High temperature zirconium alloys for fusion energy

D.j.m. King; Sandy Knowles; D. Bowden; M.r. Wenman; S. Capp; M. Gorley; J. Shimwell; M.r. Gilbert; A. Harte

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153431

High temperature zirconium alloys for fusion energy

D.j.m. King, Sandy Knowles, D. Bowden, M.r. Wenman, S. Capp, M. Gorley, J. Shimwell, M.r. Gilbert, A. Harte

Metallurgy and Materials

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

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Abstract

This review considers current Zr alloys and opportunities for advanced zirconium alloys to meet the demands of a structural material in fusion reactors. Zr based materials in the breeder blanket offer the potential to increase the tritium breeding ratio above that of Fe, Si and V based materials. Current commercial Zr alloys might be considered as a material in water-cooled breeder blanket designs, due to the similar operating temperature to fission power plants. For breeder blankets designed to operate at higher temperatures, current commercial Zr alloys will not meet the high temperature strength and thermal creep requirements. Hence, Zr alloys with an operational temperature capability beyond that of current commercial fission alloys have been reviewed, specifically: binary Zr alloy systems Zr-Al, Zr-Be, Zr-Cr, Zr-Nb Zr-Ti, Zr-Si, Zr-Sn, Zr-V and Zr-W; as well as higher order Zr alloys Zr-Mo-Ti, Zr-Nb-Ti, Zr-Ti-Al-V and Zr-Mo-Sn. It is concluded that, with further work, higher order Zr alloys could achieve the required high temperature strength, alongside ductility, while maintaining a low thermal neutron cross-section. However, there is limited data and uncertainty regarding the structural performance and microstructural stability of the majority of advanced Zr alloys for temperatures 500–700 °C, at which they would be expected to operate for helium- and liquid metal-cooled breeder blanket designs.

Original language	English
Article number	153431
Number of pages	27
Journal	Journal of Nuclear Materials
Volume	559
Early online date	2 Dec 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153431
Publication status	Published - Feb 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The Authors would like to acknowledge funding from EPSRC (EP/T012250/1) and (EP/S01702X/1) for time and resources. As well as Profs. Ted Derby, Michael Preuss, Erland Schulson, and Steven Zinkle for discussion regarding subject matter of this review. A Knowles acknowledges funding & support from: UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/T019174/1), Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship, EUROfusion Researcher Grant, and EPSRC (EP/T01220X/1). Acknowledgement to authors of internal reports, used to guide the writing of this review, should also be given. These people include: F. Barton, J Bernard, F. Lowrie, C. Riley and M. Rogers from Rolls-Royce plc, and P. Binks, S. Foster and M. Green from the John Wood Group plc.

Funding Information:
The Authors would like to acknowledge funding from EPSRC (EP/T012250/1) and (EP/S01702X/1) for time and resources. As well as Profs. Ted Derby, Michael Preuss, Erland Schulson, and Steven Zinkle for discussion regarding subject matter of this review.

Funding Information:
A Knowles acknowledges funding & support from: UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/T019174/1), Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship, EUROfusion Researcher Grant, and EPSRC (EP/T01220X/1).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021

Keywords

Zirconium alloys
Tritium breeder
High temperature materials

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Cite this

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title = "High temperature zirconium alloys for fusion energy",

abstract = "This review considers current Zr alloys and opportunities for advanced zirconium alloys to meet the demands of a structural material in fusion reactors. Zr based materials in the breeder blanket offer the potential to increase the tritium breeding ratio above that of Fe, Si and V based materials. Current commercial Zr alloys might be considered as a material in water-cooled breeder blanket designs, due to the similar operating temperature to fission power plants. For breeder blankets designed to operate at higher temperatures, current commercial Zr alloys will not meet the high temperature strength and thermal creep requirements. Hence, Zr alloys with an operational temperature capability beyond that of current commercial fission alloys have been reviewed, specifically: binary Zr alloy systems Zr-Al, Zr-Be, Zr-Cr, Zr-Nb Zr-Ti, Zr-Si, Zr-Sn, Zr-V and Zr-W; as well as higher order Zr alloys Zr-Mo-Ti, Zr-Nb-Ti, Zr-Ti-Al-V and Zr-Mo-Sn. It is concluded that, with further work, higher order Zr alloys could achieve the required high temperature strength, alongside ductility, while maintaining a low thermal neutron cross-section. However, there is limited data and uncertainty regarding the structural performance and microstructural stability of the majority of advanced Zr alloys for temperatures 500–700 °C, at which they would be expected to operate for helium- and liquid metal-cooled breeder blanket designs.",

