ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

In situ crystalline CTE measurements of nuclear graphite as a function of load and irradiation history

Abstract: Graphite bricks are both the moderator and structural components at the heart of the Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) cores. Internal stress arises from the moderation role of the graphite components, which leads to uneven material ageing across the component. These stresses are greatly increased by changes to the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), which is a function of irradiation and stress. These stresses can themselves be relaxed over time by the irradiation-induced creep. The need for reliable experimental data on these phenomena has driven this proposal. We propose the direct and in situ measurement of the crystalline CTE of irradiated Gilsocarbon nuclear graphite, over a test matrix comprising load, irradiation history, and temperature. The results will be incorporated into existing models for the stress state of polygranular graphite, improving model reliability.

Principal Investigator: Dr Zhanna Mileeva
Local Contact: Dr Saurabh Kabra
Experimenter: Dr Joshua Taylor
Experimenter: Dr Ram Krishna
Experimenter: Dr James Wade
Experimenter: Dr Joe Kelleher
Experimenter: Mrs Tatiana Grebennikova
Experimenter: Professor Paul Mummery

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB1520474

ISIS Experiment Number: RB1520474

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Dr Zhanna Mileeva et al; (2016): In situ crystalline CTE measurements of nuclear graphite as a function of load and irradiation history, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB1520474

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.