Search Results (20)

As the key technology of space exploration, space power has been a major area of international research focus. A lot of research work has been carried out around the world for the space nuclear reactor using the heat pipe, liquid metal and gas cooling methods. With the development of molten salt reactor in the Generation IV reactor system, molten salt dissolving fissile material and acting as a coolant at the same time has become a new cooling scheme, which provides new ideas for the design of space nuclear reactors. In this study, a novel reactor, the liquid-solid dual-fuel space nuclear reactor (LSSNR) was preliminarily proposed, combining the molten salt fuel and cross-shaped spiral solid fuel to achieve the design goals of 30-year lifetime and an active core weight of less than 200 kg. Monte Carlo neutron transport code OpenMC based on ENDF/B-VII.1 library was employed for neutronics design in the aspect of fuel type, cladding material, reflector material and the spectral shift absorber. Then, the thickness of the control drum absorber was optimized to meet the requirement of the sufficient shutdown margin, lower solid fuel enrichment, and 30-effective-full power-years (EFPY) operation lifetime. Finally, UC solid fuel with U-235 enrichment of 80.98 wt.% and B₄C thickness of 0.75 cm were adopted in LSSNR, and BeO was adopted as the reflector and the matrix material of the control drum. A spectral shift absorber Gd₂O₃ was used to avoid the subcritical LSSNR returning to criticality in a launch accident. The k_eff with the control drum in the innermost position is 0.954949, and the k_eff reaches 1.00592 after 30 EFPY of operation. The total mass of the active core is 158.11 kg. In addition, the thermal-hydraulic feasibility of LSSNR using cross-shaped spiral fuel was analyzed based on a 4/61 reactor core model. The structure of cross-shaped spiral fuel achieves enhanced heat transfer by generating turbulence, which leads to a uniform temperature distribution of the coolant flow field and reduces local temperature peaks. Based on the LSSNR scheme, some neutronic characteristics were analyzed. Results demonstrate that the LSSNR has strongly negative reactivity coefficients due to the thermal expansion of liquid fuel, and the fission gas-induced pressure meets safety requirements. One hundred years after the end of core life, the total radioactivity of reactor core is reduced by 99% and is 7.1305 Ci. Full article

Circumferential guided wave detection technology can serve as an alternative method for detecting casing bond defects. Due to the presence of the cement cladding, the circumferential SH guided waves transmit shear waves into the cement cladding as they propagate in the cementing casing, which cause the circumferential SH guided waves to show attenuation characteristics. In this study, the cementing casing structure was considered as a steel substratum semi-infinite domain cemented cladding pipe structure, and the corresponding dispersion and attenuation characteristics of circumferential SH guided waves were numerically solved based on the state matrix and Legendre polynomial hybrid method. In addition, a finite element simulation model of cementing casing was established to explore the interaction between SH guided waves and bonding defects. The relationship between the amplitude of SH guided waves and the size of the bonding defects was established through the attenuation coefficient. Moreover, an experimental platform for cementing casing detection is constructed to detect bonding defects of different sizes and to achieve the acoustic analysis of cementing defects in cementing casing, which provides a research path for the non-destructive testing and evaluation of bonding defects in cementing casing. Full article

Bimetallic-clad pipes demonstrate exceptional advantages in transporting corrosive oil and gas through the combination of the load-carrying capacity of the base material and the anti-corrosive function of the thin layer of corrosion-resistant alloy. This study investigates the mechanical properties of 24-inch X65 + Alloy625 metallurgically clad pipes through experimental tests and finite element analysis. Uniaxial tensile testing with digital image correlation reveals uniform deformation between the base and clad layers until interfacial failure initiates at an average strain threshold of 34.17%. Microstructural characterization shows continuous metallurgical bonding, with the X65 layer exhibiting polygonal ferrite and bainitic phases, contrasting with the austenitic equiaxed grain structure of Alloy625. In terms of numerical modeling, finite element analyses that consider both initial geometric imperfections and manufacturing-induced residual stresses are performed to evaluate the bending response of the clad pipe. The effect of initial ovality and residual stresses on its bending capacity is also studied. Full article

