Assessment of martensitic steels for advanced fusion reactors

Martensitic steels are currently considered in Europe to be prime structural candidate materials for the first wall and breeding blanket of the DEMO fusion reactor. In this design, reactor power and wall loading will be significantly higher than those of an experimental reactor. ITER and will give rise to component operating temperatures in the range 250 to 5500 C with neutron doses higher than 70 dpa. These conditions render austenitic stainless steel, which will be used in ITER, less favourable. Factors contributing to the promotion of martensitic steels are their excellent resistance to irradiation induced swelling, low thermal expansion and high thermal conductivity allied to advanced industrial maturity, compared to other candidate materials vanadium alloys. This paper described the development and optimisation of the steel and weld metal. Using data design rules generated on modified 9 Cr 1 Mo steel during its qualification as a steam generator material for the European Fast Reactor (EFR), interim design guidelines are formulated. Whilst the merits of the steel are validated, it is shown that irradiation embrittlement at low temperature, allied to the need for prolonged post-weld hat treatment and the long term creep response of welds remain areas of some concern. (author). 18 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs