Evaluation of long-term creep properties of hastelloy XR in simulated high-temperature gas-cooled reactor helium

Creep properties are among the important basic items of material performance for design of high temperature components of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs). In order to evaluate creep properties of Hastelloy XR (a modified version of the conventional Hastelloy X) developed for the High-Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR), long-term creep tests were carried out in simulated HTGR helium at 800, 900 and 1000degC. The test results up to about 50,000h showed no significant degradation in creep properties. The creep-rupture strength obtained through the long-term tests was above the level corresponding to the design allowable creep-rupture stress of the HTTR. Rupture lives could be estimated with sufficient accuracy using Larson-Miller parameter. The values of the stress exponent were 4.5 to 5.7 when the stress dependence of the steady-state creep rate was expressed in terms of the Norton equation. It was judged that dominant creep process was dislocation creep. The relationship between the steady-state creep rate and the rupture life was expressed in terms of the Monkman-Grant equation. Carburization during creep in simulated HTGR helium did not degrade creep properties of this alloy. Internally formed cavities and cracks were initiated at sites of precipitates at grain boundaries, growing nearly perpendicular to the stress axis. Creep fracture was caused by the nucleation, growth and link-up of grain boundary cavities in long-term tests. Two phases, Cr-rich carbide and Mo-rich carbide, co-existed in specimens after long-term creep tests. (author)