Testing was carried out in this study to evaluate the friction and wear performance of 45# steel inner liner pipes with cladding, along with four different types of centralizing materials (45# steel, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and surface alloy coating) in oil field conditions. Under dry-friction conditions, the coefficients of friction and rates of wear are significantly higher than their counterparts in aqueous solutions. This is attributed to the lubricating effect provided by the aqueous solution, which reduces direct friction between contact surfaces, thereby lowering wear. As the degree of mineralization in the aqueous solution increases, the coefficient of friction tends to decrease, indicating that an elevated level of mineralization enhances the lubricating properties of the aqueous solution. The wear pattern in an aqueous solution is similar to that in dry-friction conditions under different loads, but with a lower friction coefficient and wear rate. The coating has played an important role in protecting the wear process of 45# steel, and the friction coefficient and wear rate of tubing materials under various environmental media have been significantly reduced. In terms of test load, taking into account the friction coefficient and wear rate, the suggested order for centralizing materials for lining oil pipes with the surface alloy coating is as follows: (i) surface alloy coating, (ii) nylon, (iii) PTFE, and (iv) 45# steel. Full article

Titanium alloy is widely used as oil drill pipe material because of its light weight, high strength, good toughness, corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and good process performance. However, due to its low hardness, poor wear resistance, serious oxidation at high temperature (700 °C), and difficulty in lubrication, in oil and gas field exploration and development drilling, especially in deep wells, high displacement wells, horizontal wells, and highly deviated wells, wear and tear are prone to occur. The application and development of titanium alloys are greatly limited. This paper introduces the research status of the common surface modification technologies of titanium alloys, such as laser cladding, magnetron sputtering, plasma spraying, micro arc oxidation, etc. It points out the improvement effect of various modification technologies on the wear resistance and high-temperature oxidation resistance of titanium alloys and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of various modification technologies. A proposed method for enhancing the wear resistance and high-temperature oxidation resistance of titanium alloys was finally introduced, and its potential for future development was investigated. Full article

Fuel cladding tubes are devices used in reactors to encapsulate fuel clots and transmit heat to coolants. However, zirconium alloy materials which are widely used in the fuel cladding pipe of pressurized water reactors have noticeable safety risks in resisting design basis accidents. Therefore, it is very important to improve the corrosion resistance of fuel envelope tubes to high-temperature water vapor oxidation. High-entropy alloys are considered to be a potential protective coating material for cladding tubes. In this study, AlCrNbSiTi high-entropy alloy (HEA) coatings were prepared by magnetron sputtering at different bias voltages. The effect of bias on coating morphologies, structure, mechanical properties, and resistance to high-temperature water vapor corrosion were studied. Experimental results showed that the bias significantly affects the coating surface roughness. In terms of mechanical properties, the sample at 50 V bias exhibited maximum hardness and elastic modulus of 18.2 GPa and 232.4 GPa, respectively. The highest adhesive force of the coating to the substrate of 36 N was obtained at 100 V bias. The optimum water vapor corrosion resistance of the AlCrNbSiTi HEA coating was achieved at 50 V bias, in which sample-point corrosion was the main corrosion failure mechanism. Full article

To enhance the lifespan of drill pipes and minimize wear, this study introduces a bionic structure model inspired by the pit shape structure found in the dung beetle’s abdomen. The stress distribution and wear of bionic pitted structure and ordinary structure are simulated by finite element software. The findings revealed that the bionic structure significantly improves stress distribution, resulting in an impressive 81.3% increase in lifespan. Subsequently, the surface of the 7075 aluminum drill pipe was coated with Ni powder by a laser cladding system. Wear tests were conducted to analyze the wear and surface damage behavior of the cladding layer. The microstructure, composition, and microhardness of the cladding layer were measured and observed. The results showed that the cladding layer was mainly composed of Al₃Ni₂ and had high hardness. Additionally, a transition region exists between the cladding layer and the substrate, comprising relatively low hardness Al, thereby enhancing the drill pipe’s ability to withstand alternating loads. Furthermore, the bionic structure possesses the capability to store particles, effectively reducing the occurrence of abrasive wear and increasing the lifespan by 70.0%. Full article

