Characterization of the resistance to PWSCC of hydraulic tube- tubesheet expansions. [Primary water stress corrosion cracking]

The resistance to primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) of hydraulically expanded Alloy 600 steam generator tubing, manufactured by the Westinghouse Specialty Metals Division, was evaluated under highly accelerated conditions in a 400{degrees}C steam test environment. These evaluations included microstructural characterizations of all test materials, screening tests with highly stressed reverse U-bends (RUBs), and the testing of internally pressurized hydraulic expansion tube-in-collar mockups. Eighteen heats of archived tubing from an operating nuclear power plant were evaluated; included were heats of Alloy 600 in both the mill annealed (A600 MA) and thermally treated (A600 TT) conditions. Other heats of archived A600 TT tubing, and reference laboratory heats with known corrosion resistance, were also included in various portions of this investigation. Hydraulically expanded mockups of A600 T-F tubing exhibit high resistance to PWSCC in the aggressive steam test environment. Some of the archived A600 MA heats, however, possess low resistance to PWSCC. Shot peening of the ID surfaces of tubes of these latter heats prior to testing was effective in precluding the occurrence of PWSCC. Archived heats of Model F (or F-type replacement) A600 TT steam generator tubing typically exhibit carbide morphologies and distributions consistent with high resistance to PWSCC. These datamore » are in agreement with the performance to date of operating Model F steam generators.« less