Influence of long-term high-temperature action on impact toughness of base metal and weld metal of 22K steel welded joint

One of the applications of construction low-carbon 22K steel (AISI 1022 type) is as a material for the vessel of a core catcher (CC) for nuclear power plants with VVER reactors. In the event of severe beyond design basis accident, the CC-vessel will be under conditions of prolonged hightemperature impacts, which can significantly change the structural state and lead to degradation of mechanical properties of the vessel material. Data on the effect of such actions on the mechanical properties and fracture resistance of welds (the properties of which usually differ from those of the base metal) from low-carbon steels are very limited in the literature. This makes it difficult to guarantee the reliability and safety prediction of CC. The purpose of this work was to carry out the comparative Charpy V-notch impact tests of the samples of base metal and weld metal of the 22K steel welded joint before and after long-term high-temperature heat treatment, simulating the thermal effect on the reactor vessel material of nuclear power plants during severe accidents. Welded joints of 22K steel sheets were obtained by the method of automatic argon-arc welding with a consumable electrode (welding wire SV-08G2S was used) in accordance with PNAE G-7-009–89. Based on the test results, the ductile–brittle transition curves were plotted and analysis of fracture surfaces after tests was carried out. The influence of structural factors on the impact toughness has been studied. It is shown that prolonged high-temperature exposure leads to an increase in the temperatures of beginning and end of the ductile-brittle transition by 30 – 50 °C and to the expansion of range of the ductile-brittle transition temperature by 15 – 25 °C of both base metal and weld metal of the welded joint.

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