Preparation of vessel for the PTSE-2 experiment

An attempt was made to obtain, by means of a sole source contract, a material having both a low-upper-shelf Charpy energy and a relatively high transition temperature to apply to the PTSE-2 experiment. It is believed that the technology developed for the V-8 vessel repair and the PTSE-0 and PTSE-1 insert preparation and characterization would be applicable in large degree to the PTSE-2 experiment with only minor adjustments to obtain the properties desired. A specification was prepared for competitive bidding that permitted a wide latitude of insert materials in the PTSE-2 experiments with two principal provisions: specified mechanical and toughness properties must be met, and material must be demonstrated to be weldable to the PTSE-2 vessel and to the A 533 grade B class 1 plate material employed in wide-plate crack-arrest tests