EDN: TXJAVN
Authors & Affiliations
Seltsova D.V., Ponimash A.V., Orlov Yu.A.
A.I. Leypunsky Institute for Physics and Power Engineering, Obninsk, Russia
Seltsova D.V. – Research Engineer. Contacts: 1, pl. Bondarenko, Obninsk, Kaluga region, Russia, 249033. Tel.: +7 (987) 671-81-73; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Ponimash A.V. – Engineer.
Orlov Yu.A. – Junior Researcher.
Abstract
Welded joints of EP823-Sh ferritic-martensitic steel and EP302M-Sh austenitic steel, both are candidate structural materials for nuclear reactors with a heavy liquid metal coolant, have been fabricated using the manual argon arc welding method. The welding parameters used have allowed the production of high-quality welded joints that meet the requirements of regulatory documentation.
Optical microscopy has been conducted for samples of the welded joints subjected or not subjected to the heat treatment similar to the standard tempering of EP823-Sh steel. It has bee found that the width and microhardness of the hardening zone in the EP823-Sh steel region adjacent to the weld are significantly narrower and lower for the heat-treated sample as compared to the non-heat-treated sample.
The elemental composition of various regions of the non-heat-treated welded joint has been examined using SEM and EMPA methods. It has been found that the element distributions in the central region of the weld are uniform, and the elemental composition is close to the elemental composition of the Sv-04Cr19Ni11Mo3 filler wire material. According to the DeLong diagram, the elemental composition of the welds corresponds to austenitic-ferritic structure.
Cracks, cavities, and other defects have not been found in the welded joints. Pores in the weld are not larger than 4 μm in size. Silicon and chromium retained in the weld, which is promising for satisfactory corrosion resistance of welded joints in heavy liquid metal coolants at temperatures above 500 °C.
Keywords
ferrite-martensitic steel, austenitic steel, welded joint of dissimilar steels, manual argon arc welding, heavy liquid metal coolant, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, microprobe analysis, corrosion resistance
Article Text (PDF, in Russian)
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UDC 621.039.548.34
Problems of Atomic Science and Technology. Series: Nuclear and Reactor Constants, 2025, no. 3, 3:11
