Engineer?s Guide to Nuclear Reactor Core Materials

An Engineer’s Guide to Nuclear Reactor Core Materials presents everything a reactor engineer needs to know to work on reactor core structural materials and core internals. This book outlines the impact of radiation damage on materials and provides the necessary tools to perform calculations of atomic displacement and transmutation, especially He and H gas production, with the aid of software available in the public domain.

An Engineer’s Guide to Nuclear Reactor Core Materials includes an explanation of metallurgical properties of reactor components that are dependent on microstructure and alloying elements. The effect of fabrication (and then irradiation) on the microstructure; and modelling of radiation effects and the methods for the determination of microstructure parameters that are needed for modelling are also addressed. The effect of radiation on materials (creep, swelling and hardening) are also described as are rate theory formulations used to model radiation effects. In addition, the book explores how tensors are used and the important properties of common engineering alloys used in nuclear reactors (austenitic and ferritic stainless steels, Ni-alloys, Zr-alloys, graphite). Key features relevant to reactor operation are highlighted, and information needed to evaluate the performance of nuclear reactor materials are also discussed.

Intended for nuclear engineers, reactor operations, and academics and students researching nuclear reactors, An Engineer’s Guide to Nuclear Reactor Core Materials is sure to be a welcomed reference.

• Presents the effects of irradiation on core structural materials
• Suggests how to design new nuclear plants and how to select materials for refurbished units
• Discusses the mechanical properties of nuclear core materials and how they change during reactor operation

Dr. Malcolm Griffiths has worked on various aspects of materials performance in nuclear reactor cores during his 32 years with AECL. He was instrumental in developing strategies supporting CANDU refurbishment addressing improving pressure tube performance and the degradation of Inconel X-750 components in CANDU reactors. From 2003-2013, he was on the editorial advisory board for the Journal of Nuclear Materials and was an editor from 2013-2016. In 2007, he was recipient of the Kroll medal from the American Society for Testing and Materials for his pioneering work on microstructure evolution in zirconium alloys during irradiation.
While working at CRL, he was chair and project manager for the Candu Owners Group (COG) R&D program addressing Zr-2.5Nb pressure tube performance and the COG refurbishment joint project addressing Inconel X-750 spacer degradation. Since retiring in 2016, he is adjunct professor at Queens University and at Carleton University. He also consults through ANT International.