The magnetic properties of A533B low alloy steel irradiated up to 3 x 1023 n/m2 in a nuclear reactor were measured using a SQUID sensor. The SQUID sensor used in the test is the type with a first-order axial gradiometer. Test specimens were irradiated to 0.5 x 1023 and 3.0 x 1023 n/m2, and then magnetized in a 0.2 T field until saturation before measurement. The specimens were put on a scanning table in a hot laboratory and the SQUID output was recorded while each specimen was gradually moved in a horizontal direction under the SQUID sensor. A superconducting magnet was used to put the test specimen under a magnetic field that changed from +0.01 T to -0.01 T to observe the relation between magnetic field intensity and coercive force (B-H curve). The B-H curve shows a definite tendency towards a higher coercive force for test specimens with higher neutron fluence. The test result also shows a good relation between mechanical properties, such as yield strength, tensile strength, and the Charpy impact test result, with SQUID output. This proves that there is a very good chance of developing a non-destructive evaluation system for nuclear reactor structure. This kind of evaluation system would be a great help in making plant life management even more reliable and reasonable.

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A modified magnetomechanical acoustic emission (MAE) technique denoted Pulse MAE, in which the magnetizing current has a rectangular wave form, was developed as an NDE technique. Its applicability to the radiation damage for reactor pressure vessel steel was evaluated. The reactor pressure vessel steel A533B base metal and weld metal were irradiated to the two fluence levels: 5 x 1022 and 3 x 1023 n/m2 at 288 °C. One side of the specimen was electropolished after irradiation. Pulse MAE signals were measured with a 350 kHz resonance frequency AE sensor at the moment when the magnetizing voltage is applied from zero to the set-up value abruptly. The AE signals were analyzed and the peak voltage Vp was determined for the measuring parameter. The peak voltage Vp showed the tendency to increase monotonically with increasing neutron fluence. The relationship between the Vp and mechanical properties such as yield stress, tensile strength and Charpy transition temperature were also obtained. The Pulse MAE technique proved to have the possibility to detect and evaluate the neutron irradiation embrittlement. The potential of the Pulse MAE as an effective NDE technique and applicability to the actual components are discussed.

This report describes the results of studies made for the purpose of detecting the irradiation embrittlement of low-alloy steel used for nuclear reactor pressure vessels. For the method of using eddy current to detect material degradation, the device and the sensor employed are light in weight and compact in size, allowing testing without contact. In this study the frequency of input current to the excitation coil is changed in steps of 1 kHz. The output signal is processed by phase detection method, and displayed on a complex plane. It depicts a trajectory as the frequency is changed. To extract features of the trajectories, averaged radius and averaged phase angle are defined and plotted as function of neutron fluence or ductile-brittle transition temperature. Experiment shows that the averaged phase angle and transition temperature decrease as the neutron fluence is increased. Behavior of the averaged phase angle is interpreted employing magnetic permeability and electric conductivity of the test specimens. It becomes clear that electric conductivity decreases as the neutron fluence is increased.

In order to develop a method for the nondestructive evaluation of material deterioration in nuclear pressure vessels, changes in the electromagnetic properties of the low-alloy steel A533B, Class. 1 and its weld metal caused by neutron irradiation up to ∼3x1023 n/m2 of neutron fluence at 561K were measured. Electrical resistance, coercivity and Barkhausen noise were selected as the electromagnetic properties to measure. It was found that decreases of several % in the readings of electrical resistance and coercivity, and an increase of several % in the Barkhausen noise occurred due to neutron irradiation. Good correlations between the changes in the electromagnetic properties and those in the mechanical properties were confirmed. Furthermore, an equation using the results of the three tests was found to estimate well the transition temperature and yield strength. From this, the authors conclude that the electromagnetic tests have potential as methods for nondestructive evaluation of material deterioration in the reactor vessels of nuclear power plants.