Papers by Author: Guang Fu Li

Abstract: The effects of environmental factors on the electrochemical behaviors of the materials 52M and 316L taken from a dissimilar metal weld exposed to high temperature primary water of pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plants were studied experimentally, mainly on the effects of impurities chloride and sulfate in water, temperature and dissolved oxygen on the polarization curves, in order to provide fundamental data for relevant research and development. The results showed that doping chloride and sulfate into the water caused the rise of the tendency to pitting and general corrosion tendencies of both materials. With the rise of temperature from 160 °C to 290 °C, the tendencies to corrosion in anodic condition increased. The rise of the dissolved oxygen led to the rises of both the corrosion potentials and also the tendencies to corrosion.

Abstract: The mechanical behaviors of dissimilar metal weld SA508-52M-316L in several environments were investigated by using tensile tests with smooth specimens, focusing on the behavior of SA508-52M weld part during slow strain rates testing (SSRT) at 290°C in nitrogen gas and in simulated primary water at different electrode potentials. The mechanical properties at room temperature of main materials were obtained first. When tested at 290°C, the weld exhibited characteristics of dynamic strain ageing (DSA), which was more significant when strain rate was decreased from 1x10^-6 (1/s) to 3.1 x10^-7 (1/s). When tested in the water at the potentials from-720 to +200mV(SHE) , SA508-52M specimens showed the mechanical behaviors almost the same as that in nitrogen gas, with ductile failure happened in the 52M bulk weld metal. When the potential was raised to +300 and +400mV(SHE), brittle failure of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) took place around the interface, causing the significant drop of elongation and reduction in area.

Abstract: The microstructures and mechanical properties of a dissimilar metal weld A508/52M/316L used in the primary water system of pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plants were investigated. The weld exhibits complicated microstructures, with significant change around the interfaces A508/52M and 52M/316L. The variations of main elements in 52M weld metal are greater than those in the A508 and 316L, with significant changes in the zones closed to the interfaces. The bulk 52M weld metal has higher and more uneven hardness than both of the base metals A508 and 316L. The HAZ of A508 exhibits the highest hardness value in the weld. The area around the A508/52M interface is the most weak part for stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance of the weld in simulated PWR primary water at 290°C. SCC was only found in the specimens tested at +200mV(SHE) but not in those tested at both -780mV and Ecorr (about -500mV).

Abstract: Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behaviors of pipeline steel X70 in various near-neutral pH soil environments with characteristics of eastern China have been studied through electrochemical measurements and slow strain rate tests (SSRT) at various electrode potentials in four solutions containing different typical soils in eastern China as well as in NS-4 solution. The SCC susceptibility in the four soil solutions was generally higher than that in NS-4 solution. There was a general trend that SCC susceptibility increased with decreasing the potential, suggesting that hydrogen induced cracking probably plays a key role in the cracking at least at low potentials and the parameters of cathodic protection in engineering should be carefully optimized to avoid SCC.