Nuclear materials - 4PMGMTN9

Goal(s)

The objective is to provide to students, specialized in thermhydraulics and neutronics, fundamentals knowledge in materials science for Nuclear Engineering. Design , material selection, irradiation damage and ageing in materials used for primary circuit components and coolant of PWR are detailled, materials for other reactors type are brieflty presented.

Prerequisites of this course is hence to have fundamental knowledge in materials science and/or solid state physics and very basics knowledge in continnum mechanics.

Content(s)

Topic addressed are the following:

Irradiation damage in different the classes of materials

Primary damage in cristalline solids ( displacement cascade, PKA, dpa)

Irradiation microstructure in metallic alloys

Macroscropic irradiation damage and associated nuclear ageing process in PWR components : irradiation hardening and embrittlement, creep, swelling, growth..

Design, materials selection and specific ageing issues of the main primary circuit components in PWR : fuel assembly, internals, pressure vessels, circuitery, control rod.

Water radiolysis and Wigner effect