| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2021 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Materials and Chemistry for Molten Salt Systems
|
| Presentation Title |
Development of an In-situ Mechanical Test System for Molten Salts |
| Author(s) |
Jake Quincey, Peter Beck, Josef Parrington, Lars Parrington, Christopher Lamb, George Young, Julie Tucker, Samuel Briggs |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Jake Quincey |
| Abstract Scope |
Advanced reactor coolants such as molten salts pose unique challenges for test systems designed to study environmentally assisted cracking (EAC). Challenges with in-situ testing include immersing the sample in molten salt while preventing air exposure and providing sample access for real-time load control and monitoring of crack initiation and growth. This work presents scoping work done on an in-situ mechanical test system that addresses these issues and is capable of state-of-the-art, fracture mechanics-based EAC testing in molten salt environments with concurrent electrochemical monitoring. This test system is constructed from stainless steel to minimize dissimilar metal contact, enables electrical isolation of the test sample for potential drop monitoring of crack growth, has feedthroughs allowing electrodes for electrochemical monitoring, and utilizes a novel, pumped ‘cold leg’ to prevent excessive contaminant buildup in the coolant. The key features of the system and initial results from testing in molten FLiNaK salt will be described. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Mechanical Properties, |