General information
Organisation
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.
Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.
The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
Reference
SL-DES-24-0148
Thesis topic details
Category
Miscellaneous
Thesis topics
Stress corrosion cracking of stainless steel in PWR primary water : influence of chemical composition
Contract
Thèse
Job description
Austenitic stainless steels are known to be resistant to generalized corrosion in high temperature and high pressure water representative of pressurized water reactor (PWR) primary water. Nevertheless, there are some conditions which can induce stress corrosion cracking (SCC) like off-normal water chemistry (chlorides, ..) or high level of residual stresses. Many parameters can influence the SCC behaviour of austenitic alloys, including what is called a heat-to-heat variability. Even if this heat-to-heat variability has been extensively studied for nickel base alloys used in primary water, there are far less results for austenitic stainless steels. In this context, the objective of this study is to better understand which parameters related to material chemical composition and / or microstructure could modify the SCC susceptibility. Different materials will be studied regarding their surface oxidation and grain boundary oxidation which are of great importance for the SCC crack initiation behavior.
Deep characterizations will be performed with a focus on the microstructure and chemical heterogeneities. Corrosion and stress corrosion cracking tests will be performed in simulated PWR primary water with a focus on the first cracking stages.
This study will permit to identify which parameters have to be taken into account to improve life duration modelling.
University / doctoral school
Ingénierie des Systèmes, Matériaux, Mécanique, Energétique (ISMME)
MINES ParisTech
Thesis topic location
Site
Saclay
Requester
Position start date
01/10/2024
Person to be contacted by the applicant
GUERRE Catherine catherine.guerre@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DRMP//LECA
CEA Saclay
PC 50
DEN/DANS/DPC/SCCME/LECA
91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex
01 69 08 16 26
Tutor / Responsible thesis director
Duhamel Cécilie cecilie.duhamel@minesparis.psl.eu
Université PSL - Mines Paris
Centre des Matériaux – MINES ParisTech
63-65 rue Henri-Auguste DESBRUERES
BP 87
F- 91003 Évry cedex, FRANC
33 (0)1 60 76 30 00
En savoir plus