Cracking of 304L Stainless Steel Observed Within CANDU Nuclear Power Plants Under Cyclic Moist Environments

Abstract

The stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of stainless steel Type 304L has been observed recently in a CANDU nuclear station. The cracking occurred on the inside surface of a piping structure and was transgranular in nature. It was mainly present in sections adjacent to welds, at pipe bends, and straight pipe sections. Such cracking mechanisms are governed by specific intrinsic parameters associated with stress, environment, and material factors. In this case, environmental factors not typical, and, presumably, the stresses at the affected locations are low. This paper discusses the results of the failure analysis conducted on affected component materials. The assessment of the observed mechanism includes the investigation of the affected piping (e.g., undamaged test welds, bends, and around the crack locations) using Orientation Imaging Microscopy (OIM) to evaluate the relative degree of residual plastic strain present in the crack locations and in the general pipe microstructure. Advance surface analysis (ToF-SIMS) was used to examine metal surface oxides buried beneath deposits and at strained regions of the pipe in order to elucidate the chemical species likely involved in the cracking/degradation process.