General Electric Company

Alvin J Jacobs

Gerald M Gordon

Ronald B Adamson

Mickey O Marlowe

Richard A Proebstle

David Wesley Sandusky

David J Coates

An improved stainless steel composition and an improved stainless Ni-based alloy are disclosed for use in nuclear reactor environments. The improved stainless alloys include a stainless steel and a stainless nickel based alloy that are particularly well adapted for use in reactor components that are positioned adjacent to components formed from a zirconium based metal. The improved stainless steel is an austenitic stainless steel material that include less than approximately 0.2 percent manganese by weight, but does include sufficient austenitic stabilizer to prevent a martensitic transformation during fabrication or use in a reactor environment. In one preferred embodiment, the stainless alloy is formed without any significant amount of manganese.

Reduction of manganese content of stainless alloys to mitigate corrosion

A heat treatment method for inhibiting irradiation induced stress corrosion cracking in stainless steel and related nickel-chromium alloys.

Treatment for inhibiting irradiation induced stress corrosion cracking

A chromium-nickel austenitic stainless steel alloy composition, including specific proportions of carbon with a combination of niobium and tantalum.

Austenitic stainless steel alloy

Irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking occurring in the metallic core components of light water nuclear reactors is reduced by the use of austenitic stainless steel alloys containing a maximum of about 0.03% nitrogen, as well as about 0.025% to about 0.067% carbon, about 1.5% to about 2.0% manganese, a maximum of about 0.005% phosphorus, a maximum of about 0.05% silicon, and a maximum of about 0.005% sulfur.

Light water reactor cores with increased resistance to stress corrosion

Stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steel or nickel-based alloys attributable at least in part to exposure to irradiation is reduced with a specific heat treatment.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Alvin J Jacobs