Challenges in Mechanical Performance of Materials in SCWR

Abstract

The Super Critical Water-cooled Reactor (SCWR) system is a high temperature, high pressure water-cooled reactor that operates above the thermodynamic critical point of water. This aggressive environment, together with irradiation, decreases the mechanical stability of the construction materials. Although materials for light water reactors have been used for many decades, the performance of these same materials in an SCWR is uncertain. Creep, fatigue, creep-fatigue, and fracture toughness are the main mechanical characteristics of materials that can be degraded in the SCWR environment. In this paper, the challenges involved in predicting the mechanical performance of materials in the SCWR environment, together with selecting potential materials for use in an SCWR, is discussed.