TY - GEN
T1 - Brazing refractory metals used in high-temperature nuclear instrumentation
AU - Palmer, A. J.
AU - Woolstenhulme, C. J.
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - As part of the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE)-sponsored Next Generation Nuclear Project (NGNP) currently ongoing at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the irradiation performance of candidate high-temperature gas reactor fuels and materials is being evaluated at INL's Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). The design of the first Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR-1) TRISO fuel experiment, currently being irradiated in the ATR, required development of special techniques for brazing niobium and molybdenum. Brazing is one technique used to join refractory metals to each other and to stainless steel alloys. Although brazing processes are well established, it is difficult to braze niobium, molybdenum, and most other refractory metals because they quickly develop adherent oxides when exposed to room-temperature air. Specialized techniques and methods were developed by INL to overcome these obstacles. This paper describes the techniques developed for removing these oxides, as well as the ASME Section IX-qualified braze procedures that were developed as part of the AGR-1 project. All brazes were made using an induction coil with an inert or reducing atmosphere at low pressure. Other parameters, such as filler metals, fluxes used, and general setup procedures, are also discussed.
AB - As part of the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE)-sponsored Next Generation Nuclear Project (NGNP) currently ongoing at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the irradiation performance of candidate high-temperature gas reactor fuels and materials is being evaluated at INL's Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). The design of the first Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR-1) TRISO fuel experiment, currently being irradiated in the ATR, required development of special techniques for brazing niobium and molybdenum. Brazing is one technique used to join refractory metals to each other and to stainless steel alloys. Although brazing processes are well established, it is difficult to braze niobium, molybdenum, and most other refractory metals because they quickly develop adherent oxides when exposed to room-temperature air. Specialized techniques and methods were developed by INL to overcome these obstacles. This paper describes the techniques developed for removing these oxides, as well as the ASME Section IX-qualified braze procedures that were developed as part of the AGR-1 project. All brazes were made using an induction coil with an inert or reducing atmosphere at low pressure. Other parameters, such as filler metals, fluxes used, and general setup procedures, are also discussed.
KW - High-temperature irradiation
KW - Induction brazing
KW - Refractory metal brazing
KW - Stainless steel alloys
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/77954904178
U2 - 10.1109/ANIMMA.2009.5503815
DO - 10.1109/ANIMMA.2009.5503815
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:77954904178
SN - 9781424452088
T3 - ANIMMA 2009 - 2009 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications
BT - ANIMMA 2009 - 2009 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications
T2 - 2009 1st International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation, Measurement Methods and their Applications, ANIMMA 2009
Y2 - 7 June 2009 through 10 June 2009
ER -