Pneumatic conveying pipe is an important part of the coal industry. Its working environment is harsh, and it is mainly affected by serious wear and corrosion, which affects its operating life. Studying a method of strengthening the pipe wall of pneumatic conveying pipe is of great significance. In this paper, nickel-based alloy coatings with different WC (tungsten carbide) contents were prepared using an oscillating laser-cladding process, and the micro-characterization characteristics, wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the laser-cladded layer were discussed. The main conclusions are as follows: The microstructure of the laser-cladded layer gradually grows from the plane crystals and cellular crystals at the bottom to the relatively coarse columnar crystals in the middle, and finally to a large number of equiaxed crystals in the upper part. Moreover, with an increase in WC content, more fine equiaxed crystals are formed, mainly due to the decrease in temperature gradient with the increase in distance from the fusion line. Also, with an increase in WC content, the hardness and wear resistance of the nickel-based alloy are improved. When 20% WC is added, the laser-cladded layer shows the best corrosion resistance in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution, and its polarization resistance is 16% lower than that when 10% WC is added. This study provides a technical reference for improving the operating life of pneumatic conveying pipelines. Full article

In this study, a nickel cladding layer with a bionic convex strip structure was applied to the surface of an aluminum alloy drill pipe, and laser cladding technology was used to improve the wear resistance of the aluminum alloy drill pipe. Firstly, by observing the morphological characteristics of the shell surface, the ratio of the width of the convex strips to the spacing between the convex strips was obtained as 0.39–0.53, and thus a model of the bionic structure was constructed. Numerical simulations were performed, and the results showed that the wear of the bionic structure was reduced by 77.6% compared with that of the smooth structure. Subsequently, the cladding layers of both structures were coated on the drill pipe using nickel powder as the material, and wear tests were performed. The microstructure, composition, and hardness behavior of the cladding layers were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, an X-ray diffractometer, and a microhardness tester. It was found that the cladding layer mainly consists of Al₃Ni₂, and there is a transition layer between the cladding layer and the aluminum alloy matrix, whose hardness is lower than that of Al₃Ni₂. In addition, the groove space can be formed between the convex strips, which effectively reduces the frequency of the debris flow. The results of the wear tests show that the wear of the cladding layer with the bionic structure is reduced by 74.0%. Similar results in numerical simulations and experiments verified that the designed cladding layer with a bionic convex strip structure can significantly improve the wear resistance of aluminum alloy drill pipes. Full article

The copper alloy is widely used to prepare pipes in ocean engineering. The surface is washed and corroded by seawater for a long time, which gradually shortens the service life of the condenser tube. In order to improve the wear and corrosion resistance of copper alloy, a Ni60-WC coating was fabricated on a preheated copper alloy by laser cladding. Experiments on the Ni60-WC coatings were carried out by SEM, XRD, Vickers-microhardness meter, wear tester and electrochemical workstation. The microstructure, phases, hardness, wear and corrosion resistance were investigated. The results show that from the top to bottom, the microstructures were columnar dendrites, dendritic crystals and grains, respectively. The wear rate of the Ni60-WC coating was only 4.9 × 10⁻⁵ mm³·N⁻¹·m⁻¹, which was only 1.14% of copper substrate. In addition, the corrosion current density was 2.34 × 10⁻⁷ mA·mm⁻², which was much lower than that of copper alloy substrate (1.14 × 10⁻⁶ mA·mm⁻²). The experimental results show that this Ni60-WC coating has a good metallurgical bonding and hardness, and it also has good wear and corrosion resistance, which is helpful to improve the service life of the condenser tube. Full article