keywords = "Zirconium alloys, Tritium breeder, High temperature materials",

author = "D.j.m. King and Sandy Knowles and D. Bowden and M.r. Wenman and S. Capp and M. Gorley and J. Shimwell and M.r. Gilbert and A. Harte",

note = "Funding Information: The Authors would like to acknowledge funding from EPSRC (EP/T012250/1) and (EP/S01702X/1) for time and resources. As well as Profs. Ted Derby, Michael Preuss, Erland Schulson, and Steven Zinkle for discussion regarding subject matter of this review. A Knowles acknowledges funding & support from: UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/T019174/1), Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship, EUROfusion Researcher Grant, and EPSRC (EP/T01220X/1). Acknowledgement to authors of internal reports, used to guide the writing of this review, should also be given. These people include: F. Barton, J Bernard, F. Lowrie, C. Riley and M. Rogers from Rolls-Royce plc, and P. Binks, S. Foster and M. Green from the John Wood Group plc. Funding Information: The Authors would like to acknowledge funding from EPSRC (EP/T012250/1) and (EP/S01702X/1) for time and resources. As well as Profs. Ted Derby, Michael Preuss, Erland Schulson, and Steven Zinkle for discussion regarding subject matter of this review. Funding Information: A Knowles acknowledges funding & support from: UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/T019174/1), Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship, EUROfusion Researcher Grant, and EPSRC (EP/T01220X/1). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021",

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AU - Knowles, Sandy

AU - Bowden, D.

AU - Wenman, M.r.

AU - Capp, S.

AU - Gorley, M.

AU - Shimwell, J.

AU - Gilbert, M.r.

AU - Harte, A.

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N2 - This review considers current Zr alloys and opportunities for advanced zirconium alloys to meet the demands of a structural material in fusion reactors. Zr based materials in the breeder blanket offer the potential to increase the tritium breeding ratio above that of Fe, Si and V based materials. Current commercial Zr alloys might be considered as a material in water-cooled breeder blanket designs, due to the similar operating temperature to fission power plants. For breeder blankets designed to operate at higher temperatures, current commercial Zr alloys will not meet the high temperature strength and thermal creep requirements. Hence, Zr alloys with an operational temperature capability beyond that of current commercial fission alloys have been reviewed, specifically: binary Zr alloy systems Zr-Al, Zr-Be, Zr-Cr, Zr-Nb Zr-Ti, Zr-Si, Zr-Sn, Zr-V and Zr-W; as well as higher order Zr alloys Zr-Mo-Ti, Zr-Nb-Ti, Zr-Ti-Al-V and Zr-Mo-Sn. It is concluded that, with further work, higher order Zr alloys could achieve the required high temperature strength, alongside ductility, while maintaining a low thermal neutron cross-section. However, there is limited data and uncertainty regarding the structural performance and microstructural stability of the majority of advanced Zr alloys for temperatures 500–700 °C, at which they would be expected to operate for helium- and liquid metal-cooled breeder blanket designs.

AB - This review considers current Zr alloys and opportunities for advanced zirconium alloys to meet the demands of a structural material in fusion reactors. Zr based materials in the breeder blanket offer the potential to increase the tritium breeding ratio above that of Fe, Si and V based materials. Current commercial Zr alloys might be considered as a material in water-cooled breeder blanket designs, due to the similar operating temperature to fission power plants. For breeder blankets designed to operate at higher temperatures, current commercial Zr alloys will not meet the high temperature strength and thermal creep requirements. Hence, Zr alloys with an operational temperature capability beyond that of current commercial fission alloys have been reviewed, specifically: binary Zr alloy systems Zr-Al, Zr-Be, Zr-Cr, Zr-Nb Zr-Ti, Zr-Si, Zr-Sn, Zr-V and Zr-W; as well as higher order Zr alloys Zr-Mo-Ti, Zr-Nb-Ti, Zr-Ti-Al-V and Zr-Mo-Sn. It is concluded that, with further work, higher order Zr alloys could achieve the required high temperature strength, alongside ductility, while maintaining a low thermal neutron cross-section. However, there is limited data and uncertainty regarding the structural performance and microstructural stability of the majority of advanced Zr alloys for temperatures 500–700 °C, at which they would be expected to operate for helium- and liquid metal-cooled breeder blanket designs.

KW - Zirconium alloys

KW - Tritium breeder

KW - High temperature materials

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DO - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153431

M3 - Review article

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VL - 559

JO - Journal of Nuclear Materials

JF - Journal of Nuclear Materials

M1 - 153431

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High temperature zirconium alloys for fusion energy

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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