiro Zalman M Method and system for diamond deposition using a liquid-solvent carbon-tranfser mechanism
US8088221B2 (en) 2008-03-03 2012-01-03 Shapiro Zalman M Method and system for diamond deposition using a liquid-solvent carbon-tranfser mechanism

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
Conn et al. Lower activation materials and magnetic fusion reactors
Conn First wall and divertor plate material selection in fusion reactors
Piet et al. Initial integration of accident safety, waste management, recycling, effluent, and maintenance considerations for low-activation materials
Slugen Safety of VVER-440 reactors: barriers against fission products release
US3853700A (en) Carbon-trap alloys for liquid sodium
US3563728A (en) Austenitic stainless steels for use in nuclear reactors
Smith et al. Fusion reactor blanket/shield design study
Vreeland et al. Corrosion of carbon steel and other steels in simulated boiling-water reactor environment: phase II
Fujita et al. Stress corrosion cracking of sensitized type 304 stainless steel in high temperature water under gamma ray irradiation
US3663366A (en) Shroud for a fuel assembly in a nuclear reactor
Smith Blanket materials for DT fusion reactors
Armijo Carbon-trap alloys for liquid sodium
DS Research and development of iron-based alloys for nuclear technology
LeSurf¹ Zirconium Alloy
EP0360240B1 (en) Method of restraining diffusion of tritium and apparatus for same
US5680424A (en) PWR radial reflector
Harinath et al. Structural Materials for Molten Salt Reactors
Bloom et al. Structural materials for fusion reactor blanket systems
Mattas et al. Materials issues in the design of the ITER first wall, blanket, and divertor
Thomas et al. The Corrosion and Compatibility of Vanadium Alloys for Fuel-Element Cladding
Edison et al. Vanadium Alloys vs Stainless Steel for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor Cladding
Merola et al. The design of low-activation steels for a fusion reactor first wall: A proposal for a new austenitic alloy
US3219541A (en) Method of preventing carburization of fuel element cladding metals by uranium carbide fuels
Crocker et al. Safety and environmental issues of fusion reactors
Doran et al. Reduced activation alloy development for fusion