In this study, the dissimilar metal cladding from a pressure vessel pipe–nozzle mockup for PWR was studied using an optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, electron back-scattering diffraction, and micro-hardness measurement. The microstructure of the SA508 side is non-uniform along the fusion boundary, especially at the concave and convex areas. Martensitic layer (type I and type II) boundaries are found at the fusion boundary area. The chemical composition, residual strain, and microstructure across the SA508–309L fusion boundary are very complex and hence result in a complicated micro-hardness distribution. Full article

The stress corrosion cracking behavior of an Incoloy825/X65 bimetallic composite pipe welded joint in wet hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) environment was investigated by means of the creviced bent beam (CBB) test in this study. The microstructure, element distribution and crack propagation behavior of the welded joint were analyzed by optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The results showed that two types of cracks were observed in the Incoloy825/X65 bimetallic composite pipe welded joint in wet H₂S environment, they initiated from the notch and the intersection of the three zones (cladding Incoloy825, base X65 and weld), respectively, and propagated along the fusion boundary(FB) and the Type-II-like grain boundary. The mechanisms of the two types of cracks are due to the combination of anodic dissolution, stress and hydrogen. Near the FB, there are high angle grain boundaries, Type-I, Type-II and the Type-II-like grain boundaries, which have high SCC sensitivity. The element distribution in the intersection of the three zones and the crack tip is complex, with element diffusion, Cr loss and large residual strain. All these provide the conditions for cracks initiation and propagation. Full article

Corrosion under insulation (CUI) is defined as any form of external corrosion that occurs on the underlying metal beneath insulated equipment, due to water ingress through the insulation layer. This type of corrosion is frequently observed in oil and gas production, where insulated piping is prevalent, and has historically remained a predominant materials integrity issue. The prediction and direct visualisation of CUI are challenging tasks because of the coverage of the insulation layer(s) and any external jacketing or cladding. Several factors, including the local/ambient environment, system design, and the piping installation process, can influence how CUI initiates and propagates. In this review, CUI background, CUI monitoring, and CUI mitigation strategies are discussed. Full article

Plasma cladding coupled induction heating was developed and successfully used to fabricate Ni60A coating on the surface of copper pipe. By matching the swing arc with the rotating copper pipe, the cladding efficiency was as high as 32.72 mm²/s. From the head to the tail of the coating, the wear resistance changed from 4.5 to 1.8 times that of pure copper. During the cladding process with constant current, the surface temperature of the cladding zone and the bath depth gradually increased. The corresponding dilution ratio increased, accompanied by the widening of the interface transition zone and the growth of precipitated phases (CrB and Cr₂₃C₆). Due to the gradient change of composition, the coating can be regarded as an in situ synthesized gradient coating. The critical point of sudden change of temperature in cladding zone was 850 °C, at which point the wear mechanism changed from abrasive wear to adhesive wear. The proper surface temperature of cladding zone should be controlled within 600–850 °C, which can be achieved by matching the cladding current and induction heating power. Results indicated that plasma cladding coupled induction heating is a potentially effective method to prepare high-quality coating on the surface of a large-complex-curved copper component. Full article

The in-service life of ASTM A36 welded steel pipes in power plants is often shortened by ash corrosion. During the heating condition, the ash deposition on the welded steel pipes gradually reduces the thickness of the pipes, thus, reducing the lifetime. Instead of replacing the pipes with new ones, the cost could be significantly reduced if the lifetime could be further extended. Weld cladding was the method selected in this study to temporarily extend the service life of welded pipes. This paper performed the mechanical investigations of A36—A36 welded steel plates after coating the surfaces with 309L stainless steel with a cladding method. The residual stress was also tested to observe the internal stresses developed during the welding processes of A36—A36 specimens. The comparison between the coated and non-coated surfaces of welded steels was performed by using the tensile tests (at room and elevated temperatures), corrosion (pitting corrosion, intergranular corrosion, and weight-loss corrosion) tests, and wear (shot blasting) tests. The life-extension of both coatings was evaluated based on the tensile tests and the corrosion and wear tests provided the qualitative evaluations of the coating performance. The results showed that surfaces coated by cladding could be used to temporarily extend the life of ASTM A36 welded steel under the studied conditions. Full article