Fractographic studies and tensile strength of MPG-6 graphite based on uncalcined coke, neutron-irradiated at a high temperature

Abstract

This paper presents the results of studies of the mechanical properties and fracture characteristics of MPG-6 graphite in the unirradiated state and neutron-irradiated at high temperature. MPG-6 is considered as a material for future high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGR). In particular, MPG-6 is considered as one of the candidate materials for prismatic fuel blocks of the Russian experimental hydrogen-producing nuclear power plant with the VTGR high-temperature reactor currently under design.It is shown that MPG-6 graphite, based on uncalcined petroleum coke, which causes a small difference in the size of crystallites in areas with different preferred orientations of crystallites, has higher radiation stability of mechanical properties than GR-280 graphite based on calcined coke.

Keywords

• Nuclear graphite
• Neutron irradiation
• Power reactor
• Graphite-moderated reactor
• High-temperature gas-cooled reactor
• HTGR